Dhaulagiri Round Trek

The Dhaulagiri Round Trek or Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek is a challenging trek that reaches a maximum altitude of 5360 m at the French Pass and an overnight elevation of 5050 m at Hidden Valley. This trek, which lasts over two weeks, involves crossing two high passes above 5000 m and is an entirely camping-based trek. Physically challenging due to the high altitude, it involves approximately 6–8 hours of daily trekking.

The best time to trek the Dhaulagiri round are Autumn (from October till November) and Spring (April until May). The weather during these months tends to be clear and nice allowing us to enjoy the trekking to the fullest, and temperatures will drop considerably as you ascend higher every day. The nights are cold (between -10C to 5C) and the days are sunny and hot (between 10C to 20C). Mornings are usually clear, with clouds building up in the afternoon and disappearing at night.

Nepal visa can be obtained on arrival at Kathmandu airport (Tribhuvan International Airport) or you can obtain Nepal visa prior to your arrival through the Nepalese embassies, diplomatic missions and consulates near your location. Nepal Visa is also issued at the entry points if you are entering Nepal by land. Here are the visa fees:

For two (2) weeks – USD 30
For one month (4 weeks) – USD 50
For three months (90 days) – USD 125
For additional visa extension – USD 3 for each additional day

To get a Nepal visa, you will need the following documents:

• Two recent passport-sized photographs with a light (white) background.
• Cash (USD) depending on the number of days you plan to stay in Nepal.
• A passport valid for at least six months.

For the Dhaulagiri Round Trek, you will need two trekking permits:

• Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) permit is USD 30 per person. Valid for the duration of your trek.
• Dhaulagiri Restricted Area Permit is USD 20 per person per week. This permit is valid for the duration of your trek. You will need 2 times the Restricted Area Permit (US40).

Both of these permits can be obtained in Kathmandu or Pokhara. We will arrange this for you.

• The fees collected from the Annapurna Conservation Area Project go directly to ACAP’s Integrated Community-Based Conservation and Development Plan and Approach, which aims to “achieve a sustainable balance between nature conservation and socio-economic improvement in the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) in order to help the National Trust for Nature Conservation achieve its goals.”
• The Dhaulagiri Restricted Area Permit reflects the fact that you are entering a restricted area and is similar to the ACAP permit in that it assists conservation efforts in the area, including cultural conservation. Like the ACAP permit, it is also a way to track hikers in the area for their safety in case of potential problems.

It’s mandatory and highly recommended to get travel insurance before embarking on any adventurous trips in Nepal. We advise all our clients to get travel insurance that covers up emergency helicopter evacuation that may be needed in case of the occurrence of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) or any other reasons in high altitudes where there are no other means of transportation available. It is advisable to review carefully the insurance and its coverages before making the final decision. More information: Travel Insurance

You will be led by our highly experienced mountain trekking guides, who have years of experience having visited Dhaulagiri Round Trek multiple times. All of our guides are full-time employees, not freelancers, and are local experts fluent in English. They have extensive knowledge of the mountain, its people, culture, health, hygiene, and most importantly, your safety.

You will only carry your day pack which will contain the essentials needed during the trek (water, camera, extra fleece, rain jacket, sunscreen, snacks, valuables etc.). The rest of your luggage will be carried by the porter. We provide 1 porter for every 2 participants and also provide a duffel bag to hold your trekking gear.

Absolutely! Under normal circumstances, AlpineTrav Treks & Expeditions guarantees that trips will operate. Because we are a tailor-made company. So you can continue to move forward without any stress and don’t forget to look to us to coordinate your travel decisions. Please do not hesitate to book your stress-free holidays with us. Unless there are circumstances beyond our control such as political unrest, natural disasters, epidemics, pandemics or weather disasters, our trips are 100% guaranteed to operate.

AlpineTrav Treks & Expeditions offers a lifetime deposit policy that gives you the flexibility to transfer your deposit to anyone or any other trip. If you wish to cancel your booked trip, certain cancellation fees apply. Please see our Booking Terms and Conditions for detailed information.

Many trekking areas in Nepal are very popular and as a result, there is a large network of trekking lodges, restaurants, cafes and well-marked trekking routes, some areas still offer a remote, expedition feel. Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek is one of them. Since there are few settlements around the area, there is no other facility for foreign trekkers than carrying their own camping equipment.

Camping is an excellent way to get into the more remote corners of Nepal and explore the unusual and rare countryside, flora, and fauna. It is also the only way to access some places where the altitude is so high there are no year-round settlements. It also allows you to experience what it is like to be on a mountaineering expedition without actually scaling mountains!

Therefore; we provide 4-season tents to keep out any bad weather, including wind, but there is plenty of space in them for two trekkers to sleep comfortably. We will provide you with a sleeping foam mattress with pillow but suggest you bring your own 4-season sleeping bag. If you wish, you can hire these in Kathmandu. A toilet tent and a dining tent are also part of the regular camp.

For Dhaulagiri Round camping trek in Nepal, we require a minimum of two (2) trekkers to make it viable. It will be more fun for you if you have more people in your group. However, if you are a solo trekker, we will try to accommodate you for this trek as much as possible.

It is customary to tip your guides and porters on a trek to appreciate the wonderful people who help make your trek enjoyable and comfortable. Please note, 100% of your tips go to the staff.

We recommend the following:

Tip the guide 10% of your trip cost.
Tip the assistant guide 6% of your trip cost.
Tip the chef 8% of your trip cost.
It is customary to tip porters a total of USD150 per porter.

Tips for guides and crew members are divided by the number of hikers on the trip i.e. if you are three hikers, you pay USD50 per porter.

Dhaulagiri Round Trek is known as a ‘circuit trekking’, but since some climbing is involved, it requires some mountaineering skills and equipment. The right kind of equipment and tools play a vital role in successfully attempting to climb Dhampus Peak. We recommend the following equipment and kits for Dhaulagiri Round Trek:

1. Waterproof Duffel Bag
2. 40L Back pack (daypack)
3. Shirts and t-shirts
4. Set of thermals (tops & bottoms)
5. Fleece Jacket
6. Shell Rain Jacket
7. Down Jacket
8. Lightweight hiking trousers
9. Waterproof/Windproof pants
10. Socks
11. Buff
12. Sun hat & sun glasses
13. Gloves & Mittens
14. Hiking boots
15. Mountain climbing boots
16. Flip flops and slippers
17. Sleeping bag
18. Water bottles
19. Sun cream & lip balm
20. Gaiters
21. Personal toiletries
22. Trekking pole
23. Scarf & warm hat

Besides the regular items that you would pack for a typical trekking trip, read more for other essential peak climbing equipment and familiarize yourself with the kits you will be carrying along for the trekking and climbing.