The Great Himalaya Trails is a journey of life time that takes you from the highest mountain ridges in the world to some of the deepest gorges in a single sketch on a map. While you cross many rugged mountains and rigid cliffs disguised in the wilderness of rhododendron and juniper forests, you will never fail to be amused and awed by the snow laden outcrops, folds and faults of these mountains that tells their own geological tale of the formation of this spellbinding landscape. You will be accompanied by the whistling winds of prayers and roaring rivers that meander through the mountains to guide you through this path towards your destiny.
Every now and then, you will also witness the rich biodiversity of flora and fauna that these ecosystems host, as you trail from one mountain corridor to another. If you are a people’s person, this trail will also take you through the hearts of many rural villages, climbing innumerable contours of terrace farms and riparian fields - giving you a glimpse of Nepal’s diverse agrarian society that reside in harmony with nature and among themselves in these majestic mountains. However, amidst such cultural diversity, you can be assured that you will always be welcomed in these villages, huts and hamlets with an uncompromising friendly smile and warm hospitality. It is perhaps for this reason that in spite of our insurgent past, Nepal is still one of the safest tourist destinations in the world where travelers are still received with almost godly cordiality and ‘Namaste’.
It will perhaps be a truism to say that this odyssey is an epic route for avid trekkers par excellence. It demands a lot of physical fitness and mental stamina, for much of the journey is internal, inside yourself. You will be travelling within your thoughts and emotions most of the time as you walk forward in the physical world wandering from one mountain to the another, sleeping in new and unfamiliar places every night and dining with different company every time. It will also test your leadership skills, challenge your organizational skills and assess your negotiation skills along with your decision making and problem solving abilities. Furthermore, it will also bring you close towards understanding the developmental issues and environmental challenges of Nepal.
I walked this trail back in 2012 - walking about 20 km on average every day for 78 days, from altitude ranging from 320 m to 4800 m. It left me exhausted and emancipated at the same time, and while I cannot guarantee your emancipation, if you decide to embark on this journey, I can say this that it will surely leave you elated and change your life forever, for the better. It will most certainly be the walk of your life which you will not regret. I know I didn’t.
