Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

Dhaulagiri Region 21 Days

About Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

Country

Nepal

Duration

21 Days

Difficulty

Strenuous

Activity

Trekking

Max. altitude

5,360 m / 17,585 ft

Best season

Mar–May, Sep–Nov

Accommodation

Tea house and lodge

Meals

Included

Start/End point

Kathmandu

The Dhaulagiri Circuit trek is an exciting adventure through high alpine pastures, desolate valleys, and windswept hills.

Crossing two major mountains – the French Pass at 5,360 meters with pristine views of Tukuche Peak (6,990m) and the Dhampus Pass at 4,720 meters with extensive cultivated terraced hillsides. It is a challenging route that requires good fitness but also basic trekking skills if you want to reap the rewards of stunning scenery like no other!

What could be more magnificent than mountains? The circuit path winds past communities and terraced farmland, as well as through rivers and canyons. With plenty of time to acclimate before climbing high passes, you'll have lots of opportunities to explore this amazing region with friends or family!

The Dhaulagiri Circuit trip is difficult and exciting for experienced hikers aiming for an expedition-like experience. This circuit walk is spectacular and fascinating at every level, bringing you from agricultural towns in the Himalayan foothills to high alpine meadows, desolate valleys, and close-up views of numerous peaks above 8,000 meters.

Highlights of Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

  • Trekking

    140 km

  • Stay

    19 nights in tea houses and lodges

  • Mountains visible

    Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, Nilgiri

  • Altitude gain

    1,345–5,360 m (4,413–17,585 ft)

  • Destinations

    Tatopani, Dharapani, Muni, Boghara, Dobang

  • Activities

    Tea house stays, Sherpa and Himalayan village visits, Sunrise viewpoints, Prayer flags, stupas and monasteries

Seasonality for Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

The best months to go are shown in green and the months to avoid in red. Weather in the mountains can change at any time of year, so ask us about your dates.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar (best)
  4. Apr (best)
  5. May (best)
  6. Jun (unfavourable)
  7. Jul (unfavourable)
  8. Aug (unfavourable)
  9. Sep (best)
  10. Oct (best)
  11. Nov (best)
  12. Dec

Best seasons: Mar–May, Sep–Nov (shown in green color)

Unfavourable seasons: Jun–Aug (shown in red color)

Altitude Profile of Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

Hover, tap or drag along the chart to see each stop
1,000 m2,000 m3,000 m4,000 m5,000 m6,000 m14567891113151718Kathmandu1,345 m4,413 ftDay
Curated day-by-day experience

Detailed Itinerary of Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

  1. On the first day, a Creative Adventure Nepal representative will pick you up from the airport as soon as you arrive. Then, you will be transferred to a hotel in Kathmandu. Meanwhile, our representative will brief you about the trip.

  2. Today we travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara over Nepal's largest Prithivi Highway, enjoying scenic sights of luscious hills and the blissful Trishuli River. Pokhara is a tourist's paradise with natural and cultural heritage attractions, including lakes, caves, and Buddhist and Hindu temples surrounded by mountains. The city lies at the foot of the Annapurna and Fishtail mountain ranges.

  3. After breakfast, we will take you to Beni through the Pokhara Baglung Highway. Beni serves as the starting place for our Dhaulagiri high trek. We begin our journey down the Myagdi River's bed, passing through exquisite cultural and traditional towns until arriving in Tatopani.

  4. We leave Tatopani and continue down the Myagdi River, passing through various towns, terraces, and farmlands. Along the way, we may learn about the traditional lifestyles of the nearby Gurung and Chhetris tribes. Our trek continues to a tiny suspension bridge when the route abruptly begins to ascend towards Dharapani.

  5. After Dharapani, we take a path that leads to Muri. We travel past rice terraces, paddy and wheat farms, and lovely villages. We can get vistas of the Himalayas from certain points on the trip to Muri. After crossing a suspension bridge just over Dhara Khola, our trip begins to ascend till we reach the Magar community Village – Muri. In the evening, we visit the hamlet and learn about their traditional and cultural ways of life.

  6. We begin our journey to Boghara after breakfast. We descend steep slopes till we reach the Muri brook suspension bridge. Then, after passing through gorgeous bamboo woods and farmhouses, we take a northern path into an open valley before arriving at the Boghara campground.

  7. Dhaulagiri Expedition

    Leaving Boghara, we begin our trek to Dobang by walking along the west bank of the Myagdi River, passing through rich subtropical woods. We carry on after Lipshe, going through towns, forests, and various farm terraces. We eventually arrive at Dorbang, which has several tea places and decent camping spots.

  8. We go through thick rhododendron and bamboo forests on a route. And, we go to the east side of the Myagdi River after passing a suspension bridge. Also, we may travel through lovely green woodlands till we reach the Sallaghari campground.

  9. After breakfast, we begin our adventure on a hard rising track through deep rhododendron forests, pine forests, and birch trees. On this day, we encounter glaciers and moraine. Mt. Dhaulagiri, the world's sixth highest peak, can be viewed from Italian Base Camp.

  10. We need to be more concentrated because the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek is a demanding trekking adventure. Acclimatization is essential for staying fit at high elevations. We take a well-deserved break and explore the surroundings.

  11. After breakfast, we begin our descend down narrow falling slopes towards the glacier. Between Italian Base Camp and Dhaulagiri Base Camp is Glacier Camp. We'll have to navigate glaciers, gorges, moraine, and various tight slopes. We gradually approach Glacier Camp after crossing the Glacier to the left of Chinbarden Gorge.

  12. We spend our second acclimatization day at Glacier Camp. We need this rest day since we are already at high altitudes and need to gain additional altitude to complete the journey. To get from Glacier Camp (4200 meters) to Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4700 meters), we need to be healthy and physically strong.

  13. Dhaulagiri High Trekking

    The trek to Dhaulagiri Base Camp is incredibly tricky. As we progress up the route, it becomes increasingly difficult and demands careful attention from all of us to ensure that no one is injured along the way!

  14. We spend another day at Base Camp acclimating. We get a fantastic view of Mt. Dhaulagiri 8167m, Dhaulagiri II 7751m, Dhaulagiri IV 7618m, Tukuche Peak 6920m, and other high peaks in the area.

  15. The route follows the left side of the upper Chhonbarden glacier in the early morning. We make our way up severe lateral moraine ridge ascents. The main highlight of the day is crossing the hazardous French pass 5360m, which offers spectacular views of Mt. Dhaulagiri 8167m, Dhaulagiri I, Tukuche Peak 6920m, Mukut Himal 5970m, Sita Chuchura 6611m, Tashi Kang 6386m, and many more snow-capped summits. After passing the mountain, the trail begins a stunning descent with moderate gradients, eventually terminating at the magnificent Hidden Valley.

  16. We spend a rest day in Hidden Valley exploring it. We may go up to the western ridge, from where we can see Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Nilgiri, and many more snow-covered Himalayan mountains. In addition, Hidden Valley serves as the starting place for the Dhampus Peak Climbing excursion.

  17. After an early breakfast, we depart Hidden Valley on an uphill path to Dhampus Pass (5240 m). After passing through the Dhampus Pass, our walk descends into the Kali Gandaki Valley. We continue downward till we reach Yak Kharka.

  18. We begin our day with a steady downhill trek from Yak Kharka to Marpha Village. Marpha hamlet is widely renowned for its lovely apple garden, where visitors may sample local whiskey produced from local apples. Then we return to Jomsom on a pleasant trail.

  19. Dhaulagiri Expedition

    If you're searching for a day of adventure and discovery, Pokhara is the best place. The city has numerous attractions to offer, including stunning mountains on all sides and intriguing temples or monuments depending on your preferences! Fewa Lake also has boating, which provides wonderful vistas while people enjoy their leisurely time floating; paragliding provides a spectacular viewpoint from above ground level while flying over this natural wonderland.

  20. Finally, we travel from Pokhara to Kathmandu for the day, which takes around four to five hours. We go down the Prithivi Highway, which features magnificent steep roads along the banks of the Trishuli River.

  21. It's time to say goodbye following a fantastic trip to the Dhaulagiri circuit. Our agent will drop you off at the International Airport at the end of this voyage.

What's included and excluded

What's included

  • Airport pick-up and drop-off by private vehicle
  • Hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast
  • Licensed trekking guide and porters
  • Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) during the trek
  • Tea house and lodge accommodation on the trail
  • Trekking permits and national park fees
  • Domestic flights or transfers as listed in the itinerary
  • First-aid kit and 24/7 support from our office

What's excluded

  • Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara
  • Extra nights in the city because of early return or flight delays
  • Hot showers, battery charging and Wi-Fi on the trail
  • International flights and visa fees
  • Travel and rescue insurance
  • Personal expenses such as drinks, laundry and phone calls
  • Tips for guides, drivers and staff
  • Meals not mentioned in the program
  • Any costs caused by weather, strikes or other events beyond our control

Equipment and things you need

Clothing

  • Down jacket (warm enough for below -10 °C)
  • Waterproof shell jacket and trousers
  • Base layers and a fleece
  • Warm hat, sun hat, gloves and buff

Footwear

  • Broken-in waterproof trekking boots
  • Spare socks (wool or synthetic)
  • Light shoes or sandals for the lodge

Gear

  • Sleeping bag rated for the altitude
  • Trekking poles
  • Headlamp with spare batteries
  • Sunglasses with UV protection and sun cream
  • Refillable water bottle and purification tablets

Health and papers

  • Personal first-aid kit and your regular medication
  • Travel and rescue insurance covering your maximum altitude
  • Passport, spare photos and copies of your documents

Frequently asked questions

Customer reviews

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Creative Adventure Nepal provides excellent service and truly professional support in the tourism industry. Their team is friendly, knowledgeable, and well-organized, making every trip smooth, safe, and memorable. From planning to execution, everything is handled with care and passion. Highly recommended for anyone looking for an amazing travel experience in Nepal!

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Google

5.042 Google reviews

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    It was an excellent and memorable trip arranged by creative adventure. We were 15 family members planned for pilgrimage trip but later combined adventures too for the sake of our kids. From the arrival and till departure, Ramesh Ji ‘s support was excellent. He was able to reach even at night for some emergencies. Excellent vehicles were provided and especially kind and experienced drivers were arranged. Because of the change in climatic conditions , our flight got cancelled and we were supposed to do road travel. We afraid a lot but the drivers were really experienced and helped us a lot in all aspects. Food arranged in hotels were really good. ( Only concern was they could have separated veg n non veg in different places n not on the same counters). Especially chef in landmark Kathmandu was so kind n prepared food specially for us. Cultural village in Janakpur also provided homely n decent food. We had a great n enjoyable trip all over. Thanks Ramesh Ji for arranging everything. We definitely recommend Creative adventure to everyone.

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