Mt. Dhaulagiri: The seventh-highest mountain peak globally and the fifth-highest in Nepal, Mt. Dhaulagiri stands in the northwest part of the Myagdi District. Its name combines “Dhavala” (meaning “White” in Sanskrit) and “Giri” (referring to “Mountain peak”). With an actual elevation of 8,167 meters above sea level, Mt. Dhaulagiri is a formidable giant.
The Swiss achieved the first successful summit from the northeast ridge in 1960. Although British surveyors in India first spotted the mountain in the mid-1800s, it remained relatively unknown until a Swiss aerial survey in 1949. Dhaulagiri boasts five ridges, and until the mid-1980s, only the northeast ridge had been conquered.
What makes Dhaulagiri fascinating is its unparalleled prominence—it rises 7,000 meters above the Kali Gandaki valley, spanning a flat length of 30 kilometers. The mountain features five ridges and south and west faces, each rising 4,000 meters from their respective base camps. Climbers have the opportunity to explore intriguing routes from Italian, Swiss, and French camps.
Despite its technically challenging terrain, Dhaulagiri’s lack of commercialization remains an attractive quality. Only seasoned mountaineers seem to harbor a keen interest in this remarkable peak.
