Dhaulagiri Base Camp With Circuit Trek via French Pass

Flying in Kathmandu is in itself an exciting and beautiful experience. On a clear day, you will get panoramic views of the snow-capped mountains. Upon your arrival in Nepal, the land of the Himalayas, you will be kindly welcomed by a representative from Bold Himalaya, who will pick you up from the Tribhuwan International Airport.

Then, our members will accompany and escort you to your hotel. Then, you can either take a rest or explore the busy Kathmandu. For the day, you can roam around beautiful Thamel and find yourself some typical local products to shop for and get a close look at the bustling urban life. You can also visit a variety of restaurants and cafés offering both Western and Nepali cuisine. Overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, we will explore the city as well as prepare for our adventurous trek. Kathmandu is the cultural and historical capital of Nepal. Many places here symbolize art, history, architecture, and the culture of Nepalese traditions. We will visit the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu.

They are considered World Heritage Sites including the historic Kathmandu Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous ‘Monkey Temple’ (Swyambhunath), and the Buddhist Stupa (Bouddhanath) which is one of the largest stupas in the world.

The city life is vibrant as the culture and heritage reflect their ethnic identity. Later, there will be a pre-trip discussion where we can meet our trek leader, guide, and other team members. Bold Himalaya will give us brief detail regarding our trek as well as provides us an opportunity to ask any questions we may have regarding our upcoming adventure. You can also go for last-minute shopping for your trek. You will find every branded trekking gear at Thamel. Overnight in Kathmandu.

We will be heading towards Beni which is also the beginning point of our trek. We will drive on Prithivi Highway from Kathmandu. The drive will last for about 9 hours. The drive will be long and passes through the mountains along the banks of Trishuli and Marsyangdi River but the views along the highway are beautiful and will pass through the famous lake city of Pokhara.
On the way, we will get to observe the spectacular ranges of Annapurna and gorgeous Mt. Macchapuchrey. We will drive further from Pokhara deeper into the mountains with the magnificent views of the Annapurna Himalayas. Driving further along the banks of the Mardi River, we will continue to Beni.

Our trek starts today. After having breakfast, we will trek to Babiachaur. It takes around five hours to reach. We will head towards the western region along the northern bank of Myagdi Khola. We can see several villages during the trek.

During the trek, we will cross by the two suspension bridges near the village of Simal Chaur along with Mangalghat, Singa, and Tatopani villages. Then, walking ahead for some hours, the trail takes us to Babiachaur. Reaching Babiachaur village, we will explore the daily living style of local people with their unique traditions and norms.

We will Cross the river Myagdi Khola and head north to Phedi. The route to Darbang is soft, wide, and graveled. The trek is moderate and we will pass the village of Shahashradhara, a traditional village. Passing through the villages, we will also cross by the suspension bridges. Waking through the trail of green hills and forests, we can see the beautiful rhododendron flowers along with oak and pine trees.

Then comes Duk Khola and after crossing this river we will reach Ratorunga. From here, the valley narrows, and the route continues to the large village of Dharapani. The main inhabitants of this place are Gurung and Chettri. If the weather is clear, we will get our first view of the Dhaulagiri massif to the north

From Dharapani, we will walk through the villages of Takum and Sibang. These are prosperous places with numerous terraced fields growing rice and wheat. We will cross the river and along the way we get to observe great views of Mt. Dhaulagiri (8167m) and Gurja Himal (7193m).

Then, we will ascend up to the hill, walking constantly for some hours through the lush green forests and terraced fields and we will reach a large and dense village, Muri. Muri is a Magar community where we will get a chance to explore the cultural traditions and daily living style of local Magar people following their own norms and beliefs. If the weather is sunny, we can get sight of Manapathi Himal (6380m) and the whole of the Dhaulagiri range.

Starting from Muri, it will take us about 6-7 hours to reach Baghara. Today, we will cross a river called Dhora Khola. Alongside Dhora Khola there is terraced farmland. From here, we will climb the mountain right to us until we reach Ghorban Dhara. Ghorban Dhara provides the perfect view of Ghustung south which is elevated at 6,465m. We will then start following the trail alongside Myagdi Khola until we reach Naura.

We will ascend right up the mountainside to Ghorban Dhara. From Ghorban Dhara, we will get to see Ghustung South (6,465m). Before reaching the Naura we will follow the river bank path of Myagdi Khola. From Naura, we will ascend the mountainside, some of the uphill climbing, and a path that traverses the steep grass-covered hills. Moving further away in well-constructed zigzag stone steep paths while descending through a forested area, emerging to a ridge snout Baghara becomes visible elevate at 2,050m

From Boghara, we will reach Doban in around five hours. We will leave the village behind and start our challenging trail from here which is with many ups and downs. During the trek, we will descend to the small ridge before crossing the forests of Jyardan which is the most remote permanent settlement in this part. After that, a tall, winding route leads to a stony area and reaches Lipshe, where there is no hut.

The track goes through a forest to Lapche Kharka and then climbs to Dobhan through tough trails. Doban is a capacious clearing in the forest with two huts and a large area for camp. This trek is considered slightly more challenging than the other days.

After having our breakfast, we will trek down through the bamboo forest, along with this we will get to see the beautiful rhododendron flowers in lush green forests of pine and oak tree. Trekking through many ups and downs during the walk we will reach the bank of the Myagdi River and camp at Sallahghari.

Today, we will trek from Sallahghari to Italian Base Camp after having breakfast. We will walk through a beautiful trail surrounded by lush green forest and mountainous views. In some places, we will cross small bridges and jungles which make the track quite active, risky, and difficult. We will slowly gain altitude, pass by the beautiful laden flowers and reach the open field called Italian Base Camp.

Here, we will camp in front of the west side of stunning Mt. Dhaulagiri. At this base camp, we will experience wonderful views of the Dhaulagiri range, Manapathi Peak (6380m), Dhaulagiri II (7751m), and other snow-covered mountains

It is essential to adjust ourselves to the climate for our safe trek. And for that purpose, we will acclimatize to the Italian Base Camp and explore the area. So, today we will go for a short hike, the trail is surrounded by beautiful laden flowers. On the way, we will cross some suspension bridges and get excellent views of Manopathi Peak, Dhaulagiri II, and many others.

We can visit the surrounding camps like Puchhar Base Camp, Swiss Base Camp, French Base Camp, American Base Camp, and Japanese Base Camp, all of which present amazing views of the Dhaulagiri range along with Tsaurabong (6395m)

After breakfast, we will start our trek and cross the first glacier using ropes. We will climb onto the main glacier, where the surroundings are outstanding amid the rough and unsteady trail. This is a tough day where the route gets more difficult as we go further, for the trail is covered in icy moraines of Dhaulagiri Glacier

Today, we will head towards Dhaulagiri Base Camp. The trail to Dhaulagiri Base Camp is rough but the happiness of reaching the destination is nothing compared to the trail. The route is steady up along the smooth ice with mountain views. Reaching the top surrounded by the white part of the glacier offers unexpected moments in our lives.

The views from here are mesmerizing, could literally stop our breath for a few seconds. We will experience the stunning view of Dhaulagiri I (8167m), II (7,751m), III (7,715m), and IV (7,661m). Stay overnight at Dhaulagiri Base Camp

Today, we will be in need of rope to complete the trek. We will climb over steep moraine walls and reach a less strenuous place. This breathless climb leads us to French Col (5,360m) and the views of Hidden Valley finally open out giving us the full view. We will witness the astonishing views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges.

We will be able to see Tashi Kang (6,386m), Mukut Himal (6,328m), and Sita Chuchura (6,611m), all of which surround the Hidden Valley, and to the south is Tukche Peak (6,920m). The Hidden Valley is very cold reaching at least -20 degrees at night. As the day is also for acclimatizing, we will not spend the time resting or being idle, instead, we will explore the hidden valleys of this region along with the daily living style of local people. From the French Pass, we will sustain along the right edge of the Hidden valley losing a little altitude to the Thapa Pass (5,250m) between Tukche Peak and Thapa Peak (6,012m). Going down from the Thapa Pass we will make it to the camp at 5,200m.

To reach Yak Kharka, first and foremost, we need to cross the Dhampus Pass and the trek will last for about seven hours. Trek to Dhampus is hard as we should ascend steep uphill. Not only uphill is challenging but downhill is as stiff as uphill. While descending, we will pass through avalanche-prone slopes and rocky slopes.

After going down through a challenging trail, we will reach an open space where yak grazes. This open grazing arena is known as Yak Kharka. Overnight in Yak Kharka

An easy descent leads us to Marpha by a narrow route through the middle of a pine forest. A very beautiful village, Marpha showcases Tibetan culture and is also popular for its cider.

It has a Buddhist monastery, whitewashed houses, and paved streets. We will cross the Kaligandaki Valley, a little downstream of Marpha, and come across a village full of Tibetan refugees. We will reach Jomsom and enjoy superb views of the Kali Gandaki Valley, all the Nilgiri peaks as well as the Tilicho peak, and more.

After morning breakfast, we will check in at the airport to fly back to Pokhara, a 30-min dramatic flight to Pokhara between the gorge of the two huge mountains, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. After reaching Pokhara airport, the guide will transfer to the lakeside hotel.

We will make use of the rest afternoon for discovering the beautiful Pokhara valley. We will walk along the bank of Fewa Lake, the second biggest lake of Nepal enjoying the Fish Tail Mountain reflected in the lake. We can also ride a boat around Fewa Lake or just can take an hour’s walk to the World Peace Pagoda. Evening time, we will explore the lakeside

Today, we will drive back to Kathmandu bypassing Damauli, Dumre, Mugling, and Kurintar. We will enjoy the green sceneries, small settlements, and glimpses of local people. From Naubise, we will ascend to Thankot, the entryway of Kathmandu. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.

You are bidding goodbye to the mountains as your journey in Nepal comes to an end today. We will take you to the airport for your flight time. We hope you enjoyed the trek, and are sure you will be back to trek somewhere in the Himalayas again.

Approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight, a representative from Bold Himalaya will take you to the airport. On your way home you’ll have enough time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.