Best Trek in the 100Th Edition of Adventure Travel, Nepal’S Tough Yet Spectacular Dhaulagiri Circuit Was Named Our Number One Trek in the World

Trek it: Nepal

best trek In the 100th edition of Adventure Travel, Nepal’s tough yet spectacular Dhaulagiri Circuit was named our number one trek in the world. John Hayes couldn’t resist the challenge, but does he think we got it right? Read on to find out…

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t’s a personal weakness but I'm round it. Perhaps it’s less popular than Who’s writing a sucker for recommendations. I other Nepalese treks as it is that bit In one trip booked a trip to Kanchenjunga after tougher (some even argue that it is the the Dhaulagiri seeing a claim that its base camp toughest three-week trek going). Circuit combines is the most beautiful campsite in the The Dhaulagiri Circuit has all the

I Photo: Andy Twigg world, and I did something similar with features of a classic trek in Nepal. everything that Mera Peak after reading that it provides Its standard itinerary consists of makes trekking in After a working life as a the best mountain landscape a trekker 13 trekking days, including two Nepal so special management consultant, will ever experience. Once I saw that acclimatisation days and provision for John Hayes, 58, now spends the Dhaulagiri Circuit was number one contingency. Transit to and from the his life walking and writing about it. In 2011 he became in Adventure Travel’s top 100 treks I was trek typically adds another week to the the first person to finish the caught – hook, line and sinker! total time. Like the Annapurna Circuit E4 long-distance trail from Despite the claim, and despite five the route starts low (1,200m) and heads Tarifa in Spain to Budapest, previous trekking visits to Nepal, up a valley, which it doesn’t leave until a six-month 5,000km trip. I didn’t know anything about the it crosses the French Col at 5,400m John blogs about his trips at Dhaulagiri Circuit before reading into the Hidden Valley. At this point www.johnhayeswalks.com the article in the 100th edition of most people grab the chance of bagging and is currently working Adventure Travel in 2012. I’d seen the a 6,000m peak and climb Dhampus on his first guidebook for Cicerone – the GR1 Sendero beautiful great white mountain that Peak (6,060m) before the final knee- Clockwise from top right: Histórico in Spain. is Dhaulagiri on a trip around the crunching 2,000m descent to Marpha Local girls at Darbang; Avalanche on the Annapurnas, and I knew that it’s the where it joins the Annapurna Circuit. Chhonbardan Glacier; On an acclimatisation walk world’s seventh highest peak, but I had Having done it, what do I think about at Italian Base Camp not logged the fact that you can trek the number one ranking by Adventure Photo: Andy Twigg

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Sunny spot: a crowded Dhampus Peak Travel? Well, it’s impossible for one increasingly empty landscape. the scenic fireworks continue to Chhonbardan Glacier Camp is conveniently person to judge 100 treks (although I Second, it’s a ‘long burn’ with explode after the base camp with more have done 20 of the top 100) but I can tempting views of the Dhaulagiri amazing places to visit: French Col, the just 60 meters understand how the conclusion was Massif kicking in early on day two, Hidden Valley and Dhampus Peak. over 6,000m – reached. It’s certainly the best of the when you’re still low down among Fourth, the trip has a genuine six treks I’’ve done in Nepal. Why do I the farmers, and getting ever more summit – a challenge that is both perfect if, like think it’s so good? I guess it’s because dramatic as you climb up. Just when intimidating in terms of anticipation me, you spend in one trip it combines everything that you think you have seen the best thing and enormously satisfying if you your life trying to makes trekking in Nepal so special. ever you see something else that tops it. manage to conquer it. Actually with First, it’s a full-blown expedition Third, it takes you into a landscape as Dhaulagiri you get two summits: beat self-inflicted resembling the trips made by early remote and wild as it is beautiful. You French Col, 5,400m, the high point of targets pioneers as they opened up the can argue about Kanchenjunga Base the circuit itself, and Dhampus Peak Himalayas in the 1950s. It has the Camp North versus Dhaulagiri Base which is conveniently just 60 meters classic start, deep down in the farming Camp for the title of most beautiful over 6,000m – perfect if, like me, you villages of the Himalayan foothills campsite in the world. But with spend your life trying to beat self- – terraced hillsides and children Kanchenjunga you turn round and inflicted targets. The summit challenge everywhere – and then climbs through retrace your steps back down the valley takes place towards the end of the trek a series of climate zones into an once you’ve ‘done it.’ With Dhaulagiri avoiding the anti-climax that can be

Big scenery: leaving Italian Base Camp Photo: Andy Twigg

experienced when the highlight of the trip is in the middle. things you Finally, like all the great trips to 4 probably Nepal, it’s a true adventure. It takes didn’t know you to places beyond the imagination about of most folks back home, forces you to confront your own physical and Dhaulagiri mental limitations, and hits you with 1 Known as the White Mountain, at the unexpected. And if, like me, you 8,167m, Dhaulagiri is the seventh- have seen the best of your 50s then it highest peak in the world. is simply life affirming and feeds an 2 Dhaulagiri was first climbed in 1960, appetite to do more. by four members of a Swiss Austrian Of course a trip like this is not all team and two Sherpas. plain sailing. We had bad weather at the 3 Sixty-nine climbers have died on Dhaulagiri’s slopes, including 10 mem- beginning and were met, as we went bers of an 11-strong American team up, with a stream of trekkers coming in 1969. At the time it was the worst the other way. Some had been stranded ever Nepalese climbing disaster. higher up for days and had eventually 4 The highest point on the Dhaulagiri turned round. There was a lot more Circuit is the French Col at 5,400m. It snow on the route than ‘normal’ and gets its name from a 1950 expedition it seemed unlikely that we would that arrived there via the Hidden Val- ley before turning back and climbing complete the circuit. With the prospect Annapurna instead of Dhaulagiri. The of turning round and returning the expedition was the first to summit an way we had come, and a cold tent full of 8,000m peak. Caption here damp gear, for a time it was falling well

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Woman power: bringing in the harvest My nerves weren’t helped by the easier treks list of gear I was expected to take. in Nepal This trek attracted more climbers 3 than any treks I’ve done in the past Never trekked in the Himalaya before? Here are some terrific options for first-timers – I’ve done a lot of high-altitude trekking but I’m not a climber – but 1 Manaslu Circuit reassuringly for me, when we all met This is being billed as the ‘new’ Annapurna in the bar at Heathrow airport, I was Circuit, as a road has changed the Annapurna not the only person with an excessive trek. The three-week trek around Manaslu, amount of grey hair. the world’s eighth highest mountain, is on The group consisted of 10 men and terrain that isn’t difficult, but challenges come from its length and altitude. The re- two women. Two were the wrong wards are stunning views of Himalayan side of 60, six were in their 50s, two giants on the Nepal/Tibet border, and a in their 40s and there was a couple varied route through villages, past Buddhist in their 30s. I’ve never had a bad monasteries and over high passes. Look out trekking group, but you always have for a full article on the Manaslu Circuit in the next edition of Adventure Travel. Just when you think short of its best trek billing. you have seen the Perversely the bad weather made the good weather feel even better when it best thing ever you arrived. We ended up with a perfect see something else six-day window of blue, cloudless skies that tops it to complete the final part of the trip. The weather wasn’t just good, it was more fun when everyone gels, like fantastic. There was still more snow we did. We all got round the circuit than normal, which made for a harder although one of the guys found it The Manaslu Massif climb, but fresh snow only added to particularly tough and suffered from a 2 Langtang Valley what was truly awesome scenery. bad cold and food poisoning. Eight of To the north of Kathmandu, on the border The Dhaulagiri Circuit does have us made it to the top of Dhampus, and with Tibet, the Langtang Valley, or ‘valley of a reputation for bad weather but I’m interestingly the four that didn’t were the glaciers,’ sees fewer visitors than many struggling to establish if it’s justified. the youngest members of the party. of Nepal’s trekking areas, yet it’s also easier to reach: you don’t need to take an internal Our Nepalese guide had done it eight We had two doctors in the group flight from the capital to get there. A trek times and had only once been forced by and getting an instant explanation of here will combine wildlife, traditional culture the weather to miss out on Dhampus the impact of the conditions on your and classic mountain views of 6,000m and Peak. I suspect what is actually the body was interesting, if not a little 7,000m peaks, including the mighty Lang- case is that the consequences of bad scary. I’m definitely not designed to tang Lirung (7,246m). You’ll pass the holy weather are more dangerous on this travel from the seafront in Brighton lake at Gosainkund too, and the trekking circuit than on some other treks to 5,000m on a glacier within a two- experience will be amplified by the absence because it’s high and remote. week period, but previous experience of other tourists. So, could you do it? The reputation helped. This time I took a really the trek has can be a bit intimidating. good sleeping bag – definitely not

FIND IT

Nepal

The Langtang Valley Dhaulagiri 3 Everest Base Camp Kathmandu This is the classic. The Khumbu region of Nepal is not only home to the highest mountain in the world, but seven more giants over 8,000m too. The standard trek to Everest Base Camp involves about 12 days of hiking, reaching a high point of almost 5,550m, with spectacular views along the way. Or you can make it longer, either starting at Jiri, where the Everest expeditions of the 1950s began, or taking a circular route via the Gokyo Lakes and over the Cho La Pass. Whichever you choose will be astounding.

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something you should skimp on – and Let’s go for the first time I took Diamox. This Want to do what John did? Here’s how you can… might make some purists frown, but I slept much better and in particular didn’t suffer from Cheyne–Stokes Getting there Unlike on treks around the Khumbu respiration (when you body forgets A Dhaulagiri Circuit trip starts from valley, such as Everest Base Camp, how to breath) in the way I had on Kathmandu followed by an internal flight the meals on the Dhaulagiri Circuit are to Pokara and a bus trip to Darbang. consumed inside a mess tent rather previous trips. Interestingly both The return involves two flights, from than the shelter of a teahouse. Although doctors, veterans of high altitude trips, Jonsom to Pokara and from Pokara back a Nepalese teahouse at altitude is not also took it. to Kathmandu. However, the weather at necessarily warm (the Nepalese don’t I went with Sheffield-based Jagged the beginning and end of my trip meant appreciate the thermal advantages of Globe, a new company for me, and was all the internal flights were cancelled and shutting doors), they beat a mess tent, impressed. Its attention to detail was the journey was completed by bus. This especially if a yak dung fire has been lit. particularly reassuring – checking was a shame because the bus journeys So like the sleeping bag, a decent down are slow, dangerous and uncomfortable jacket is also a must. my insurance and making sure I had and the flight from Jonsom is supposed Jagged Globe and other operators the right gear – which I guess reflects to be spectacular. will provide a kit list and a hire service. the risk it associates with this trek. Direct flights from the UK to Kath- Perhaps my only grumble with Jagged mandu don’t exist but various airlines fly Globe is that I had to hire kit in the UK, The White Mountain: Dhaulagiri (8,167m) there with just one change. A daytime get it delivered, carry it to Heathrow and change at the new airport at Dehli seems then send it back to them on my return. to be the preferred option with most Given the size of some of the items (the operators. The Saturday night Jet Air- plastic boots are enormous) this is a ways (www.jetairways.com) flight out of major challenge and it would be easier if, London has become a trekker’s special. like some other operators, it provided the service from Kathmandu. Kath- When to go mandu, time permitting, has everything Nepal has two walking seasons: Octo- a trekker needs, although the origin of ber/November and March/April. There some of the items is questionable. There are pros and cons for both. In October/ are also shops where gear can be hired November it’s usually clearer but colder (try Shona’s in Thamel near the famous (particularly in November), and in March/ Kilroy restaurant), although in return for April it’s warmer but with more cloud. convenience and a low price expect to April is closer to the Dhaulagiri climbing find the kit showing signs of extensive season so if you go then you should see previous use. expeditions preparing to summit at the base camps. Experience Although the Dhaulagiri Circuit is suit- What to take able for anyone who’s fit and happy to The route is not technically difficult and cope with uncertainty and adventure, I recent improvements carried out by the do think that a bit of experience helps Nepalese army have made some of the and I wouldn’t recommend Dhaulagiri as Photo: Andy Twigg most exposed paths safer, but a certain a first trip at altitude. Plus it’s so good amount of technical gear is required that the other great Nepalese trips The trip is given the toughest grade in just in case. Conditions on my trip meant might be a bit of an anti-climax if you do the company’s three-grade trekking that I didn’t need the crampons, harness, Dhaulagiri first! classification system. Also key to the karabiners and prussic loop but, with the deep snow, the plastic boots were Cost and operators success of a trip like this is the quality essential. I also got to use an ice axe on My trip was with Jagged Globe and of the local partner. Jagged Globe the climb up Dhampus – my first and pos- the price, including flight, was £2,495 has a long relationship with Summit sibly last experience with one – and I was (www.jagged-globe.co.uk). Other Trekking (a company with Dutch impressed with the effect. You also need UK-based operators running the trek origins that also owns the Summit a helmet as there are stretches of path include KE Adventure Travel (www. Hotel in Kathmandu, probably the that get bombarded with stones as the keadventure.com) and The Mountain best hotel there), and the quality of the frozen moraine melts in the mid-day sun. Company (www.themountaincompany. Keeping warm is key to an enjoyable co.uk), although these don't include crew was excellent. I was impressed by trip and given the amount of time you the Dhampus Peak option. All trips to the speed with which a helicopter was spend in a tent, you can’t afford to Nepal are ‘fulfilled’ by a local Nepalese called in to take a sick porter out from skimp on a sleeping bag. I have learnt company and an experienced traveller the Hidden Valley campsite. You can’t from very cold experiences that you get could book direct with one of these mess about with things like this. what you pay for with sleeping bags and companies. Most companies include a I can’t say whether or not the that not all four-season bags are the European guide although Jagged Globe Dhaulagiri Circuit deserves a number same. It’s also the case, acknowledged also provides the option of a ‘self-guid- by the recommendations you see on ed’ trip where the trekker assembles one accolade, but if you’ve already some of the labels, that women feel the the party (a couple or a group of friends) walked the better-known Nepalese cold more than men and need bags with and Jagged Globe book all the local classics and want to challenge yourself higher insulation values. services (porters, cooks and sherpas). just that bit more, you should definitely do it.

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