Dhaulagiri was the last of the Nepalese 8000m peaks to be climbed. The trek around the west side of Dhaulagiri is a committing trek and should only be considered by the experienced camper trekker. The area is high, remote and challenging and you do not want to get trapped between the high passes in the Hidden Valley. There are technical sections on this trek and trekkers should be ‘mountain’ fit.

The trek is long passing through high alpine pastures, uninhabited valleys, crossing the high windswept French Pass 5360m and Dhampus Pass 5200m both providing stunning views of Tukuche Peak 6920m, Dhaulagiri I 8167m, Dhaulagiri II 7751m, Dhaulagiri III 7715m and Dhaulagiri V 7,618m.

Dhaulagiri I rises above the deepest gorge in the world, the Kali Gandaki, and the circuit route provides stunning views of the whole Dhaulagiri range. Discovered in 1808 and standing at 8167m, Dhaulagiri was thought to be the highest mountain in the world until 30 years later when Kanchenjunga took that honour; later to be taken away by Mount Everest. The Dhaulagiri route was discovered in the 1950s by a French team, hence the French Pass, which leads into a lonely area known as Hidden Valley.