GHT trail in Nepal

Kathmandu – Nepal officially opened its Great Himalaya Trail, one of the longest and highest walking trails in the world.

The 1,700 km Nepal section of the trail begins near Kanchenjunga on the eastern border and heads west navigating the domains of eight of the world’s 8000m peaks, from the beautiful but lesser-known Makalu to the famous Everest. The trekking route spreads across the Himalayan foothills, cutting across Nepal from Taplejung district in the east to Humla and Darchula districts in the west.

The trail has one route across the higher Himalayas, at an altitude of 5,000 metres, and another at around 4,700 metres, according to the Dutch Development Agency, which partnered with the government to develop the trail.The trek is expected to be 150 days long, but for those who attempt the trail in one go, they could finish it in up to 60 days.

Winding beneath the world’s highest peaks and visiting some of the most remote communities on earth, it passes through lush green valleys, arid high plateaus and incredible landscapes. Nepal’s GHT has 10 sections comprising a network of upper and lower routes each offering something different, be it adventure and exploration, authentic cultural experiences, or simply spectacular Himalayan nature.

The route offers an incredible diversity in terms of landscapes, flora & fauna, people and culture: from snow leopards to red pandas; from sub-tropical jungle to fragile high-altitude eco-systems; from the famous Sherpas, to Shamanism, to the ancient Bön Buddhist culture found still in Dolpa.

In 2010, American adventurer Sean Burch set a Guinness World Record by completing the Great Himalaya Trail in 49 days, 6 hours 8 minutes.Fewer than 10 people have attempted the route so far.

Trekking in Nepal is a major attraction for tourists, but popular destinations have been limited to the regions of Solukhumbu, Everest, Annapurna and Langtang.

The promoters said the purpose of developing the trail was also to promote socioeconomic benefits to mountain communities.The Great Himalaya Trail covers 16 districts, ranging from Dolpa that connects with the Tibetan plateau, to Darchula, which borders India.The adventure has been priced at 3,200 dollars.

Likewise, Nepal has launched four trekking trails in a bid to boost foreign visitors and the economy, which is still reeling under the impact of a decade-long Maoist-led insurgency that ended in 2006.

The four new trails include Nagi-Narchyang Trail from Myagdi to Parvat district, Dhorpatn Trail from Myagdi to Baglung district, Panchpokhari Trail in Sindhupalchowk district and Lower Solu Trail in Solukhumbu district in eastern Nepal

On the occasion of World Tourism Day on 27 Sep 2011, TAAN officially unveiled five new trekking trails from the Lower Solukhumbu region in Eastern Nepal. The event also highlighted the endorsement of the newly drafted Marketing Strategy for the Great Himalaya Trail Development Program (GHTDP).
The five year marketing strategy emphasises on the branding and promotion of GHT hotspots to attract tourists to these destinations.