GUNUNG · Nepal

Dhampus Peak

धम्पुस चुली / Dhampus Peak (Thapa Peak)

Information

Elevation: 6.012 m
Country: Nepal (NP)
Location / Range: Dhaulagiri Himal, Gandaki, Nepal
Mountain type: Puncak pendakian non-vulkanik (batuan Himalaya) di massif Dhaulagiri; terdaftar sebagai 'trekking peak' Nepal Mountaineering Association
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 28.7979, 83.6053
Difficulty: PD (Peu Difficile) — dianggap salah satu 6.000-an paling non-teknis di Nepal: sebagian besar berupa trekking bersalju dan snow slope landai-sedang, namun tetap butuh crampon, ice axe, dan aklimatisasi
Best Season: Oktober–November (musim gugur) dan Maret–Mei (musim semi); monsun (Juni–September) dihindari karena lereng basah dan visibilitas buruk
Permits & Rules: Izin trekking peak Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) diperlukan, ditambah izin Kawasan Konservasi Annapurna (ACAP) karena jalur pendekatan lewat lembah Kali Gandaki; umumnya diorganisir operator berlisensi.
Hazards: Ketinggian (AMS/HAPE/HACE mendekati dan di atas 6.000 m); crevasse tersembunyi di gletser dekat Dhampus Pass; cuaca dan badai salju yang cepat datang di massif Dhaulagiri; angin kencang di punggungan puncak; suhu sangat dingin, terutama pada percobaan puncak musim dingin

Description

Dhampus Peak (6,012 m), also called Thapa Peak, rises to the north-east of the Dhampus Pass (~5,240 m) in the Dhaulagiri massif of west-central Nepal. It is often described as one of the most non-technical and beginner-friendly 6,000ers in Nepal — much of the route is snow trekking on moderate slopes — making it a popular choice for a first climb above 6,000 m. Its main draw is the outstanding summit panorama: the huge walls of Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m), Tukuche Peak, the Annapurna range, and the deep Kali Gandaki gorge. The approach follows the historic Kali Gandaki valley through Marpha, Jomsom, and the Thakali cultural region before climbing to a base and high camp near the Dhampus Pass. As a Nepal Mountaineering Association trekking peak, the climb still requires crampons, an ice axe, and proper acclimatization, but its technical difficulty is low — blending Mustang's cultural trekking with the thrill of standing atop a Himalayan six-thousander.

Routes

Rute Normal via Kali Gandaki & Dhampus Pass (Snow Slopes)

PD (Peu Difficile) — sebagian besar snow slope landai-sedang; glacier travel ringan, crampon & ice axe wajib; salah satu 6.000-an paling non-teknis di Nepal

Summit day ~7–10 jam pulang-pergi dari high camp; total ekspedisi ~16–20 hari dari Pokhara termasuk trek Kali Gandaki

The standard Dhampus Peak route follows the historic Kali Gandaki valley: from Pokhara, fly or drive to Jomsom, then trek through Marpha and the Thakali cultural region to Yak Kharka, a glacier camp, and a base camp near the Dhampus Pass (~5,240 m). From there climbers move to a high camp and push for the summit pre-dawn over mostly gentle-to-moderate snow slopes — with no serious technical sections — making it one of the most beginner-friendly Himalayan six-thousanders. The summit (6,012 m) gives close views of Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m) and Tukuche Peak, the Annapurna range across the gorge, plus Nilgiri and the deep Kali Gandaki valley. Descent follows the same line, often finishing with the trek back via Marpha–Jomsom.

Route Segments

1

Jomsom/Marpha → Yak Kharka → Glacier Camp

⏱ 2–3 hari 4.200 mdpl

Trek naik dari lembah Kali Gandaki menuju kamp tinggi; aklimatisasi bertahap
2

Glacier Camp → Base Camp / High Camp (dekat Dhampus Pass)

⏱ 4–6 jam 5.240 mdpl

Naik ke dekat Dhampus Pass; high camp menjadi titik serang puncak
3

High Camp → Puncak

⏱ 4–6 jam 6.012 mdpl

Snow slope landai-sedang; glacier travel ringan; awas crevasse tersembunyi dan angin puncak

Source

Rute Sirkuit Dhaulagiri (via French Pass & Hidden Valley)

PD — pendakian puncak non-teknis, tetapi pendekatannya jauh lebih berkomitmen: trek tinggi melintasi French Pass (5.360 m) dan Hidden Valley yang terpencil, rawan cuaca dan ketinggian

Total ekspedisi ~18–24 hari dari Beni; summit day dari base camp Dhampus ~6–9 jam pulang-pergi

A far more committing variant: rather than approaching up the Kali Gandaki valley, climbers complete the Dhaulagiri Circuit first and summit Dhampus as a 'bonus' at the end of the trek. From Beni (850 m) the trail climbs gradually through villages and forest to Italian Base Camp (3,660 m) and Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4,750 m), crosses the French Pass (5,360 m) into the remote, glaciated Hidden Valley, then branches to the Dhampus base camp (~5,150 m) via the Dhampus/Thapa Pass (~5,200 m). The summit push follows gentle snow slopes to 6,012 m with panoramas of Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, and Annapurna, before descending to join the Annapurna Circuit toward Jomsom. The route demands thorough acclimatisation and spare days for high-altitude weather.

Route Segments

1

Beni → Italian Base Camp

⏱ 5–6 hari 3.660 mdpl

Trek panjang menyusuri Sungai Myagdi lewat desa-desa dan hutan; aklimatisasi bertahap
2

Italian BC → Dhaulagiri Base Camp

⏱ 2–3 hari 4.750 mdpl

Masuk zona gletser di kaki dinding utara Dhaulagiri I
3

Dhaulagiri BC → French Pass → Hidden Valley

⏱ 1–2 hari 5.360 mdpl

Menyeberang French Pass (5.360 m) ke Hidden Valley yang terpencil; dingin & berangin
4

Hidden Valley → Base Camp Dhampus → Puncak

⏱ Summit day 6–9 jam PP 6.012 mdpl

Lewat Dhampus/Thapa Pass ke base camp ~5.150 m; snow slope landai ke puncak; turun ke Jomsom

Source

Climbing Experiences

Dhampus Peak (Thapa Peak, 6,012 m) in the Dhaulagiri massif is known as one of Nepal's most non-technical 6,000ers and is often a climber's first six-thousander. The videos and reports below capture real experiences: the Kali Gandaki valley approach, camps near the Dhampus Pass, the snow slopes to the summit, and the panorama of Dhaulagiri and Tukuche. All links are verified live.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.