Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek, 20 Days

Your Dhaulagiri circuit Trek begins the moment you land at Tribhuvan International Airport. A representative will be waiting for you and will take you to your hotel in a private vehicle, so there is nothing to figure out on your own after a long flight. If you arrive before mid afternoon, you will meet your guide for a pre-trip briefing the same day at the office. If you land later, this meeting happens the following morning instead. Either way, this is where your guide walks you through the three week journey ahead, covering the route, the camping arrangements, permits, and what to expect once the trail turns remote. It is worth bringing a passport sized photo and a readable copy of your travel insurance policy to this meeting, since both are needed to process your trekking permits. The rest of the day is yours to rest, adjust to the time difference, and finalize any last minute gear purchases in Kathmandu before heading into the mountains.

After an early breakfast, you will leave Kathmandu behind on a scenic 8 to 9 hour drive along winding mountain roads. The first stretch takes you through the busy outskirts of the capital before the road narrows into hillside terrain, passing terraced farmland, dense forest, and small roadside villages along the way. As you get closer to Beni, distant snow capped peaks start appearing on the horizon, building real anticipation for the trekking days ahead. Once you arrive, you will check into a guesthouse and have the evening to relax and mentally prepare, since tomorrow marks the actual start of your trek.

This is your first real day on foot, and it eases you into the rhythm of the trek. Starting from Beni, the trail follows the banks of the Myagdi Khola River through a warm, subtropical landscape. There will be many villages and terraces of agriculture passed on the route. Also there will be some suspension bridges across the rushing river water. Once reaching Babiachor, the atmosphere of the mountain area will fully settle. Babiachor is an authentic representation of the countryside life of Nepal and you will spend a pleasant night at the tent campsite.

It continues with the gentle climb, passing along the Myagdi River further into the Dhaulagiri area. The route runs through terraced agricultural fields, forests, and settlements. Sometimes one can see the snowy peaks that break through the forest. It is a rather relaxing day full of views and allowing to get used to the trekkers pace of walking. Dharapani is a mountain village with a magnificent view of the surroundings.

Today’s trek takes you to Muri, which is a culturally rich village of Magar people who have their unique culture and identity. There will be quite a few sections of climbs during the trek to Muri, and at every climb point you can see your view widening, and peaks of Dhaulagiri mountains gradually coming into your view. Muri is an amazing place, and enjoying the evening in Muri will provide you a taste of the mountain life.

It’s a long day with many variations. Your day begins with steep descents to cross a few small streams followed by ascent over a low pass from where you get the view of Gustung South. The next part of your trek will take you through lush green vegetation and then after going down to the west side of the river Myagdi Khola, you reach a beautiful village named Naura. The last uphill zigzag trek route brings you to Boghara village with some amazing views of Manapathi Peak, Gurja Himal, and Dhaulagiri I.

Today’s route follows through the forested valley of the Myagdi Khola, then passes the isolated village of Jyardan before making its way to Lipshe via rocky terrain. This trek continues up to the Lapche Kharka before ascending again to reach Dobang. There is a visible change in scenery as one advances on the route, as the lush forests eventually become a wilder and rugged landscape once the destination is reached.

The route continues to follow the Myagdi Khola through the forest and makes a wooden bridge across the river to get to the grazing lands. The last part of the journey entails a tough and landslip-prone climb to reach the destination at Choriban Khola. Given that one will be trekking above 2,500m, it is time to be careful with the speed and water intake.

Today is very special indeed. The route leads you through the thick forest and over the glacial creeks where the scenery becomes even more dramatic and spectacular as you go higher. On approaching Italian Base Camp, the majestic peaks of Dhaulagiri II, III, and V provide the most amazing backdrops to your destination point. This camp is not only picturesque but also represents one of the vital acclimatization camps prior to ascending further into the mountains.

Instead of going up further today, you spend your day recovering from the ascent and acclimatizing yourself to the altitude. Such a rest day is critical for your further expedition and allows you to appreciate the surroundings more and take care of your health and well-being in order to prepare yourself properly for the challenges that lie ahead.

Leaving Italian Base Camp behind, the trail takes you through a narrow, steep gorge that can be prone to occasional rockfall, so your guide will set a careful pace through this section. You will continue climbing through tricky terrain, passing Swiss Base Camp along the way, before finally arriving at Glacier Camp. The setting here is genuinely striking, with views of the Chhongardan Glacier alongside Himalayan giants like Dhaulagiri, Manapathi Peak, Tsaurabong Peak, and Dhampus Peak all visible from camp.

This is going to be one of the toughest and yet one of the most rewarding days during the entire trek. You will have to walk across glaciers and rocks through the gradual widening of the valley into a T-shaped junction between Tukuche and Dhaulagiri. From here it is just a little walk to the base camp of Dhaulagiri where you get some stunning view of the north face of Dhaulagiri I that reaches up to 8,167 meters. The camp lies directly beneath this monstrous peak, with peaks around it.

Another vital day of rest for acclimatization, this time in one of the most scenic spots on the whole trek. You may take the whole day just exploring the surrounding glacier or simply relax amidst the majestic presence of Dhaulagiri II, III, and V peaks.

Today marks one of the most challenging and rewarding days of the entire journey. Leaving the glacier behind, you will trek across two hills that cut through the moraine before the trail climbs steadily along gentle slopes toward French Pass itself. The climb is steep, but reaching the top rewards you with a jaw dropping panorama that includes Mukut Himal, Sita Chuchura, Tashi Kang, Tukuche Peak, Thapa Peak, and the wider Dhaulagiri massif. After taking in the view, you will descend into the remote and strikingly quiet Hidden Valley, a high altitude sanctuary tucked among rugged mountains, perfect for a memorable overnight camp.

The trek involves descending from the Hidden Valley and then ascending again to cross Dhampus Pass at 5,200m, thus providing yet another panoramic Himalayan view. After crossing the pass, the trek will descend to Yak Kharka, which is a place full of beautiful meadows where one can see yaks calmly grazing. This is the true relief after several days of trekking through high, barren altitude zones; the campsite here allows for a peaceful and relaxing experience.

The descent of the day passes through the pretty village of Marpha that is famous for its apple orchards and home-made apple brandy. Along the way, one will follow Kali Gandaki River through fields of terraced cultivation and small settlements until reaching Jomsom, the headquarters of the Mustang district. After several days of being isolated in nature, one feels truly civilized by visiting this bustling town.

In early morning flight takes you from Jomsom to the lakeside city of Pokhara. This short but genuinely scenic flight offers a bird’s eye view of both the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, a fitting farewell to the mountains you have spent the past two weeks walking through. Once in Pokhara, you will have the rest of the day free to explore the city, relax by Phewa Lake, or simply enjoy a proper shower and comfortable bed after so many nights of camping.

This day is built in specifically as a buffer in case your Jomsom to Pokhara flight gets delayed or cancelled, which does happen occasionally due to mountain weather conditions. If your flight departs on schedule, you can skip ahead and use this day for extra rest or exploring in Pokhara instead. If you do end up staying in Jomsom, it is a relaxed day to explore the local area at your own pace.

After breakfast, you will set out on the scenic drive back to Kathmandu, taking in Nepal’s hills, rivers, and terraced fields one more time. Once you arrive, the afternoon is free for last minute souvenir shopping or simply relaxing after three weeks on the trail. In the evening, you will celebrate the successful completion of your trek with a farewell dinner at a traditional Nepali restaurant, complete with cultural dance performances.

Your Dhaulagiri circuit Trek comes to a close today. Our team will transfer you to Tribhuvan International Airport in time for your flight home, bringing an end to a genuinely demanding and rewarding three week journey through some of the most remote terrain in the Himalayas.