Dhaulagiri Mountain

The White Mountain

Dhaulagiri, which can be literally tranlated as White Mountain, holds the status of the seventh highest mountain in the world. A giant Himalayan massif, Dhaulagiri lies in north central Nepal and is the highest mountain located entirely within Nepal. Dhaulagiri region has four pyramid-like peaks, in addition to the main summit, and all of them rise more than 25,000 feet altitude. High passes and sweeping snow-clad vistas seem to challenge the trekkers who would love to go on a off-beat trek. Trek in Dhaulapur region is replete with peace, and on the other hand, excitement and adventure.


Overview

Location	North Central Nepal
Altitude	8,167 m
Importance	7th Highest Mountain In The World.
Other name	Dhawalgiri
Mountain Range	Himalayas
Region	Dhaulagiri Himal
Best Trek Season	April To May & Late September To October

Striking Features

• Refreshing walks through terraced fields of millet and rhododendron forests, past Buddhist chortens and colorful villages
• The exotic Mayangdhi river gorge which leads into the legendary Hidden Valley, one of Nepal's wildest and most remote regions
• Several awe-inspiring glaciers like the Chhonbarden Glacier
• Adventurous passes like the French Pass and Dampus Pass
• An unforgettable climb to the Thapa Peak (19, 720 ft.) leading to the deepest gorge in the world - the Kali Gandaki.
• An opportunity to see small villages, visit ancient temples, learn about the mountain Sherpa culture, and enjoy the support of a wonderful group of warm and friendly local porters and fine mountain cooks

The Dhaulagiri Trek
The trek trail is an extreme trip that rings the awesome Dhaulagiri, an imposing peak west of the Annapurna massif. This trek familiarises the trekkers to astounding varieties of Nepal's natural beauty and cultural diversity. This is an ideal trip for those with mountaineering aspirations.

Day 01: Trek departure to Beni-900m (approx. 9 hr drive from Kathmandu) and overnight camp

Day 02: Trek to Babiyochaur-1000m (5-6 hr)

Day 03: Trek to Dharapani-1500m (6-7 hr)

Day 04: Trek to Muri-1800m (5-6 hr)

Day 05: Bagar-1900m (6-7 hr)

Day 06: Trek to Dovan-2550m (7-8 hr)

Day 07: Trek to Italy Base Camp-3500m (7-8 hr)

Day 08: Rest at Italy Base Camp for acclimatization

Day 09: Trek to Dhaulagiri base camp-4650m (6-7 hr)

Day 10: Rest at Dhaulagiri base camp for acclimatization

Day 11: Trek to Dhampus Pass-5250m crossing over French Pass-5360 (7-8 hr) via hidden valley

Day 12: Trek to Yak Kharka-2591m (6-7 hr)

Day 13: Trek to Marpha-2665m (3 hr)

Day 14: Trek to Jomsom

Day 15: Fly from Jomsom - Pokhara - Kathmandu, trip ends...

Outlook
Mount Dhaulagiri (8167m) was first climbed by the Swiss in 1960. Its name is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Dhavala' which means 'White' and 'Giri' i.e. 'Mountain'. The mountain was discovered by British surveyors in India in the early 1800s and was mapped by one of the secret Indian surveyors in 1873. The region remained largely unknown until a Swiss aerial survey in 1949. After its discovery in 1808 by the western world, Dhaulagiri was thought to be the highest mountain in the world. This lasted for 30 years before Dhaulagiri's place was taken by Kanchenjunga, and then Mountain Everest.

Tit-Bits

• In 1960, the Swiss/Austrian expedition who first reached the Dhaulagiri summit did so despite their airplane having crashed during the approach.
• Dhaulagiri rises 7000m over the Kali Gandaki gorge to the southeast in about 30km of horizontal distance.
• The South and West faces of Dhaulagiri both feature massive drops; each rises over 4000 meters from its base, and each has been the site of epic climbs
• Across the deep gorge of the Kali Gandaki to the east lies the Annapurna Himal, home to Annapurna I, one of the other Eight-thousanders.