What is the Great Himalaya Trail?

The Great Himalaya Trail is the combination of several trail networks stretching the length of the Himalaya range, with sections in India, Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet. Our trek will follow the High Route of the Nepal section from Kanchenjunga on the Indian border in the East to Hilsa on the Chinese border in the West.

The concept of the high route is that it follows the highest feasible continuous route across the country, averaging 3,750m (12,000ft) of elevation, with passes taking us over 6,100m (20,000ft). In total 1,340km (830 miles) over 115 days of hiking, with 94,000m (310,000ft) of ascent and 93,000m (305,000ft) of descent - that's an average elevation change of 1,600m (5,250ft) per day. Including rest days, we're expecting to complete the trek in around 130 days.

Although the route passes through the more popular trekking areas of Everest and Annapurna, many sections visit some of the most remote corners of Nepal. For more than half the days, we're expecting to be camping and cooking our own food. We hope to complete the trek with the minimum of support, so no guides or porters hiking with us unless absolutely necessary for safety or mandated by local law. We will employ the services of a logistical assistance company based in Kathmandu, who will arrange several resupply drops to replenish our food and consumables that aren't readily available on the route.

I'll be starting the trek in early April, with Mathilde joining a few weeks later near Makalu Base Camp. If you'd like to follow along, check out our tracking map which will track our progress in real-time, or our updates page where we'll be posting short messages regularly via satellite from the trail.