Nepal » Expedition in Nepal » Dhaulagiri Expedition

Dhaulagiri Expedition

Mt. Dhaulagiri, the White Mountain was first climbed by the Swiss in 1960. It’s name is derived from Sanskrit ‘‘ Dhavala-means white’’ and giri is mountain.

The white Mountain, it is an enormous Himalaya massif located in the North Central Nepal. It was first sighted by the British surveyors in India in the early 1800s and it remained as highest peak in the world till 1848 AD. Later it was mapped by one of secret Indian surveyors in 1873 AD. But the region remained largely unknown until a Swiss aerial survey in 1949. The French Annapurna Expedition, led by Mr. Herzog in 1950, had permission to climb either Dhaulagiri or Annapurna but decided on Annapurna after reconnaissance of Dhaulagiri. A Swiss team failed to climb in 1953 as did an Argentine group one year later.

After four more expedition, an eight member of a Swiss expedition reached the summit in 1960. The climb followed a circuitous route around the mountain from Tukuche, over Dhampus pass, French Col to approached the summit from the North-East col. The peak was then climbed by two Japanese in 1970s, the American in 1973 and the Italian team has successfully climbed the mountain during spring season 2006. The Indian climbers has many grand successful climbing to Nepal Himalayas peak in the recent past but they have not climbed Dhaulagiri as yet.

There was a tragedy struck in 1969 when an avalanche swept away and killed seven members of an American expedition on the East Dhaulagiri glacier. Captain Emil Wick airdropped supplies to the US expedition from a Pilatus Porter aircraft, and among the delicacies he dropped were two bottles of wine and a live chicken. The climbing Sherpas wouldn’t allow the chicken to kill on the mountain, so it became the expedition pet. It was carried, snow-blindness and crippled with frostbitten feet, to Marpha, where it finally ended up in the cooking pot.

This is a perfect trip for those who would like to explore more intense experience of the mountain. We will trek deep into the Dhaulagiri region, providing more spectacular views of Mt. Dhaulagiri, Thorong Peak, Annapurna I and Kali Gandaki, the World’s deepest gorge. We may encounter semi wild yak herds, Mountain sheep or the elusive snow Leopard in the remote valleys of this region.

After a short flight from Kathmandu-Pokhara & Jomsom, we will spend the first few days of our walking through cultivated fields connecting mountain villages, enjoying the Shops, tea houses and lifestyle of the Gurung, Chhetri, Magar peoples. We will walk along cobblestone paths, over suspension bridges and through dense forests, taking in the vistas of some the world’s most beautiful mountains. We will continue to explore and fully absorb the beauty of the surrounding peaks. We will climb over the glaciated French pass and Dhampus pass and then descend a winding trail to Yak Kharka. We will continue through mountains villages, enjoying the Hot Spring at Tatopani and views of the majestic peaks of the Annapurna and Machhapuchhare as we make our way toward Pokhara, visiting several Monasteries and religious sites en route.

Technical:- This Mountain is being one of the world’s 14 above 8000m high mountains, demands the best quality of technical equipments and highly motivated technically sound climbers team. It has typical weather conditions which is very difficult to predict. The wind velocity is tremendous in this area, almost from afternoon to the down it is windy continuously. There are high passes to cross like French pass 5360m and Dhampus pass 5258m to reach the Base Camp.