Overview The Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition is an exhilarating adventure that takes mountaineers to the majestic Dhaulagiri. It is the seventh highest mountain in the world, standing tall at an impressive 8,167 meters (26,795 feet). Located in the Dhaulagiri Himal range of Nepal, this expedition offers a challenging and rewarding experience for seasoned climbers. The journey begins in Kathmandu, where participants gather and make final preparations. After completing the necessary paperwork and obtaining climbing permits, the expedition team embarks on a scenic flight to Pokhara, a picturesque city surrounded by stunning mountain vistas. From Pokhara, the team embarks on a thrilling…
The Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition is an exhilarating adventure that takes mountaineers to the majestic Dhaulagiri. It is the seventh highest mountain in the world, standing tall at an impressive 8,167 meters (26,795 feet). Located in the Dhaulagiri Himal range of Nepal, this expedition offers a challenging and rewarding experience for seasoned climbers.
The journey begins in Kathmandu, where participants gather and make final preparations. After completing the necessary paperwork and obtaining climbing permits, the expedition team embarks on a scenic flight to Pokhara, a picturesque city surrounded by stunning mountain vistas.
From Pokhara, the team embarks on a thrilling jeep ride to Darbang, the starting point of the trek. The trek to the base camp is an adventure in itself, passing through dense forests, picturesque villages, and crossing glacial rivers. As the altitude increases, the landscapes transform into rugged terrain and icy glaciers, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks.
Reaching the base camp is a significant milestone. Here, climbers acclimatize and rest before tackling the challenging ascent. The climbing route to the summit involves navigating steep slopes, crevasses, and icefalls, requiring technical skills and mountaineering expertise. Ropes, crampons, and ice axes are essential tools for the climbers as they make their way up the mountain.
The summit push is an arduous and physically demanding endeavor. Climbers brave extreme weather conditions, including freezing temperatures and strong winds, as they ascend towards the summit. The sense of achievement upon reaching the top is unparalleled, with panoramic views of the Himalayan peaks, including Annapurna, Manaslu, and the surrounding valleys.
After spending a memorable time on the summit, climbers carefully descend back to base camp, where they celebrate their accomplishment. The return trek retraces the initial route, allowing climbers to reflect on their incredible journey and appreciate the beauty of the Himalayan landscape.
The Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition is a challenging yet rewarding adventure that tests the limits of physical and mental endurance. It offers a unique opportunity to explore the rugged wilderness of Nepal and stand on the summit of one of the world’s highest mountains, creating lifelong memories for those brave enough to undertake this extraordinary journey.
Dhaulagiri Camp I (5450m/21,000ft) 4-5hrs:
Once you have reviewed the basic and advanced training from your climbing Sherpa guide, you will be ready for your attempt to climb to camp I(5450m/21,000ft). In this section of the climb, you will encounter mixed terrain. The first section of the ridge is known as Jacobs Ladder and is a moderately technical limestone and snow climb. Nowadays, the top of the ladder forms camp II location, but the 1960 expedition had set up an intermediate camp near the top of the icefall. Before the glacier section, you will encounter grassy slopes, rock slabs, and a moraine. The first section of climbing on the moraine takes about two hours and requires fixing rope for almost 200m at a slope of 35-40º.
Dhaulagiri Camp II (6400m/20,997ft) 2½-3hrs:
The climbing from camp I to camp II is the intermediate section of the route and ascends ice and few mixed climbing sections. Comparing with other centers, the distance between base I and camp II is safer and more comfortable. Here you will encounter the heart of the ice and snow. The first section is just slogging over snow for about two hours, and then you meet several steep areas of blue ice at 35-40º slope and extends for50-60 meters, these sections do not require a ladder. For most people, this is the crux of the route. Camp II lies above the snowy terrace.
Dhaulagiri Camp III (7400m/24,278ft)4-5hrs:
Camp II to camp III is the long-distance of 1000m/3,281ft. Between camp II and camp III, 100% route need to be fixed the like by Sherpa climbing guide. This section for most climbers feels more comfortable and safe because of most of the routing fix. This section is not to take lightly, the climbing is on sustained slopes, and there is exposure to cold and wind. However, there have been reports of direct sun hitting this section in autumn, making it feel hot. You have to climb about 4 hours along blue ice and snow on a 35-45º slope in this climbing section. This section is a little dangerous in the spring season because the snow slope covers a layer of ice, making the section avalanche prone. That is why Satori Adventures advises our clients to climb in the autumn season rather than spring.
Dhaulagiri Summit (8,167m/26,795ft) 16-17 hrs:
Summit day is the primary goal of the climbing period. Most climbers begin their summit bid between 11:00-01:00 is. If all goes well, they reach the summit between 7:00-10:00 am. Below the prominent peak is a false summit. The central panel arrives via an exposed ridge. It takes about 4 hours to return to Camp III from the point and another 3 hours to get to camp II for an overnight stay. The route requires 400m of fixed rope above center III below the serac, another 400m of fixed rope above the serac and below the false summit, another 100m. So we require almost 900m of rope above camp three to summit on a 35-50º slope. Most of the sections are blue ice and snow. The climbing is not technical in the lower divisions; as you ascend through several basins with short snow headwalls, the route becomes increasingly tricky. The climb passes through the false summit and finishes on an exposed ridge to the actual meeting for a spectacular view of the mighty Himalaya. Nepal Challenge Trek Sherpa guides will fix ropes, break trail, and make every effort to help the group reach the summit of the 8th highest mountain in the world.
Overall, the Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition is a challenging and rewarding climb that offers stunning scenery, technical climbing, and a unique cultural experience. It’s important to choose a reputable and experienced expedition company and to prepare well in advance for the expedition to ensure a safe and successful climb.
As soon as you arrive at the airport, you will need to fulfill some immigration procedures. Meanwhile, one of our representatives will be waiting for you at the arrivals gate with your name on a placard. You will then be safely driven to the hotel booked on a bed and breakfast basis for your stay in Kathmandu.
On the second day, we will complete our official formalities and obtain necessary documents. We might even go sightseeing and prepare for the Dhaulagiri expedition.
After early morning breakfast, we will drive to the airport and take a short scenic flight to the beautiful city Pokhara. Upon landing at Pokhara, we will then drive to Beni Bazaar to rest overnight.
After a cozy stay at Beni, we will resume our journey and drive to Marpha village. This is the last stop privileged by roadways. We will explore the village and get acquainted with the daily lifestyle of people. The Apple farms look amazing during the harvesting season. We will rest overnight as we will start our trek the next day.
Our trek starts from Marpha. We slowly elevate through the green lush forests in the tropical zone. As we trek, we will stop by for lunch and resume our trek until we reach Yak Kharka at 3680 m. The total trek time will be about 6 hours on this day.
Yak Kharka, meaning the pasture for Yaks, is a popular stop for those trekking in the Annapurna dn Dhaulagiri regions as it offers majestic views of surrounding peaks including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and many more. After trekking for about 6 hours, we will reach our stop, Dhaulagiri Base Camp at 4700 m. At the base camp, we will enjoy the supper prepared by our cooks and rest in cozy tents.
We will spend a few days at the base camp training and preparing for the summit. First, we ascend via an icefall that leads towards the broad north col at 5900 m where we will set up our Camp 1. We must set up the camp in a spot without any risk of avalanches and icefalls. The route to Camp 1 is not very steep as there are relatively lower elevations.
After Camp 1, the route is steep and you will need to walk with the help of fixed ropes and also use some technical gears. With the help of our Sherpas, we will reach 6400 m and set up a camp.
Above Camp 2, our route steepens as we head towards the northwest ridge below the summit. The climb is steep and requires walking on ice and snow, therefore, we stay together and traverse carefully. The route goes up and down at times. We may even encounter strong wind storms while approaching the East Ridge, which is one of the most challenging parts of the Dhaulagiri Expedition. We will finally set up our Camp 3 at 7400 m.
The climb to the Summit is led through the traverse across the snowfield towards 45 degrees narrow couloir that leads to the Summit of the Dazzling White peak. On the summit day, we will start early and have a fulfilling breakfast. Then we slowly ascend through the fixed ropes on the NorthEast face of Dhaulagiri. If the weather is favorable, we will succeed in our summit in 6-8 hours with enough time to adore the surrounding peaks including the Annapurna massif, Putha Hiunchuli, Churen range, and many more.
Our strong team of Sherpas will always be with us for support. We will also establish a fallback camp at 7900 m in case of weather contingencies.
Upon the successful summit of the Seventh highest peak of the world, Mt. Dhaulagiri, we will retrace our path back to lower camps and finally reach base camp.
After the successful summit, we will allocate one day for rest at the base camp. We will clean the base camp area and prepare to depart to Yak Kharka.
From Dhaulagiri Base Camp, we will retrace our path back to Yak Kharka where we will rest overnight.
The trail slightly changes from Yak Kharka as we divert our path towards Jomsom, the beautiful town in the outskirts of the Mustang region. We spend our night at a cozy lodge in Jomsom and enjoy the local culture and traditions. The Kaligandaki river flows along the area which is beautiful and refreshing.
From Jomsom, we will take a domestic flight to Pokhara. We then spend our entire day strolling around the Lakeside and visiting some popular destinations in Pokhara city.
After a wonderful stay in Pokhara, we will catch a tourist bus to Kathmandu. Traveling on the highway, witnessing the settlements on the riverside of Trishuli, enjoying the scenic beauty throughout the journey, we will finally reach Kathmandu to rest at our cozy hotel.
After a wonderful day of sightseeing around the Kathmandu Valley, we will all get together for a farewell dinner hosted by the company at a typical Nepali restaurant.
After a wonderful journey to the giant Dhaulagiri, we will bid you farewell on this day. One of our representatives will drop you off at the airport for your scheduled departure. We hope to see you soon for a brand new adventure.
Mount Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest mountain in the world, standing at 8,167 meters. It is located in the Dhaulagiri mountain range of Nepal. Here’s an overview of the Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition:
Duration: The Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition usually takes around 40-45 days.
Route: The most common route to climb Mount Dhaulagiri is from the northwest side in Nepal.
Base Camp: The base camp for the Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition is located at an altitude of 4,600 meters. From here, climbers prepare for the ascent by taking rest days and practicing mountaineering skills.
Camp Setup: The expedition team sets up several camps along the way to the summit, each at higher elevations than the previous one. These camps serve as resting places and staging points for the summit push.
Summit Push: The summit push usually takes around 5-6 days, depending on the weather conditions and the team’s pace. The final ascent to the summit involves navigating steep slopes, ridges, and crevasses.
Summit: The summit of Mount Dhaulagiri is at an altitude of 8,167 meters. From the summit, climbers can enjoy stunning views of the Himalayas and surrounding landscapes.
Descent: The descent usually takes around 2-3 days, and climbers return to the base camp before heading back to the starting point.
The Mount Dhaulagiri Expedition is a challenging climb that requires physical fitness, mountaineering skills, and mental toughness. It’s important to choose a reputable and experienced expedition company and to prepare well in advance for the expedition. The climb is a great opportunity to experience the beauty of the Himalayas and to challenge oneself both mentally and physically.