Dhampus Peak

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer to hotel.

Our representative will come to the airport for transfer to the Hotel. After some refreshment in the hotel, Our Tour leader will make pre departure meeting in the Hotel or at our office. The meetings will covers trip related information’s & collecting your Documents (passport copy, 2 passport size photos, Travel insurance).

Day 02: Kathmandu: Free day or City Sightseeing (pay Locally for sightseeing)

After morning breakfast, free day for trek preparation. OR, you can do sightseeing tour in Kathmandu valley with visiting into fascinating heritage and cultural sites. There are few places that are worth to visit such as holy Pashupatinath temple, Bouddhanath, Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), Durbar Squire ( One is in Kathmandu, in patan and also in Bhaktapur), Museum,  monasteries, old historical Palaces and Gardens. Note:  this tour is optional so you can visit with place of your interest & pay locally.

Day 03: Drive to Beni 830m-2,723 ft via Pokhara 860m-2,821 ft 275 km - 07 hrs.

As time set by our guide who accompanies you throughout this trip, depart from the hotel for an interesting drive on the busy road towards Beni via Pokhara, drive leads through Himalayan foothills and green valley’s till Pokhara valley and town, and leaving the main Kathmandu / Pokhara highway towards Beni a large town and headquarter of Myagdi district, located on the confluence of Kaligandaki and Myagdi River. Overnight at Beni in the comfort of nice hotels / lodge with time to browse this interesting town, the temperature is warm of sub tropical climate with plenty of rice growing fields around this low land of Himalaya.

Day 04: Drive to Darbang and trek to Riverside 1,560 m-5,118 ft - 05 hrs.

Starting this wonderful adventure, morning little hour drive to the starting point in Darbang village, ride leads through many farm villages following the Myagdi River upstream in this nice river valley area, on reaching at Darbang a small village, slowly turning into a town due to accessibility of motor road. From this warm area following the river for sometimes to set the first camp of this river around rural farm areas with few smaller villages after a nice walk of few hours.

Day 05: Trek on route Jugepani 1,700m-5,577 ft - 06 hrs.

Morning walk leads following the river for sometimes, and then heading higher above the river with a gradual climb through patch of rain forested area and farm lands, on reaching the higher side of the farm area another hour of good walk brings at Jugepani village a small farming valley. Afternoon time for a splash in nearby clear streams around this isolated village area.

Day 06: Trek to Bagar 2,375m-7,791 ft - 06 hrs.

Today’s walk leads to the last permanent human settlement and villages at Bagar, walk from this remote little farm area leads to through more farm terraces and then following Dhora Khola (stream), after Dhora Khola, leaving the lush valley, starting climb on a steep hill side through small forested area to reach the ridge top. With few stops to catch the surrounding views, from the top a downhill walk all the way to Bagar a small farm village of Magar people. Overnight camp near a primary school premises with time to explore the last village on route Dhaulagiri base camp and Hidden valley till Marpha is reached.

Day 07: Trek to Dovan 2,600m-8,530 ft – 06 hours.

From Bagar onwards heading towards complete wilderness on leaving the villages, morning walk towards forested area with an uphill climb, looking the Myagdi River below from the trail towards Dovan, after few hours steep ascent, then downhill to Dovan a small place with a small shelters serving as tea shop, in the middle of woodland of dense rhododendron, oaks, pines and magnolia trees.

Day 08: Trek to Chartare / Bhainsi Kharka 3,000m-9,842 ft -05 hrs.

Morning starts crossing a small shaky wooden bridge over a tributary rivers that joins with raging Myagdi, then walking through forested area on the pleasant path with dense vegetation of tall trees and slowly reaching at Chartare for overnight camp, this small clearing also called as Bhainse Kharka (buffalo shelters).

Day 09: Trek to Pakhaban (Japanese Camp) 3,750 m-12,303 ft - 05 hrs.

From this camp with serene forested surrounding, morning walk follows North leaving the tree lines and vegetation towards glacier, moraine of ice fields to reach a clearing as the valley opens at Italian Camp beneath the massive bulk of South West Face of Dhaulagiri.

Walk continues over the glacier area with a small climb to reach a grassy path and then reaching at Pakhaban also called as Japanese Camp, above the glacier that feeds Myagdi River source, the camp on a nice field with views of Mana Patti overhead campsite and Dhaulagiri South West Face on the opposite.

Day 10: Trek to Dhaulagiri Base Camp 4,750 m-15,584 ft - 06 hrs.

Today, reaching towards one of our main highlights of this trip as the morning walk starts with pure adventure walking uphill over glaciers and moraine the trek is quite tough in between to find the right path around huge icebergs and glaciers, and then finally ending the strenuous reaching on the base of world’s 7^th high Mt. Dhaulagiri, camp is set on available space after clearing rocks and ice to pitch tents with awesome views of Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m-26,795 ft) tumbling icefalls and glaciers adjoining west peaks of Dhaulagiri II (7,751 m-25,430 ft.), Dhaulagiri III (7,715 m-25,312 ft.) and Dhaulagiri IV (7,618 m-24,993 ft.).

Day 11: Trek to Hidden Valley 4,900m-16,076 ft with French Pass 5,360m-17,585 ft.

From this picturesque camp, morning leads over glacier and moraine past Tukuche peak base camp and then a climb leads to the highest French Pass of this trip, where the top festooned with Buddhist prayer flags and monuments of piles of rocks, offering super views of Sita Chuchura, Mukut Himal, Tashi Kang 5,386 m-17,670 ft, Tukuche West Peak and massif Dhaulagiri I.
After a great moment on the top heading down hill to the camp in the huge grassy filed in Hidden Valley, another highlight of this awesome adventure.

Day 12: At Hidden Valley for acclimatization and local hike.

A nice and ideal spot for rest day in Hidden Valley on this high altitude, an important for better acclimatization before Dhampus / Thapa Peak climb, on this day with free morning take a short hike around, as walking higher and sleeping at low elevation is the art of getting acclimatized. This rest day also helps to plan the climb where our guide will offer necessary information of the area, culture, religion and of the climbing technique as well.

Day 13: Trek and climb to high camp at 5, 560m-18,241 ft - 04 hrs.

Morning leisure and slow walk with steep climb to reach the high camp, setting up one more extra camp helps for safe and to make the climb a success, on the walk to high camp, offering grand vista, on reaching the high camp in moraine, ice and glaciers finding a suitable spot for the camp, as this area is less visited and seldom climbed peak, afternoon our guide will survey the route and fix ropes where necessary.

Day 14: Climb of Thapa / Dhampus Peak and return to base camp.

A Big Day! Our main target and destination starting before the crack of dawn as the climb leads over moraine and rubble of ice falls, following the route set by our lead guide reaching high above on an ill defined ridge towards last snow slope, most of the climb involves walking roped together, including the glacial crossings. As everyone should be careful and follow our guide instructions and then climb quite steeply without any difficulty but with some technical sections on route to Dhampus / Thapa Peak summit, after a final big haul with great help and support of our expert guide. On reaching the summit take a rest and admire the beautiful panorama of whole Dhaulagiri and Annapurna Mountains as far to snow capped mountains of Dolpo and Mustang region in far horizon, after a successful and safe climb on the highest spot of this adventure descent by same route to base camp and rest.

Day 15: Reserve / Contingency day in case of bad weather condition

Our itinerary allows a spare as contingency / reserve day in case of bad unusual weather situations, if all goes well as per the designated itinerary days our guide will make the decision after informing all, how and where this spare can be used before or after walking over the last Dhampus / Thapa pass before and after Marpha village on route Beni and Pokhara.

Day 16: Trek to Yak Kharka 4,915m-16,125 ft via Thapa / Dhampus pass 5,250 m-17,224 ft - 05 hrs.

Morning walk starts after having a lovely time in this scenic Hidden Valley, heading back to villages and human civilization after being in complete wilderness for many days, as the walk progress leaving the valley behind to reach at another last pass of Thapa / Dhampus with amazing views of Nilgiri’s, Annapurna I. A Fang (Vara Shikar) with Dhaulagiri and Tukuche peaks.

From this pass on the long downhill to reach at Yak Kharka for overnight and last night in tents with camping facilities, as from here in the comfort of lodge and hotels.

On reaching at Yak Kharka rest of the afternoon at leisure, on this grazing pasture land for Yaks and other domesticated animals of the villages of Jomsom, Marpha and Tukuche.

Day 17: Trek to Marpha 2,630 m-8,628 ft - 04 hrs.

After being in remote and isolation in the high mountains of Dhaulagiri and hidden valley, today will be a dramatic change as the morning walk leads back to tree lines on a long winding downhill with fantastic views of Annapurna and Nilgiri’s peaks, after few hours of nice trekking on easy path reaching at Marpha, one of the most charming village probably in whole Himalaya region.

Marpha the country of Thakali people located close on route Jomsom and its small airstrip, a marvelous village with white washed houses, lodge and famous for its delicious apples, apricot and apple product like cider, juice, dry apples, potent brandy, a wonderful place to be on completing the last leg of this amazing adventure.

Day 18: Drive to Pokhara 860 m-2,821 ft through Beni - 06hrs.

After an enjoyable time in Marpha and ending the trekking, from here taking a jeep or other options for a drive towards back to Beni, ride leads past Tukuche, Kobang and Larjung beneath Tukuche peak, from Larjung crossing the wide Kaligandaki river valley reaching to green vegetations and tree lines of pines and rhododendrons, with few short ups and on the gradual road to Kalopani another nice village beneath Mt. Dhaulagiri and its tumbling ice falls and glaciers, and with views of Annapurna I with Nilgiri’s peaks, which makes this area as world’s deepest gorge of Kaligandaki river valley.Drive gets better on good road overlooking waterfalls of Rupsi reaching back on rice growing warmer area at Tatopani, a nice village with a hot spring by the bank of Kali Gandaki River. From here following the river to Beni where Around Dhaulagiri & Hidden Valley circuit completes, at Beni transfer to another vehicle for few hours’ drive back to Pokhara on the scenic Pokhara / Beni and Baglung highway. Finally this scenic journey ends at Pokhara for overnight stop by the serene Lake Phewa

Day 19: Pokhara at leisure with options sightseeing tour.

A great place in Pokhara for extra free and leisure day, one can relax and marvel the views of snow capped peaks with majestic Mt. Machhapuchare and take boat on the lake Phewa, option hike to Peace Stupa on a hill top opposite to the lake, Pokhara has many options to spend the day, a tour of International Mountaineering Museum, Devis or Pathele Chjhago waterfalls, Gupteswor Cave or take Paragliding, Ultralight flights.

Day 20: Drive or fly back to Kathmandu.

With great time up in the high hills and mountains, morning an interesting drive back to Kathmandu, after a wonderful experience up in the high green hill and mountains of Dhaulagiri, on reaching Kathmandu transfer to respective hotels with afternoon free at leisure.

(For those who wish to fly to Kathmandu transfer to Pokhara airport with 30 minutes of scenic flight to Kathmandu).

Day 21: Departure

Breakfast, transfer to Tribhuvan International airport for departing from Nepal.