Difference between revisions of "The Great Himalaya Trail"

Revision as of 11:33, 26 June 2011

This article is an itinerary.

Itinerary is in Nepal.

Understand

The Great Himalaya Trail is a long distance hiking trail which will one day span the entire Greater Himalaya Range from Namche Bawa in Eastern Tibet to Nanga Parbat in Pakistan at the western end. As of June 2011 it has been completed and fully documented in Nepal and Bhutan.

Nepal

The upper route passes from East to West through established trekking areas of Kanchenjunga to Makalu Barun, Solukhumbu (Everest Region), Rolwaling Himal (Gaurishankar), Helambu, Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, Annapurna, Dolpa, Rara Lake and Humla currently finishing on the border with Tibet at Hilsa.

The trail route was first walked and documented in Autumn 2008 and Spring / Summer of 2009 by Robin Boustead and his team (Pema Tsiring Sherpa, Lakpa Sherpa and Karma Sherpa).

Prepare

Walking the full trail requires excellent logistics and planning. It also requires anywhere between 57 and 160 days to complete depending on route and walking speed. Consequently, most people will walk sections of the trail over different seasons.

Permits

It's safe to say that the trekking permit system in Nepal can be confusing. For the popular treks, usually only a single National Park permit plus a TIMS card is necessary.

Restricted Area Permits

• Baihang Kanda, Saipal, Dhuli US$90 for the first 7 days and thereafter US$15 per day
• Darchula Byas VDC US$90 for the first 7 days and thereafter US$15 per day
• Dolakha Gauri Shankar and Lamabagar US$10 per 7 days
• Upper Dolpa US$500 for the first 10 days and thereafter US$50 per day
• Lower Dolpa US$10 per 7 days
• Gorka - Chhekampar and Chunchet VDC (Sirdibas, Lokpa, Chumling, Chhekampar, Nile, Chhule) From Sep to Nov US$35 for first 8 days / Dec to Aug US$25 for first 8 days
• Manaslu From Sep to Nov US$70 for the first 7 days and thereafter US$10 per day /Dec to Aug US$50 for the first 7 days and thereafter US$7 per day
• Humla (Simikot and Yari), Limi and Muchu VDC and area to Tibet via Tangekhola, Darma VDC US$50 for the first 7 days and thereafter US$7 per day
• Manang Nar, Phu and Northern area of Tilche village, Thochhe VDC From Sep to Nov US$90 per 7 days / Dec to Aug US$75 per 7 days
• Mugu, Dolpu, Pulu and Bhangri US$90 for the first 7 days and thereafter US$15 per day
• Upper Mustang US$500 for the first 10 days and thereafter US$50 per day
• Rasuwa Thuman and Timure US$10 per 7 days
• Makalu region (Kimathanka, Chepuwa, Hatiya and Pawakhola VDC) US$10 per 7 days for the first 4 weeks and thereafter US$20 per 7 days
• Solukhumbu Everest region (all North-West areas from Thame to Nangpala of Namche VDC) US$10 per 7 days for the first 4 weeks and thereafter US$20 per 7 days
• Taplejung Kanchenjunga region (Olangchunggola, Lelep, Papung and Yamphudin VDC) US$10 per 7 days

Conservation Areas and National Parks

• Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) (NB: Double fee levied if permit issued from field checkpoints) - Foreign Nationals: NRs 2,000 / SAARC Nationals: NRs 200
• Kanchenjunga Conservation Area - Foreign Nationals: NRs 1,000 / SAARC Nationals: NRs 200
• Langtang National Park main trekking routes (Langtang Valley, Helambu, Gosaikunda Lake regions) - Foreign Nationals: NRs 1,000 / SAARC Nationals: NRs 100
• Makalu-Barun National Park - NRs 1,000
• Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) - Foreign Nationals: NRs 2,000 / SAARC Nationals: NRs 200
• Sagarmatha National Park - NRs 1,000

Sections

Get in

Fly to Kathmandu International Airport, or travel overland from India or China. Depending on the section you trek, it maybe necessary to arrange permits in Kathmandu. This requires a working day (including Sunday) and arranging through a registered trekking agency or outfitter.

From Kathmandu travel either with internal flight or by road to the start of the trek.

Go/Walk/Drive/...

Stay safe

It is never a good idea to walk alone. Nepal is generally thought of as safe for travellers and reports of attacks or robbery are not common, but do happen occasionally. There are annually reports of solo travellers going missing, possibly slipping from the trail or getting lost in remote terrain. These kind of accidents are less likely to happen travelling in a group.

Do always carry a map, compass, whistle, torch and other safety gear while trekking. Always inform someone about where you are going and when you should be expected to return.

Get out

Depending on where you leave the trail you'll need to walk to the road head or local airport to be transported out.