(→Get out: Either this external link shouldn't be in the article at all, or it should be at or near the beginning. I'll put it near the beginning and let others decide whether it belongs at all.)
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]].
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The Great Himalaya Trail[[http://www.thegreathimalayatrail.org/]] 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]].
The Great Himalaya Trail[[1]] 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
Langtang National Park main trekking routes (Langtang Valley, Helambu, Gosaikunda Lake regions) - Foreign Nationals: NRs 1,000 / SAARC Nationals: NRs 100
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.
This itinerary is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present for it to be of real use. It was last edited on 2011-06-26 and will be deleted if not modified for one year. Please plunge forward and rescue it!
