Climb Mount Dhaulagiri in 2004

Full Service Cost: $7450, £4840, €7450; Permit and Liason Officer Only: $2950, £1950, €2950.

15 March to1 June, 2004 (79 Days, but it is possible to arrive later and depart earlier)

* What does the price include? Our full service expeditions include: a highly qualified British, European, and/or American leader; sherpas for the group; 3 hot meals per day on the mountain, on trek, and in basecamp; trek and base camp cooks; trek, mountain, and basecamp food; ALL permit fees; liason officers; hotels, guesthouses and restaurants in route (but not in Kathmandu, a minimal expense); transport: bus, jeep, porters, yaks, internal flights for Ama-Dablam and Pumori; use of group gear and supplies: rope, ice, snow, and rock gear; trek, base, and altitude tents; cookers, fuel, walkie-talkie radios, gamow bag, medical oxygen, first-aid kits, etcetera. In addition to our normal trekking and high-altitude tents, we now provide an individual tent (1 tent per person) in basecamp.

Note : Our full-service expeditions employ yaks and porters to carry your personal equipment to and from basecamp, climbing sherpas, high-altitude porters, and medical oxygen (in basecamp) to assist the team as a whole, and to carry group equipment and supplies. We DO NOT ask you to carry heavy group equipment (although it is an option if you really want to), such as tents, rope, gas, etcetera. For a minimal expense, we can also provide personal sherpas, and climbing oxygen, to individual members who wish to use these services. Thank you!

Training Note: Upon arrival in the basecamp, all members are kindly requested to participate in one or two days of training in the areas of climbing techniques, rope fixing, ascending, descending, safety techniques, rappels (abseils), belaying, medical equipment and procedures, communications equipment, camping techniques and high-altitude cooking. For the expert and beginner alike, it is important to develop and review these techniques in order to work together as a team.

Communications Note. Our expedition is equipped with "walkie-talkie" radios, and a satellite telephone for international voice telephone calls and emails. The members wishing to use the telephone will contribute $4 per minute of use. Not only will the phone be convenient for sending and receiving voice calls, it should be possible to send and receive 2 small emails per minute.

Introduction

Dhaulagiri, at 8167 metres, is the seventh highest peak in the world. It is located in the west-central part of Nepal, and our team will climb it by the original route. We will be climbing during the "spring" or " pre-monsoon" season, when the hazards of weather and snow and avalanche are traditionally at their lowest. Our trip includes all imaginable team-services, shared-support, and group equipment. Our expedition begins and finishes in Nepal’s cultural center: Kathmandu. The trek to and from basecamp is a ten to fourteen day adventure through an unspoiled wilderness of jungle, grassland, and high-altitude alpine flowers. Given what is included in this expedition, we feel that it is a very good value. The leaders of this trip are not mountain-guides, yet they and their Nepalese staff members are highly experienced mountaineers with many years of success and safety in the Himalaya, including summits of Everest, Makalu, Lhotse, K2, Cho Oyu, Shishapangma, and numerous other high peaks. We have spent many years studying this mountain, flying over it, speaking with climbing teams who have reached the summit, negotiating with government officials, as well as collecting maps and photos of the route. Dhaulagiri is unique in that it is a high summit, not extremely difficult, with an approachable and relatively gentle route, which will allow for a fairly reliable chance at reaching the top for everyone in the team. It is possible to leave early if you need to be home before 1 June.

Dhaulagiri from Poon Hill

*DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY FOR DHAULAGIRI CLIMB*
1	Arrive Kathmandu. Please be here on this day for logistics.
2	In Kathmandu. (1400 metres)Tour the city and arrange permits.
3	Bus to Pokhara, then Baglung (740m)
4	Walk to Beni (850m)
5	Trek to Babichor (950m)
6	Trek to Darbang (1030m)
7	Trek to Sibang (1720m)
8	Trek to Muri (1840m)
9	Trek to Boghara (1990m)
10l	Trek to Dobang (2400m)
11	Trek to Chartare (2820m)
12l	Trek to Pakabon (3585m)
13	Trek to Dhaulagiri Glacier camp (3810m)
14	Trek to Dhaulagiri Base (4750m)
15	Rest in Dhaulagiri base.
16 - 69	CLIMB DHAULAGIRI (it is possible to leave early if you need to return before 1 June)
70	Clean up Dhaulagiri base.
71	Trek down to Pakabon.
72	Trek down to Dobang.
73	Trek down to Muri.
74	Trek down to Darbang.
75	Trek down to Beni.
76	Trek down to Baglung.
77	Bus to Kathmandu.
78	In Kathmandu.
79	Fly Home.

Team Member Experience

This is not a guided expedition, and team members are expected to be able to care for themselves in a winter-camping environment. Members must have knowledge of roped climbing techniques. It is also a requirement to have an understanding of altitude sickness and frostbite, and be able to prevent, recognize, and treat the symptoms. Above basecamp, all members must be roped to another team member. Solo climbing is not allowed.

Equipment Note

All group equipment will be provided. You will need to bring your own personal equipment, including, rucksack, iceaxe(s), harness, helmet, plastic mountaineering boots, down/duvet jacket, wind/waterproof clothing, sleeping bag/mat, etc. It is best to bring your own personal equipment, but, if necessary, these items may be purchased or hired in Kathmandu.

Fitness and Health

To participate in this tour you must be a very fit and active climber in good health. Prior to joining our group, please see your doctor and obtain the necessary permission and advice, as well as medications for travel in extremes of altitude, and also for exotic locales. These medicines are available in Kathmandu at low-cost, without a prescription from your doctor. Make sure you have trained yourself thoroughly before joining our team.

DHAULAGIRI

Seventh Highest in the World