Both are demanding camping treks in western Nepal. The Dhaulagiri Circuit takes 16 to 20 days, crosses a glacier and two passes above 5,200 m and is a mountain trek through and through. Dolpo takes 16 to 26 days, crosses several passes above 5,000 m and is as much about high-desert landscape and Tibetan culture. Dhaulagiri is the more physically severe; Dolpo is longer and more remote.
Dhaulagiri Circuit and Dolpo at a glance
- Days. Dhaulagiri Circuit: 16 to 20. Dolpo: 16 to 18 for Lower Dolpo; 22 to 26 for Upper Dolpo.
- High points. Dhaulagiri Circuit: French Pass about 5,360 m, Dhampus Pass about 5,240 m. Dolpo: Numa La about 5,190 m, Baga La about 5,070 m, Kang La about 5,150 m.
- Glacier travel. Dhaulagiri Circuit: yes. Dolpo: no.
- Villages on the high section. Dhaulagiri Circuit: none for about a week. Dolpo: scattered villages and monasteries.
- Permit. Dhaulagiri Circuit: ordinary conservation area permit. Dolpo: restricted area permit; costly for Upper Dolpo.
- Access. Dhaulagiri Circuit: road to Beni or Darbang. Dolpo: flights to Nepalgunj and Juphal.
The essential difference
Dhaulagiri is about a single mountain. You walk in through forest, spend a week in a world of ice, rock and thin air close under an 8,000 m peak, and walk out. Dolpo is about a region: a high, dry plateau of valleys, lakes and villages behind the Himalaya, where the mountains are a backdrop to a way of life.
Terrain and hazards
Dhaulagiri's glacier and moraine are unstable underfoot, rockfall is a hazard below the west face, and Hidden Valley, at about 5,000 m, is one of the coldest camps on any trek. Dolpo's trails are stony but straightforward, and its hazards are the passes in bad weather and the sheer distance from help.
Altitude
Both keep you high for a long time. Dhaulagiri has three to five consecutive nights above 4,500 m with no easy descent, which is its greatest risk. Dolpo has more nights above 4,000 m in total but usually with lower valleys between passes.
Culture
Dolpo wins easily. Dho Tarap, Ringmo, Shey and Saldang are among the most traditional Tibetan communities anywhere. On the Dhaulagiri Circuit the villages are in the first days only, Magar and Chhantyal farming settlements in the Myagdi valley.
Cost and logistics
Both need a full camping crew. Dhaulagiri is reached by road, which keeps transport cheap. Dolpo needs two flights each way, and Upper Dolpo adds a high permit fee. Lower Dolpo and Dhaulagiri cost roughly the same; Upper Dolpo costs more.
Season
Dhaulagiri: mid-April to May and October to early November. Dolpo: late May to October, since it is sheltered from the monsoon. The two seasons barely overlap, so the time of year you can travel may decide for you.
Experience needed
Either should follow at least one trek above 5,000 m. For Dhaulagiri you should also be at ease on rough moraine and prepared for possible use of crampons after snowfall.
What a rescue would involve
On both routes a helicopter is the only quick way out, and it needs clear weather and a place to land. In Hidden Valley and on the Dhaulagiri glacier, cloud can prevent flying for days. In Dolpo distances are great but valleys are wider. Insurance covering evacuation from 5,500 m or higher is essential for either.
A typical day
On Dhaulagiri the high days are short in distance and slow, three to six hours over moraine and ice, with long cold afternoons in camp. In Dolpo days are longer, six to eight hours on good trail, with a pass every second or third day and villages or herders' camps in between.
Choose Dhaulagiri Circuit if
- You want a hard, high mountain route.
- You can travel in spring or October.
- You prefer road access to flights.
- You are comfortable on glacier moraine.
Choose Dolpo if
- You want culture and landscape as well as passes.
- You can travel between June and September.
- You want Phoksundo Lake.
- You like long journeys through inhabited wilderness.
Plan it
See the Dhaulagiri Circuit guides and Lower Dolpo, or talk to us about your experience and dates.
Common questions
Which is harder?
Day for day, the Dhaulagiri Circuit. Upper Dolpo is longer and more remote.
Do both need camping?
Yes, for the high sections.
Which is more expensive?
Upper Dolpo. Dhaulagiri and Lower Dolpo are similar.
Can they be combined?
A very long route links them through Dhorpatan and Lower Dolpo, a month or more of trekking.
Heights, days, fees and rules are approximate and can change, so confirm the current details with us before you book.
