How difficult is the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek?

It is one of the most difficult trekking routes in Nepal, rated Extreme. You cross two passes above 5,200 m (French Pass 5,360 m and Dhampus Pass 5,240 m), travel on glaciers, and camp in remote high-altitude terrain with no tea houses above Italian Base Camp. Prior high-altitude trekking experience and excellent fitness are required.

Is this a tea-house or a camping trek?

It is primarily a full camping trek. From Darbang to Hidden Valley you sleep in tents with a complete support crew — licensed guide, cook, kitchen helpers and porters. Only the final two nights at Marpha and Jomsom are in tea houses/lodges.

What permits do I need for the Dhaulagiri Circuit?

You need the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP, NPR 3,000) and a TIMS card. The Dhaulagiri Circuit is NOT a restricted area, so no special Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required. A licensed guide and a full camping crew are mandatory for safety and logistics.

When is the best time to do this trek?

Autumn (October–November) is the prime season with the most stable weather and clearest views, followed by spring (April–May). This is not a monsoon trek — summer rain makes the lower gorge dangerous and the passes risky. Winter snow usually makes the high passes impassable.

How high do we go and how do you manage altitude?

The high point is the French Pass at 5,360 m. We run a conservative acclimatisation profile with rest days at Italian Base Camp, Glacier Camp and Dhaulagiri Base Camp, carry a contingency day at Hidden Valley, and our guides carry a first-aid kit, pulse oximeter and emergency oxygen. Comprehensive travel insurance covering helicopter evacuation above 5,000 m is mandatory.

How do we get to the start and back?

We drive from Kathmandu via Pokhara and Beni to the roadhead at Darbang to begin trekking. The trek finishes by crossing the Dhampus Pass to Marpha and Jomsom, from where you take a scenic mountain flight to Pokhara and then on to Kathmandu.

Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek — 18 Days — photo 1

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TrekExtreme

Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek — 18 Days

18 days5,360 mFrom Darbang (drive via Beni)Best: Oct–Nov, Apr–May

Photo by Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

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Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek — 18 Days

Oct5

Oct 5 → Oct 22

0 going12 left

$3,490

$2,550

Oct19

Oct 19 → Nov 5

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$3,490

$2,550

Nov2

Nov 2 → Nov 19

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$3,490

$2,550

Prefer your own dates? Book a private trek.

Duration

18 days

From

$3,490/person

Max Altitude

5,360 m

Difficulty

Extreme

Starts

Darbang (drive via Beni)

Group Size

2–10 People

Stay

Tea House / Camp

Meals

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Best Season

Oct–Nov, Apr–May

4.9 NMA-licensed guides Secure Stripe checkout Reserve now, pay later

Trip Highlights

Circle Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m), the world's 7th-highest peak and the only 8,000er entirely within Nepal

Cross two high passes above 5,200 m — the French Pass (5,360 m) and Dhampus Pass (5,240 m)

Camp beneath the towering north face of Dhaulagiri at Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4,750 m)

Trek the wild Chhonbardan Glacier and remote, wind-swept Hidden Valley

Experience a true tented wilderness expedition with a full camping crew

Finish in the Thakali apple village of Marpha before flying out from Jomsom

One of the most remote and committing trekking circuits in the entire Himalaya

Circle the world's 7th-highest peak on Nepal's wildest camping trek — Italian Base Camp, Dhaulagiri Base Camp, two 5,200 m+ passes and remote Hidden Valley.

Day-by-Day Itinerary(18 days)

Altitude Profile

Peak: 5,360 m · Day 12

Arrive in Kathmandu, transfer to your hotel and meet your guide for a full expedition briefing and equipment check. The Dhaulagiri Circuit is a camping trek, so we confirm gear, permits and crew arrangements this evening.

1,400 m––DHotel

The Dhaulagiri Circuit is one of the most committing and rewarding treks in the entire Himalaya — a true wilderness expedition that loops around Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m), the seventh-highest mountain on Earth and the only 8,000-metre peak that lies entirely within Nepal. There are no tea houses above Italian Base Camp, so the route is fully camping-supported: you travel with a licensed guide, cook and a full porter crew, sleeping in tents on glaciers and crossing two high cols — the French Pass (5,360 m) and the Dhampus Pass (5,240 m) — to descend into the otherworldly Hidden Valley.

From the roadhead at Darbang the trail climbs through Magar villages, deep gorges and rhododendron forest along the Myagdi Khola before breaking out onto the Chhonbardan Glacier beneath the colossal north face of Dhaulagiri. This is glacier travel in big-mountain terrain, and it demands real fitness, prior high-altitude experience and patience for weather. The reward is solitude almost unmatched in Nepal, an intimate camp beneath an 8,000er, and a high crossing into a hidden basin that few trekkers ever see.

A genuine expedition, not a tea-house walk

Because everything above Italian Base Camp is tented and self-supported, this is a logistically heavy, weather-dependent undertaking. We carry contingency days for snow on the passes and run a conservative acclimatisation profile with rest days at Italian Base Camp, Glacier Camp and Dhaulagiri Base Camp before tackling the French Pass.

Who this trek is for

The Dhaulagiri Circuit suits experienced trekkers who have already been comfortable above 4,500 m and want a remote, physically serious objective. Basic glacier-walking confidence helps, and you should be prepared for cold, simple camping and long days. In return you get one of the last great wilderness circuits in the Nepal Himalaya.

What's Included

Included

ACAP permit and TIMS card
Licensed, experienced English-speaking trekking guide
Full camping crew — cook, kitchen helpers and porters
All camping equipment — tents, dining tent, kitchen tent, toilet tent, mattresses
All meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner) on the trek prepared by the trek cook
2 nights tea-house/lodge accommodation at Marpha and Jomsom
All ground transport: Kathmandu–Beni–Darbang drive
Jomsom–Pokhara and Pokhara–Kathmandu flights
Airport transfers in Kathmandu
Guide and porter insurance, wages, food and equipment
First-aid kit, pulse oximeter and emergency oxygen
All government taxes and official paperwork

Not Included

International airfare to/from Nepal
Nepal entry visa fee
Travel and high-altitude rescue insurance (mandatory, must cover helicopter evacuation above 5,000 m)
Accommodation and meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara
Personal trekking gear and clothing (sleeping bag, down jacket can be hired)
Tips for guide, cook and porters
Drinks, snacks, hot showers and personal expenses
Costs arising from early exit, flight delays or itinerary changes due to weather
Anything not listed under Included

Best Time to Go

Spring (Mar–May)

The second-best window. Warmer days, longer light and blooming rhododendron in the lower gorge. April–May offers stable weather for the passes, though afternoon haze can build later in May.

Low: -12°C High: 14°C Lingering snow on the French and Dhampus passes early in the season

Summer / Monsoon (Jun–Aug)

Not recommended. Heavy monsoon rain makes the lower gorge slippery and landslide-prone, leeches are common, and cloud obscures the high mountains. The passes are wet and dangerous.

Low: -5°C High: 18°C Wet snow and whiteout conditions on the passes

Autumn (Oct–Nov)

The prime season. Crisp, stable post-monsoon weather, crystal-clear mountain views and firm trails. The best and safest conditions for crossing the French and Dhampus passes.

Low: -14°C High: 12°C Possible fresh snow on the passes from late November

Winter (Dec–Feb)

Generally impassable. Deep snow buries the high passes and Hidden Valley, with extreme cold at the glacier camps. Only attempted by fully equipped mountaineering teams.

Low: -22°C High: 4°C Heavy snow closes the French and Dhampus passes for most of the season

Permits Required

Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)

NPR 3,000 (approx. USD 23)

Required for the entire route, which lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area. Single entry.

TIMS Card

USD 20 (group) / USD 10 (individual)

Trekkers' Information Management System card, required for all trekkers.

Licensed guide + camping crew

Included in package

A licensed guide and full camping crew (cook and porters) are mandatory for this remote, tented route. No Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required — Dhaulagiri is not a restricted area.

All permits are arranged and included in your package price. Nothing to organise yourself.