GREAT HIMALAYAN TRAIL

The GHT is one of the longest and highest walking trails in the world. The Great Himalayan Trail is considered the “trekking holy grail”—the longest, highest, and hardest (in place) alpine trail in the world.

For those looking for the cutting edge of adventure travel, Nepal’s Great Himalaya Trail presents the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s one of the longest and highest footpaths on earth, and likely the most dramatic, traversing the entirety of Nepal from east to west in the shadows of the world’s highest peaks. No technical climbing is required—there are numerous high passes above 5,000 meters—but the 150-day plus journey is said to be far more difficult than climbing up any single mountain.

Great Himalaya Trail is comprised of 10 varying sections from Kachenjunga on Nepal’s eastern border to Humla on its western border with Tibet. It passes from subtropical jungles to high altitude alpine ecosystems, through villages of Buddhists, Hindus, Sherpas, Tibetan refugees, Lhomis, and Shamans, among many others. One constant is the lack of development—these are not trekking paths but instead the existing network of primitive trade and pilgrimage trails that have been in use by local people for centuries. In fact, not one new trail was blazed.

Hiking the Great Himalaya Trail
Starting and ending points: Kachenjunga on Nepal’s eastern border with India and Humla on its western border with Tibet
Total distance: 1,700 kilometers (1,056 miles)
Number of Sections: 10
Shortest Section: Langtang (18 days)
Longest Section: Makalu to Everest (34 days)
Time Required: Approximately 150 days for the entire GHT, but most hikers opt for shorter sections
When to go: The best months for trekking are September to November and March to May
Difficulty: Challenging
Accommodations: Basic mountain lodges (teahouses) and camping

GHT within Nepal is a combination of ten treks with the trek duration of 2-3 weeks each. The most attractive GHT sections are Rara & Jumla, Manaslu & Ganesh, Everest & Rolwaling and Makalu & Barun etc. Categorically, trekkers can choose two components via upper GHT and lower GHT. By trekking along the GHT one can contribute to local development of rural communities. In return people can get incredible views of mountains, discover ancient cultures and meet interesting people along the way.