The 66th Dhaulagiri Ascent Day is set to be celebrated on May 13 with various tourism promotion programs in Mudi Village of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, marking the historic first successful ascent of Mount Dhaulagiri, the world’s seventh-highest mountain. Standing at 8,167 metres above sea level, Mt Dhaulagiri is among the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 metres and remains one of Nepal’s most challenging and iconic mountains for mountaineers.
The mountain was first successfully climbed on May 13, 1960, by a Swiss-Austrian expedition team led by Max Eiselin. The historic team included seven climbers, among them Nepali climbers Nima Dorje Sherpa and Nawang Dorje Sherpa, whose achievement is regarded as a landmark moment in Nepal’s mountaineering history. To commemorate the occasion, Dhaulagiri Ascent Day has been observed every year on May 13.
Celebration to Be Held at the Foot of Dhaulagiri
According to Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN Gandaki), preparations are underway to celebrate this year’s event with a series of tourism promotion activities focused on the Dhaulagiri region and its trekking routes.
Unlike last year’s celebration, which featured an interaction program in Pokhara on “Dhaulagiri Trekking: Problems, Challenges and Solutions,” this year’s event will take place in Mudi Village, located close to the Dhaulagiri massif.
TAAN Gandaki Chairman Krishna Prasad Acharya said the event would combine the 66th Dhaulagiri Ascent Day celebration with programs promoting tourist destinations and trekking trails in Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality.
“We are organizing tourism promotion activities alongside the 66th Dhaulagiri Ascent Day celebration,” Acharya said. “Mountaineers who have successfully climbed Dhaulagiri will also be honoured during the formal ceremony.”
Government and Tourism Bodies Supporting the Event
The event is being organized by TAAN Gandaki in coordination with Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality with support from the Nepal Tourism Board and the Ministry of Industry and Tourism of Gandaki Province. According to organizers, Gandaki Province Minister for Industry and Tourism Yashoda Rimal will attend the event as the chief guest. Tourism entrepreneurs believe the program will help promote the Dhaulagiri region as a major trekking and mountaineering destination while drawing national and international attention to its tourism potential.
Dhaulagiri Seen as an Alternative Trekking Destination
Despite its immense tourism prospects, stakeholders say the Dhaulagiri region still lags due to limited tourism infrastructure and inadequate promotion. Tourism experts believe the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek could emerge as an alternative to the world-famous Annapurna Circuit, which has gradually been shortened and affected by road expansion.
Mountaineers describe Dhaulagiri as offering a unique climbing experience compared to Nepal’s other Himalayan peaks. Due to its rugged terrain, extreme weather, and complex geography, the mountain is considered technically risky and suitable mainly for experienced climbers.
TAAN Gandaki President Acharya said various tourism promotion activities have been regularly organized during the anniversary celebrations of major Himalayan peaks in Gandaki Province, including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Mount Manaslu, to strengthen adventure tourism in the province.
