Dhaulagiri Base Camp

Dhaulagiri Base Camp Trekking is a new trekking trek and famous as off the beaten trail. It is challenging trek around the Mt. Dhaulagiri Trek (8,167m / 26,795 ft). Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest Peak lying Western Nepal and south of the Tibet-Nepal border. The trekking to Dhaulagiri basecamp begins to get tough as we ascend to the Italian Base Camp. The trek also crosses two high passes – the French pass (5,240m/17,192ft) and the Thapa pass (5,155m/16,913ft).

Dhaulagiri is 120 km (70 mi) wide from the Kaligandaki River to the Bheri River. Dhaulagiri is the highest mountain within the borders of a single country Nepal. It was first climbed on 13 May 1960 by a Swiss/Austrian/Nepali expedition. The mountain’s name “Dhaulagiri’ comes from Sanskrit where dhawala means dazzling, white, beautiful and giri means mountain.

Variation, Famous & Selected treks in Dhaulagiri region are – DBC Trek/ Dhampus Peak

Dhaulagiri basecamp trekking is a wilder experience of jungle, glacier, loose rock moraine, steep uphill and the best way to experience less visited trekking route in Nepal. Trekking to Dhaulagiri must need camping logistics and experienced guide to lead the trail. Experienced more about the trail rather than technical climbing skills, there are many twist in the trail and natural calamities like landslide and movement of glacier keeps on changing the trail to base camp, so a guide who had been there is mandatory for trekking to DBC.

Dhaulagiri range is a white Himalaya range with big face of Mt Dhaulagiri itself. Dhaulagiri is also seen from northern Bihar and as far south as Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh of India. In 1808, survey computations showed that Mt Dhaulagiri is the highest mountain which lasted until 1838 when Kanchenjunga took its place but in 1858; Mount Everest was scaled to be the tallest peak of the world. Dhaulagiri I’s sudden rise from lower terrain is almost unequaled. It rises 7,000 m / 22,970 ft from the Kali Gandaki River 30 km to the southeast. The south and west faces rise precipitously over 4,000 m / 13,120 ft. The south face of Gurja Himal in the same massif is also notably immense. Dhaulagiri has Dhaulagiri II – 7,751 m / 25,430 ft, Dhaulagiri III – 7,715 m / 25,311 ft, Dhaulagiri IV – 7,661 m / 25,135 ft, Dhaulagiri V – 7,618 m / 24,992 ft, Churen Himal (Main) – 7,385 m, Churen Himal (East) 7,371 m, Churen Himal (West) – 7,371m, Dhaulagiri VI-7,268m/23,845ft, Putha Hiunchuli (also called Dhaulagiri VII)-7246 m, Gurja Himal-7,193m/23,599ft, False Junction Peak-7,150m/23,458ft, Junction Peak-7,108m/23,320ft, Peak Hawley-6,182m/20,282ft, Hiunchuli Patan-5,911m/19,185ft. In Choronological order they are Dhaulagiri II, III, V, IV, Junction Peak, Churens East, Central and West, Putha Hiunchuli and Hiunchuli Patan. False Junction Peak, Dhaulagiri VI and Gurja are on a ridge extending south from Junction Peak.

Wide Annapurna Himalaya range with Annapurna I (8,091m/26,545 ft) is 34 km. east of Dhaulagiri. Kali Gandaki River flows between Mt Dhaulagiri range and Mt Annapurna range in the Kaligandaki Gorge, said to be the world’s deepest. Pokhara is located in the south of the Annapurna, and is the important regional center and the gateway for climbers and trekkers visiting both ranges as well as a famous tourist attraction.

Most of the successful ascend has followed the northeast ridge like the first ascent, but there is not fixed route to climb Dhaulagiri. Fatality rate is 2.88% for Dhaulagiri Expedition, counted above the basecamp. However, trekking to Dhaulagiri base camp is difficult for sure but not fatal.