Great Himalaya Trail Trekking

You will be met by a representative of Asiana Nepal Treks & Expedition and transferred to the hotel. The remainder of the afternoon at leisure. A pre-trek briefing will be given around 4.30-5 pm where arrangements will be made for the distribution of your kit bag, sleeping bag, and down/fiberfill jacket. This evening we will head out for dinner, this is a great opportunity to get acquainted with your fellow group members. Overnight at Hotel

Today you have a full day to explore Kathmandu’s bustling streets and significant landmarks. You may wish to start by exploring the city’s two most important World Heritage Listed spiritual sites: Pashupatinath, Nepal’s most sacred Hindu temple and an important cremation site; and Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal and the most sacred Tibetan Buddhist shrine outside of Tibet. Alternatively, you could wander through the markets and shops of the busy Thamel precinct or explore some more of the city’s significant sites such as Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) or the World Heritage Listed plazas of Patan, Bhaktapur, or Durbar Square.

Bhadrapur is situated in the Terai, southeast of Lukla. The flight from Kathmandu takes approximately 50 minutes and affords views of the many sections of the trek and the Himalayas from Kanchenjunga to Langtang. Phidim is located within a magnificent valley in eastern Nepal's foothills of the Himalayas. It is a beautiful hill township that offers enchanting views of the eastern Himalayas. Approx. driving time: 5-6 hrs. Overnight hotel/lodge.

Today, we drive to Chiruwa via Taplejung. Chiruwa is located in a Himalayan gorge with dense patches of subtropical rainforest and cliffs. The ethnic group here, the Kiratis now known as Limbu, dates back more than 2000 years as subsistence farmers in this region. Crops such as rice, millet, barley, wheat, and corn are nearly always growing when we visit. Approx. driving time: 8-9 hrs. Overnight camp.

Today we commence our trek to Sukethum. The trail is well defined and the walk is both enjoyable and satisfying. We have only a few climbs up towards the valley where we begin to notice subtle changes in the landscape surrounding us. We weave through large boulders passing below the village of Tapethok and cross a landslide area to reach a bridge crossing a tributary of the Tamur River. This is the Simbuwa Khola, which flows from the south side of Kanchenjunga. We continue towards the base camp, crossing several bridges and following what is now called the Gunsa Khola. Overnight camp.

The trail is very narrow and we follow the Ghunsa River until we break for lunch. This walk requires a lot of caution and concentration. On the way, we pass a small Sherpa settlement mainly tending to Yaks. After lunch, there is a steep climb towards our overnight camp at Amjilosa. Amjilosa is a small Tibetan settlement.

Today’s walk is predominantly through forest and we will see many waterfalls along the way. There are no villages to pass through leaving us with a feeling of remoteness in the tranquil forest surroundings.

Before lunch, we follow a narrow trail through thick forests to our lunch site at Phole village, this is a typical Tibetan village and winter settlement for the villagers of Ghunsa. The people of this village depend mainly on yak rearing and weaving carpets. Here we find the one and only monastery of the entire trek and visitors are most welcome.

Today we will enjoy a rest day and there may be time, weather permitting to wash some clothes or do other domestic chores. We also have an option of a 3 hrs walk opposite River Khanso Thanso, from where we see a panoramic view of Phole Peak and Sobithongi Peak and also a glimpse of Mt. Khumbakaran. After long days of walking, a rest day is highly recommended.

From Ghunsa and above, any signs of human habitation are that of seasonal settlements for the yak herders. They will take their animals to heights of 4000m-4500m in the warmer months of the year. For the trekker the scenery is unmatched. The route past the sheer cliffs and towering peaks of the Kanchenjunga massif and Jannu (7710m) are awe-inspiring. They rise directly out of this classical and very grand glacial valley. The trail is ill-defined at times, crossing loose scree and rocks that have been pushed forth from old glaciers. We usually make a camp at Kambachen (4200m) en route, which is seasonally occupied by locals only. It is quite possible to see wildlife in this remote part of the Himalayas; blue sheep, ibex, mountain goat, or smaller animals among the rocks such as hyrax and marmots. Overhead, various birds of prey may be seen- Lammergeir (a type of vulture) and various eagles, kites, and falcons!

Today will be another challenging day and an early start is needed. We climb lateral moraine for an hour before reaching a landslide section with large boulders which we must pass through at a steady pace. The trail then climbs steeply to the top of a section of lateral moraine and then eases off before arriving in Lhonak.

The mountain views on this stage of our trek are stunning as we make our way along the lateral moraine to base camp. Climbing gently for 2 hours we then cross a steep section of loose rock for another hour before a further gentle climb of another hour before arriving at base camp. For those feeling enthusiastic, there may be options for sidewalks in the area.

Taking two days we retrace our steps back to Ghunsa. The return journey offers a different perspective of the mountain views and stunning surroundings.

From Ghunsa we descend the main trail alongside the Ghunsa Kola until we meet a junction in the trail, from here we ascend to a series of summer grazing pastures (Khaka) where we will camp for the night.

An early start this morning will give us the best opportunity for clear views during our crossing of the Nango La. Once over the pass, we descend to a bowl-shaped valley. We stay on the northern side of the river and enter the thick forest to Yangma Kola and our camp for the night. Day 17 - Trek to Olangchun Gola. Olangchun Gola is one of the most important centers for trade between Nepal and Tibet in this region. Most commonly exports to Tibet include grain, sugar, cigarettes, and cotton thread which are exchanged for Tibetan salt, carpets, and wool. Day 18 - Rest Day in Olangchun Gola.

Commence Sanku link of the GHT from Olangchun Gola to Pass Camp (4453m). The Great Himalaya Trail crosses the rugged wilderness of the Lumbha Sambha to the Makalu region. From Olangchun Gola we head in a northerly direction, crossing the Tamor Khola and traveling up the Dingsamba Khola. The trail then ascends through a rhododendron forest to a valley and then another smaller valley beyond gained by climbing over a rock band.

Today we gain magnificent views of the Lumbha Sambha as we climb to the crest of a saddle, the trail here is faint and often undefined due to snow. We traverse below a peak and to another saddle and then make our crossing of the Lumbha Sambha (5159m). From here there are views of Jannu and Makalu to the east. From the pass, we descend to the northwest.

The trail to Chyamtang is at times hard to follow due to thick overgrowth. We descend to the Medokchheje Khola before the trail climbs and we follow the west fork. The trail is scrambly in places as we contour around ridges to a small pass before descending through forest to a small kharka where we make an overnight camp. The following day we cross another minor pass and finally descend and cross the Arun Nadi to arrive in the friendly Lhomi village of Chyamtang where we will spend a welcome rest day.

Back on the main trail, it is an easy walk to Hongon. Here we will leave the Kanchenjunga region and enter the next region and GHT stage which is Makalu.

A short but challenging day with some steep ridge climbs and a minor pass crossing (2710m).

For seven further days, we continue towards the Makalu Barun National Park. At times the trail will be steep and rocky with some scrambling sections and challenging climbs. We will skirt around the picturesque Molun Pokhari (lake) and head south and southeast crossing rivers, sometimes via logs, and penetrating thick rhododendron forest. These days on the trail are challenging as this area is not often traveled and there may be very limited space for campsites.

Eventually, we emerge into the valley bottom and continue along the easier main trail to Makalu base camp and Yangla Kharka. Great rock walls tower above as we make our way through the enormous U-shaped valley. Snowy peaks are the stunning backdrop to this valley often referred to as the Yosemite of the Himalayas, this is a magnificent and exciting place to be and it is here that we will meet up with the Everest & Makalu via Sherpani Col group who have trekked in from Tumlingtar.

It is a short trekking day to Langmale Kharka to aid acclimatization, we take in the impressive mountain scenery found in this area. Great rock walls tower above as we make our way through the enormous U-shaped valley. Snowy peaks are the stunning backdrop to this valley often referred to as the Yosemite of the Himalayas, and it is a magnificent place to spend a well-deserved rest day.

Makalu Base Camp affords stunning views of its south face, with the south buttress of Makalu offering views of Baruntse (7220m), Everest, and Lhotse. The Hillary and French base camps are far up the glacier, past Barun Pokhari, and these are now the traditional base camps used by climbing parties to Makalu. An optional walk from BC is a spectacular climb up grassy slopes to the top of the ridge. At the 5250m mark, there is an outstanding view of Everest, Lhotse, and Lhotse Shar as well as both the south-east and north ridges of Everest, along with the Kangshung Face and the South Col. Makalu looms above the ridge to the north.

The second half of the trek to Swisse BC is tricky and involves boulder hopping as we follow the Barun Glacier directly beneath Makalu's enormous west face. Swisse Base Camp is situated amongst the moraine in a sandy spot directly opposite the mighty West Pillar on Makalu. Very few campsites a this close to one of these 8000m giants. We have a full day set aside to rest and acclimatize and will aim to reach a vantage point above camp with a (weather permitting) great view of Everest and the fabled Kangshung Face.

We have allowed 2 days to position ourselves for the crossing of the Sherpani & West Cols. Depending on our group's movement and progress we may need to be flexible in our approach. As we near the Sherpani Col base camp the trail is much less defined and with more boulder hopping, and now that we are climbing high clouds may obscure the trail. We camp high at the snout of the glacier at 5688m with the Sherpani Col 3 hours above us. If conditions are favorable and the group is moving at a good pace we may attempt to make the crossing of both Cols in a day, but in all likelihood, we’ll be camping at Baruntse C1 on the West Col @ 6100m on the first night and descending the Col to the Honku valley the next day. Although these are the most demanding days of our trek, we are deep in the Himalayas and the massive scale of the mountains around us is an awesome sight to behold. There will be sections of roped-up travel and abseiling, and our Sherpa guides and mountaineering leader will manage the coming days as snow and weather conditions dictate.

After our crossings are completed we descend into the Honku valley near five large glacial lakes which sprawl out before us. They are known as Panch Pokhari (five lakes). The Amphu Labsta pass is situated immediately at the head of the valley to our right and is the low point on the ridge between the Honku and the Imja valleys. For this day or so we are in the Honku. A new vista of peaks spans out before us including Ama Dablam to the distant west and many unnamed peaks. Amphu Labsta Base Camp is set close to the rocks that lead up to the pass. On these stages, we ask that members be flexible and cooperative. Camps will be set where conditions allow, and your leader will keep you advised as to each day's plan.

An alpine start for our pass crossing. Ferrying across all our loads with all party members, crew, porters, and members takes time. The approach to the pass from the Honku is deceptive. Facing east and southward there is much more sun and little snow, just a collection of rocks that gradually lead up to the gap we travel through. On the north-facing side, we find steep slopes of snow that we must take care of descending by fixed ropes to the snow basins below and subsequent moraine and alpine valleys beyond. The views from this 5845m pass crossing to the peaks of Khumbu are unmatched. Any spare moment whilst we are climbing and descending will allow us to appreciate the spectacle of the region's peaks.

Day 23 brings us to Dingboche and our comfortable private permanent campsite. Over the past week, we have made crossings of some of the most challenging terrain found in the Himalayas. From our camp, we have excellent views of Nuptse, Lhotse, Chukung Peak, and Imja Tse (6189m) from both the valley and the ridge above the camp. Massive glaciers drape beneath cliffs that soar up to 3,500 meters in this dramatic valley. The following day we proceed to Dzongla, another spectacularly situated camp, on our way to our next pass, the Cho La.

The views today are magnificent as we leave the Everest watershed and enter that of Cho Oyu, the sixth-highest mountain in the world. The crossing involves a steep scramble up rock boulders and then a walk across the gently ascending, snow-covered glacier that caps the pass, the views of the route ahead, and of the glacier itself, are breathtaking. We descend steep boulder-strewn slopes to the Gokyo Valley below. This is a valley of turquoise lakes and great glaciers. For the first part of the descent, there are discernible paths that zigzag down the mountainside – slippery in the snow! The ground then levels out and the path all but disappears as we hop across a field of boulders. Finally, we climb a gentle slope to the top, from where it’s all downhill, following a narrow river valley to its base at Dragnag, a small Sherpa settlement nestled beneath great rock walls, just a stone’s throw from the Ngozumba Glacier. Continuing on we reach Gokyo in the late afternoon.

The steady and unrelenting ascent of Gokyo Ri will take around two hours. You will be elated when you reach the summit with its spectacular view. Probably the most comprehensive view of 8,000m peaks in Nepal, many people consider it to be Nepal’s best. Surrounding us are Cho Oyu (8153m), (a mountain that defeated a British Expedition of climbers, including Hillary, in their lead-up to their successful assault on Everest), Gyangchung Kang (7922m), Lhotse (8501m), Makalu (8475m), Cholatse (6440m), Taweche (6542m), Kantega (6685m), Thamserku (6808m), Lobuche (6145m) and Mt Everest (8848m). Hundreds of other unnamed peaks fill the scene, whilst below us the Ngozumba Glacier, the largest in Nepal, stretches through the valley. The striking color of the lakes below completes the picture. The only way to get a better view of the entire Everest region would be to climb an 8,000m peak! Although further from Everest than Kala Pattar, the traditional viewing point, here we see more of the mountain and enjoy a more relaxed environment to view the peak.

Crossing the Renjo La Pass, we navigate through boulders with a zig-zag incline to the top of the high pass at approx. 5360m. We descend steeply at first, into a remote northern valley where the landscape is progressively that of the Tibetan Valleys beyond the border. This is an ancient trading route used by Tibetan traders descending from the Nangpa La pass through the Himalayas from Tibet. Overnight: Lungden

We turn south and down the valley towards Lukla for our return to Kathmandu. There are Sherpa villages to be explored as we descend the gorge. We will spend the night at the pretty village of Thame with its spectacular monastery. We will bid farewell to the Makalu team as we continue with the Rolwaling team and enjoy a rest day here in Thame.

We will spend two days on our approach to the Tashi Labsta. Our first night will be spent by the lake (Parchemuche Tsho) in a picturesque setting. We will be monitoring the weather conditions at this stage to be prepared for our pass crossing. The cave camp is set high and puts us in a good position to assess conditions for our Tashi Labsta crossing.

The weather, snow, and glacier conditions will play a large part in how difficult the route will be. We climb up steadily through several rock and ice gullies to reach the pass where we are treated to a superb new vista of mountains. Few of these peaks have been climbed or have a formal name. It is one of the least accessible parts of the Nepal Himalayas. Tengi Ragi Tau and Pachermo tower above and mark the gap to the pass; both are captivating in their form with their sheer ice and rock faces. Pachermo was climbed by Asiana Nepal Treks & Expeditions climbers on a 2021 Peak. We must make a long, steady trek along the rock/snow and descend crevassed snow slopes to the Trakarding glacier. Several sections usually require some scrambling on rock and ice, and if necessary we will fix a rope as a handrail. Our staff will work closely with team members to make a safe passage for all. The pass achieved, we enjoy the thrill of where we are, sandwiched between two fabulous regions and mountain ranges. Overnight camp on the Trakarding glacier. The following day we continued to Yak Kharka and our next camp.

The stages to Beding are pleasant, and we will trek through rhododendron, pine, and juniper forests whilst traveling by the riverside. There is also an abundance of bird life. We continued the next day to our camp at Kyaise.

As we descend into warmer conditions and lush surroundings the walking becomes much easier now that we are fit and fully acclimatised. We will overnight in Chetchet. The following day we continue through the forest and pass by waterfalls on our way to Bulung. The area around the village is rich with terraces of wheat, barley, and millet; and people busily tending fields and livestock to make a living for themselves.

For the next three days, we will make our way to our exit point for this section at the Last Resort Village. We will walk to Pakhola (6-7 hrs) before continuing on the following day to Thisangla (7-8hrs). We have a contingency day available to use as needed. The final day's walk is to Sano Jynamdan (7hrs).

This morning we walk the final 4 hours to The Last Resort where we meet our vehicles. We transfer by road (approximately 5 hours) back to Kathmandu and the Hotel for 2 days of rest. Although we have built-in ample acclimatization and intermittent rest days into the GHT itinerary, a trek involving 145 days of almost continuous trekking is an extremely challenging undertaking and punishing to the body. Accordingly, these days should be taken as a recuperation period and key to completing the GHT.

Leaving the Last Resort we trek to Listi. The trail climbs a steep hillside as we ascend to Baldun and then continue on to Listi where there is a Hindu Temple on the ridge above.

Meals:  B,L,D

We leave Listi and ascend the ridgeline where the trail then traverses the hillside to the Sherpa village of Bagam.

Meals:  B, L, D

We have a few days of descent ahead on our trek to Kyangsin and then to Dipu before beginning our ascent to Kharka and then to Panch Pokhari, where we will meet our Langtang & Tilman Pass group, who will be entering via Chautara.

Meals:  B, L, D

We continue along the ridge climb with fabulous views east and west of a chain of mountains that form a natural border with Tibet. W.H. Tilman was the first European to explore this region in 1949, and very few have retraced his footsteps.

Meals:  B, L, D

Panch Pokhari is named after five holy ponds, and thousands of pilgrims climb the sacred Panch Pokhari Lakes during the monsoon. There is a Mahadev Temple located here, and from the top of Panch Pokhari, we gain views of the Jugal Himal and Rolwaling. We will take a rest day here and meet the group joining us for this stage.

Meals:  B, L, D

We are now well above the treeline as we make a short climb from Panch Pokhari to the ridgeline and continue north crossing spurs and basins until we descend into a valley and a final climb to Tin Pokhari.

There are two routes through the lower rocky section of the pass and it will depend on conditions as to which one we choose to ascend. This is quite a challenging pass and there will be loose rock and scree to negotiate. Once we reach a steep rock face after the initial climb we traverse to the left and climb directly onto the snowfield of the pass. The pass is to the northwest of the snowfield. We then descend a steep snow slope and rocky gullies, care should be taken here as the gullies can be icy. We may fix a handline and your leader will advise the plan after assessing the conditions. The pass crossing will be a long day of approx. 7-9 hours. We camp at the northern shore of a lake.

We are now approaching the main Langtang Trail to Kyangjin Gompa with many teahouses. A nearby cheese factory is well worth a visit and of course a visit to the Gompa. There is a viewpoint on a hill to the north of Kyangjin Gompa with prayer flags adorning the summit, and time permitting this is a great vantage point also worth the effort.

We are now traveling along the marked main trail of the Langtang trek. Following the river, we wind through many teahouses and small villages to Syabrubesi.

We are now traveling on the Ganesh link of the GHT on our way to the Manaslu and Annapurna regions.

Leaving Gatlang we enter pine and rhododendron forest until we reach 3100m where there is a large kharka and campsite, we continue from here where we meet up with a road which we follow whilst traversing a steep hillside to another kharka. Here we take a small trail that leads us over the Khurpu Dada Pass (3710m) before heading west and descending to Somdang. The following day we continue our descent through rhododendron forest and terraced fields to Tipling.

For the following three days, we trek through dense forest climbing to minor ridge tops and descending into open basins.

Today is a relatively long day and we will combine with our GHT Manaslu & Annapurna trek at Khorla Besi. We are now two-thirds of the way through the Full Traverse and our cooks may prepare a special meal tonight to celebrate the occasion!

It is a day of relatively easy ups and downs as we follow the river upstream. We cross several tributaries before arriving at our camp at Lama Chautara.

We occasionally trek high above the river to skirt around narrow gorges that prohibit a path. The trail takes us through a pine forest scattered with rhododendrons. We make our way to the lower trail which again follows the Buri Gandakhi below the Gurung village of Ngak and camp past Deng at Bihi Phedi.

We climb initially and then descend to cross a suspension bridge to the opposite bank. There are more riverside undulations and mani walls and chortens may be seen, signs of the distinctly Tibetan territory into which we are entering. The valley trail keeps to the northern bank below the village of Bih. Bih is known for its family of master stone carvers and along the trail today we see flat stones carved with intricate figures and stupas. Just past Bih we catch glimpses of the Shringi Himal and continue along the northern bank of the Buri Gandakhi until we reach the dominantly Tibetan village of Ghap for lunch. We then continue up through the forest densely vegetated with pine and birch to our jungle camp amongst the trees just before Namrung.

We descend to cross the Damonan Khola then ascend again along a narrow path through the forest to Namrung with its check post then continue through the forest path past small Tibetan villages towards Ligaon. We will likely encounter our first yak today and there is also a troop of monkeys who often come down to the river here to drink. We have uninterrupted views behind us of Ganesh III and IV and Baudha Peak and to our right, the Kutang Himal stands high as the natural border between Nepal and Tibet. Before us our first real mountain panorama opens up with the peaks of Himalchuli (7893m), Peak 29 (7871m), and finally Manaslu (8163m). The following day we enjoyed a rest day at our camp in Shyala.

The trail takes us into wilder territory as we skirt around some glacial moraine then descend to the riverbed. Excellent views of the peak of Manaslu today. We soon reach the Tibetan Refugee village of Samdo, a wild place with a substantial village of some 200 permanent residents. From here we descend to the Budi Gandaki River. After crossing the wooden bridge over it, we will reach the fabled Larkye Bazaar.

After a couple of stream crossings, the Larkye Glacier appears on the opposite bank. We steadily climb, skirting around the Sarka Khola to camp at a small brick hut at the base of the Larkye La (pass).

Soon after setting off today the unique shape of Larkye Peak becomes visible. The trail upwards is very gradual but at this altitude, we take our time. It takes us approximately 5 hours to reach the pass, with the last section becoming quite steep but it is well worth the effort. The mountain vista to the west is incredible - Himlung Himal (7126m), Chap Himal, Gyaji Kang, Kang Guru (6981m) and Annapurna II (7937m). The descent from the pass is very steep across ice and scree as we follow the glacier. Progress is slow and careful but eventually, we enter the valley of the Burdin Khola and continue to Bimtang and our camp for the night.

The trail now basically follows the Marsyangdi downstream, before entering a pristine forest of pine and rhododendrons which during the spring months puts on a brilliant display of colour. This is another day to ensure you have plenty of film in your day packs as the views of the Himlung and Manaslu Himal are again spectacular.

We have now crossed from the Manaslu region into the Annapurna region. The trail we follow today climbs over steep forest ridges and crosses the river before reaching Koto. We pass many mani walls with Mayu Prayer wheels - typical of villages in this region. The trail continues through the forest and after rounding a bend, we will view Paungda Danda rock face, a tremendous curved slab of rock rising more than 1500m from the river. We also gain excellent views of Annapurna 2 to the south and Pisang Peak to the northeast. Today we reach a milestone - day 100!