Take a 4WD vehicle along the rugged dirt track along the Myagdi Khola to Darbang, the traditional gateway to Dhaulagiri. Meet your porter and kitchen crew, cross the suspension bridge, and begin walking through terraced rice fields and Magar agricultural hamlets to reach Dharapani.

Follow the winding river trail through subtropical valleys, passing traditional stone houses and bamboo groves. Cross the Dhara Khola on a suspension bridge and tackle a steep uphill switchback climb through terraced fields into the large, historic Magar village of Muri, with views of Dhaulagiri I and Gurja Himal.

Descend stone steps through terraced fields to the Dhora Khola riverbed. Cross the river and follow the narrowing Myagdi gorge along cliffside paths carved into vertical rock faces. Ascend through dense subtropical forest and terraced crops to reach the small riverside settlement of Boghara.

Leave the last permanent human settlements behind as the trail plunges into uninhabited wilderness. Walk through dense subtropical rain and cloud forests filled with bamboo, oak, and rhododendron. Traverse rocky streams, muddy trails, and narrow gorge shelves to pitch camp at the forest clearing of Dobang.

Climb steadily through ancient pine, bamboo, and birch cloud forests draped in moss. The Myagdi Khola rushes furiously through the canyon below. Cross wooden log bridges over glacial streams and ascend through the thinning forest to set up camp in the pine clearing of Sallaghari.

Break out of the forest canopy into the sub-alpine zone. The trail follows the lateral moraine of the Myagdi Glacier, climbing through alpine scrub directly in front of the colossal west face of Dhaulagiri. Arrive at Italian Base Camp, surrounded by sheer rock ramparts and hanging glaciers.

Spend a crucial acclimatization day adapting your body to the thinner atmosphere. Take a morning hike up the rocky lateral moraines toward the Chhonbardan Glacier for dramatic views of Mount Dhaulagiri II, III, and V, then return to camp to rest and hydrate.

Navigate carefully through the narrow, rocky gorge known as the 'Swiss Gully' or 'Glacier Valley' beneath towering ice walls. The route crosses loose moraine scree and traverses directly onto the ice-and-rubble surface of the Chhonbardan Glacier to pitch tents at Glacier Camp.

A steady, slow ascent walking directly over the rolling hummocks of the Chhonbardan Glacier moraine. Surrounded by ice seracs and sheer glacial walls, arrive at Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4,748 m), situated directly beneath the immense 8,167-meter north face of Dhaulagiri I.

A mandatory high-altitude rest day before crossing the pass. Explore the glacier terrain, watch ice avalanches cascading off the north face from a safe distance, practice crampon footwork with your climbing Sherpa guide, and rest early for the high pass push.

Depart before dawn across the frozen glacial moraine. Climb steep snow and scree switchbacks to reach the prayer flags marking French Pass (5,360 m). Enjoy a 360-degree vista of Dhaulagiri I, Sita Chuchura, Tukche Peak, and Mukut Himal. Descend into the vast, untouched arctic desert of Hidden Valley to establish camp on the frozen tundra.

A built-in buffer day in Hidden Valley to account for high-altitude weather disruptions or snow conditions. Trekkers feeling strong can take a non-technical scramble up the slopes of Dhampus Peak (approx. 5,500 m) for sweeping views into the Mustang basin.

Traverse the gentle rolling tundra of Hidden Valley to ascend the snow slopes of Dhampus Pass (5,240 m). Take in panoramic views across the Kali Gandaki Valley toward the Annapurna massif and Nilgiri. Begin a long, steep 1,500-meter scree descent down into the alpine grazing meadows of Yak Kharka.

Descend the steep hillside trail through pine and juniper woods down into the whitewashed, stone-paved Thakali apple town of Marpha. Celebrate with fresh apple pie and cider, then follow the flat Kali Gandaki riverbed north to the airstrip hub of Jomsom for a celebratory hot shower.

Board a morning flight from Jomsom down the Kali Gandaki gorge between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna to Pokhara. Transfer to your lakeside hotel in Pokhara for an afternoon of boating, massages, and relaxation.

Transfer to Pokhara Airport for a 25-minute flight or take a scenic drive along the highway back to Kathmandu. Meet our vehicle for private transfer to your hotel.

Enjoy a relaxed day in Kathmandu for sightseeing and shopping in Thamel before transferring to Tribhuvan International Airport for your international departure flight.