The Great Himalaya Trail / GHT is a network of alternative trekking trails in Nepal and beyond » information

Nepal GHT section badges for your website

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:17:05 +0000

Far West

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Humla

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Rara, Jumla & Mugu

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Dolpa

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Annapurna & Mustang

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Manaslu & Ganesh

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Langtang & Helambu

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Everest & Rolwaling

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Makalu Barun

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Kanchenjunga

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The lower, or ‘Green Route’ of the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal

admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 12:11:35 +0000

The Great Himalaya Trail is a network of trails. There are two main routes and many alternatives connecting trails and treks. The upper GHT route passes through many established trekking areas, and some of its sections take in passes over 5000m and some over 6000m requiring some mountaineering experience.

The lower route, or the ‘Green Route’ so-called because of the green line on the as yet unpublished GHT map. And of course, as a lower route, the surroundings are generally a good deal greener.

From West to East the lower route in Nepal takes you through the following places:

Darchula
Rapla
Ghusa
Chhetti
- Patthrasi Bhanjyang (4890m)
Baniya
Chainpur
[Khaptad National Park]
Dugurbanj
Martadi
Thini
Kolti
Boldhik
Tak Bazaar
Murma
Gorosingha
Sinja
Chere Chaur
Jumla > Hurikot > Dunai
- Jyangla Bhanjyang
Guibang
Dhorpatan reserve
Gurja
Runma
Beni
Poon Hill / Ghorepani
Birethanti
Pothana
Siklis
Khudi
Gorkha
Arughat
Betrawati
Kutumsang
Lamosangu
Barhabise
Tisang La (4778m)
Bigu gompa
Laduk
Jiri
Salleri
Jubing
Chheskam
Gudel
Sanam
Dobhane
Khadbari (near Tumlingtar)
Chainpur
Taplejung
Sinam
Lumadhare
Chiya Bhanjyang (3139m)

Map makers in Nepal

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 16:30:31 +0000

Short walks and activities in Limi Valley, Humla

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:12:06 +0000

Walking / trekking trips

In order fully appreciate the outstanding beauty of Limi and encourage visitors to stay longer, exploration to higher altitudes and places of interest provides an unforgettable perspective of the area. From Til a day trip up towards the glaciers of the Nala Kanka Himal range brings you beneath the towering south face of Pemba. To the west Mount Memonazum or to the east Mount Karkzang could present the serious climber with an exciting challenge. Note however that this mountain range, particularly Mount Pemba is regarded as sacred and so permission would need to be agreed with the villagers before any ascents were attempted.

A shorter half day trip above Til Gompa provides trekkers with good views of the Limi valley from a great vantage point along with more distant views of the Nala Kanka Himal range.

Beyond Til, off the main trail to the Namka pass, lies an important Buddhist retreat cave containing ancient chortens and murals. This could be visited as a day trip from Til or alternatively on the way to or from Hilsa. Ideally some fixed cables (like those used for Via Ferratas in Italy) would be required to make this a safer trip if approaching the cave from the Hilsa direction.

A good outing from Halji explores the valley of the Halji Khola, ascending via high pastures to the pristine waters of lake Taku, with views of glaciated peaks. With an overnight camp at this idyllic spot, the adventurous mountaineer would be able to explore further amongst these lofty peaks, perhaps making a first ascent.

From Jang, forty minutes pleasant walking along the main trail towards Takchhe, lies a hot spring of ideal temperature for bathing. It is set in a lovely wide open and green valley alongside the Limi Khola. This makes an excellent half day outing from Jang, or a suitable spot for a break when travelling to or from Jang.

Horse Riding

More distant horse riding excursions could be arranged locally to give a fuller appreciation of the region, for example riding out along the Tugu Road from Jang for views of Mt. Kailash and lake Manasarovar, or riding out to the Ning valley to see a rock shaped like a heart and a mountain with a hole through it. Horses could also be hired out to assist with any of the side trips mentioned above.

Gompas and festivals in Limi Valley, Humla, West Nepal

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:52:10 +0000

Rinchenling Gompa in Halji and its festivals

Rinchenling Gompa in Halji was founded in the 11^th century and is the most important Gompa in Limi. The monastery originally belonged to the Sakyapa sect and later to the Dri-gung Ka-gyu-pa sect. For centuries, it has been the cultural and religious centre of not only the three villages in the Limi valley but also for all the Bhotia community of upper Humla and western Tibet. Local people accept that the Gompa is a protector of the three villages in the valley and believe that they couldn’t have been there without the monastery. Some scholars suggest that this was the first Gompa constructed within the boundaries of what is now modern Nepal. At its peak the monastery had 150 monks, but currently this number has dwindled to 40, with one Lama, the head Lama Sonam. The Gompa houses a large shrine room, a Ding room with a large ‘4-sided’ statue surround by statues of the disciples and a Kanjur room containing over 50 masks used for rituals and dancing. At the entrance to the Gompa is the Mani Lahan. As with the other Limi villages, chortens, stupas and mani-stones are located around the village and there are some retreat houses 30 minutes walk up hill

Festivals / Rituals in Halji:

Name	When (Tibetan month / day)	Reason
Kun Dig	1^st	Monks recite the mani prayer in the Gompa, for 9 days and 9 nights then offer special prayers to the central statue in the Ding room. Followed by 2 weeks of prayers for those away from home
-	2^nd	Rituals and prayers
Sejung Metupa	3^rd / 10^th-16^th	Prayers to celebrate moving the responsibility of organising prayers for the next year to a new person
Dunjang Chambo	3^rd / 7^th-15^th	Just before sowing the crops masked dances and plays are performed to hope for a good growing year
Kurby Tucheng	4^th / 25^th	Display of the thanka of Kyorpar Lama above the Gompa steps. It is the height of the Gompa
Kangur	5^th	After the first weeding. The women invite the men to drink and dance to celebrate
Chumbee Dunjang	7^th / 10^th-13^th	Just before starting to water the fields
Marriages	9^th	The ‘Marriage Month’
Dunjang	10^th / 3^rd-4^th	Celebration before the departure of some villagers to work away
-	10^th / 24^th	Monks expected back at the Gompa for winter rituals
Nara	10^th / 25^th	Puja by all monks
Goodorr Puja	10^th / 26^th-29^th	Special Gompa puja. Butter cake offerings are made to dispel evil spirits
Losar	11^th / 1^st-3^rd	New Year celebrations
Nara Konshak	11^th / 4^th-6^th	Puja in Gompa
Sorlga	11^th / 6^th-7^th	Prayer for health and well being of those away from the village
-	11^th / 8^th-10^th	Monks visit every household offering prayers
Rimju	12^th	10^th-17^th day: regular dances, prayers, rituals. Flagpole is erected with new flags amidst offerings and prayers. 18^th day: people are assigned masks and start practising dances 27^th-29^th: main dancing / celebration of Rimju

Til Gompa, Dongark Chuling and its festivals

Til Gompa, Dongark Chuling, was originally established in the 11^th century and is part of the Drigung Kagyu sect. There is one Lama, the head Lama Dajyung, and fifteen monks who are present in the winter for rituals and festivals. The Gompa is located 15 minutes walk from Til village, clinging to the hillside overlooking Til valley, and houses original status, old murals, scripts and masks. Beneath the Gompa is an ancient shrine room from the original building, which is now sealed up. In 1993 the monastery was extended, supported by Taiwanese funding, to house a new shrine room and provide more space for religious rituals. In front of the shrine is a stone embedded with the footprint of Changma Limpa dating from the 16^th century. Til also has an 11^th century Mani Lahan in the centre of the village housing an original prayer wheel that bears Newari script and original statues, including one of Lockeswore. Other religious sites include several retreat houses on the hillside above the Gompa, and a number of chortens and stupas around the village.

Festivals / Rituals in Til

Name	When (Tibetan month / days)	Reason
Dunjang	1^st / 8^th-9^th	Celebration of the deities. Offerings made, prayer flags changed
Dunjang	2^nd	To celebrate the safe return of those who have been working away from home.
Dunjang	10^th	End of harvest; departure of some villagers to work away
Losar	11^th / 1^st-3^rd	New Year celebrations
Rinju	11^th / 27^th-29^th	To protect against bad spirits and bad health
Dunjang	12^th / 28^th-29^th	In support of Rimju in Halji

Pfelgling Gompa in Jang and its festivals

Pfelgling Gompa in Jang was originally established 800 yrs ago with expansion, renovation on 1905 and is part of the Degung Kargue sect. There is one Lama, the head Lama Samjur, and fifty monks who are present in the winter for rituals and festivals. The Gompa overlooks the village being located just above the houses. It has a number of shrine rooms housing large statues, with several of these being re-housed from the original Gompa, Degung Chang-Lingba, located 45 minutes walk uphill from Jang. The Mani Lahan, in the centre of the village, houses 2 large prayer wheels and a number of old murals and statues. Other religious sites include chortens, stupas and a number of retreat houses located high on the hillside to the north of Jang.

Festivals / Rituals in Jang

Name

Tuila

Kungur Dunjan

Chumber Dunjan

Yalung Dunjan

Losar

When (Tibetan month / day)	Reason
1^st / 8^th	Puja for good fortune for those travelling away from home
6^th	After the crops are sown
7^th / end of month	After irrigation is complete
8^th	For men only – prayer for those going to work away from home.
Rimju	10^th	Monks do puja at the Gompa
11^th / 1^st-3^rd	New Year celebrations

Introduction to the Limi Valley in Humla, West Nepal

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:09:08 +0000

The Limi Valley in north Humla is visited every year by only a few intrepid people visiting it for a trekking or walking holiday. It must be one of the most beautiful and remote places left in the entire Himalayas . Its natural tranquillity, both sensuous and rugged, gathers you into its fold of ancient charms and traditions that date back over a thousand years. The Limi Khola, a tributary of the mighty Karnali River, flows and tumbles through the valley which runs north-east to south-west at an altitude of 4000m. About 1800 inhabitants live in Limi’s three main villages – Jang, Halji and Til.

Limi, unique and fascinating, still possesses and practices its rich Tibetan traditions where the old values of humanity and brotherhood dominate. However, like other communities in the Himalayas, their way of life is fast disappearing. The people in Limi are facing tough times and a severe challenge of survival as their traditional sources of income are drying up. Making wooden bowls, some of them very ornate, for ceremonial use in Tibet and China and the pashmina trade were the major sources of income. The maple wood for the bowls is now expensive and scarce as trees are disappearing, and the competitive pashmina market has slumped locally. They are also facing a reduced ability to trade with Tibet following the opening of official borders of Tibet with India and Nepal.

Map of the Limi Valley

Cut off by snow and ice from November to April, Limi is the place that time forgot. But time is catching up with them and the valley’s families and traditions are in danger of fragmenting or joining the Himalayan mountain people’s Diaspora to wherever they can find a job. New skills and ways must be found for the Limi community to generate income to stem migration to Kathmandu and the swelling cities of India.

Over the past three years, the Nepal Trust, a Nepali NGO with a partner registered charity in Scotland, has been working to develop medical services, sanitation and alternative energy. Nepal Trust has helped construct a health post, installed renewable energy in all three villages and trained a local health worker. Nepal Trust also has been promoting Limi through its contacts in UK and sends ‘Treks to Build’ groups, volunteers in Limi every year. Nepal Trust funded a survey to develop a restoration works on the 11th century Halji Gompa.

However, whilst our work aims to improve the health and lives of the Limi people, only the generation of a sustainable economy can ensure long term community development and prosperity.

The Nepal Trust believes that this can be achieved through the development of mountain tourism, encompassing the natural and cultural assets of the Limi valley.

The villages of Limi: Jang, Halji and Til

Jang

Jang lies farthest up the Limi valley at an altitude of 4000m. The village is set alongside and facing the Limi Khola on the gently sloping north side of the valley amidst terraced barley fields. Rocky crags tower above to the north whilst gently sloping wooded and rocky hillsides form the southern flanks of the valley, topped by an impressive rocky spire. The village is neatly arranged in two clusters separated by fields and the main thoroughfare along the valley. The Gompa is prominently located above the village overlooking the river. A large two-footed stupa, mani wall and chortens mark the entrance from Halji and numerous other chortens and prayer flags can be seen on the slopes to the north. The Mani Lakhang, on the main path, provides a central point outside which locals gather to discuss village news.

Halji

Halji, at 3750m, is set back from the main Limi valley sitting at the edge of a flat plain protected from the Limi Khola by a moraine bank. The enclosed land is intensely farmed, on terraced and irrigated fields. A large valley rises behind, to the north, to high pastures and glaciated peaks. Glacial streams provide a constant source of clean water and power for the grinding mills and wood turning lathes. The central focus of the village is the 11th century Gompa where many religious festivals and rituals are performed. The buildings are of dry-stone construction with inter-linking flat roofs providing easy communication between neighbours. Rocky cliffs rise to the northeast creating a dramatic backdrop to the village. As with all the villages in Limi, the religious devotion of the villagers is reflected by the large number of stupas, chortens and mani-stone walls at the entrance to Halji.

Til

Til (3950m) is nestled up on the gently sloping east side of a steep valley lying to the northwest of the main Limi valley. A large stream coming down the valley forms the entrance to the village over a small wooden bridge, after which the path passes through a two-footed stupa. Terraced fields, mainly containing barley for chang and tsampa production, surround the village. To the east the valley rises steeply with rocky cliffs and a waterfall, which provides the water supply as it passes to the southeast of the village. The houses are well constructed from dry stone with roof terraces for drying crops and conversing with neighbours. The village centre, outside the Mani Lakhang, is busy with women discussing village news and spinning wool.

Nepal Trust Guesthouse, Simikot, Humla

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:01:23 +0000

The original Simikot guest house. Simple, but clean guesthouse, with a nice courtyard with lots of flowers.

Manager: Rinjin Lama
Tel: (+977) (0)87 680073
Mobile: (+977) 9841 607300
5 rooms, dining room, 2 outside toilets, 1 hot shower.

Read more here about the Nepal Trust, the owners of the guest house and long time NGO working in Humla.

Sun Valley Resort, Simikot, Humla

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:53:39 +0000

The Sun Valley Resort is probably the most luxurious hotel in Simikot and in Humla. From the hotel you have a beautiful view over Simikot and surroundings. Most rooms have “valley view”. Has a nice dining hall with colorful tables in Tibetan style.

Owner: Mrs. Laiku Lama
General Manager: Pema Gyaltsen Lama
Tel: +977 (0)87-680171
Mobile: 9848309156

Total number of rooms 12
Number of rooms with attached bathroom, with twin sharing single beds: 2
Number of rooms with shared bathroom, with twin sharing beds: 10
1 Dormitory rooms with 8 single beds
1 conference/meeting hall
2 dining halls

Price of rooms:
With attached bathroom USD 40 for double room, including breakfast
With shared bathroom USD 30 for double room, including breakfast
Lunch : 7 USD
Three course dinner: 8 USD

Discounts for low season/longer stays negotiable.

Online map of Dolpa

admin — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 04:37:48 +0000

Finally a map of Dolpa online from the Himalayan Maphouse. Most treks are marked on this map. If you wish to see the Great Himalaya Trail route as it passes through Dolpa and Dolpo, please compare with the full GHT map.

Please use this page for a working full screen version of the dolpa map. Use the buttons at the base of the map to launch.

World expeditions offer the full Great Himalaya trail

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 05:53:50 +0000

Good news if you were thinking about the doing the GHT but wondering how to manage organising all of the logistics, which is of course no small task.

World Expeditions, based out of Australia, are now offering the full package (in Nepal), as well as it broken into 7 manageable sections. Please see the World Expeditions website for more information.

Apparently, at least 5 people have already signed up and raring to go. This is Great News for the GHT!

Their press release, for the record, follows below….

A WORLD FIRST: WORLD EXPEDITIONS LAUNCHES THE GREAT HIMALAYA TRAIL

LEADING ADVENTURER WORKS CLOSELY TO DEVELOP ITINERARY

The next big thing in trekking has just launched: for the first time ever the Great Himalaya Trail is now available through a specialist tour operator.

The Great Himalaya Trail is the longest and highest alpine walking track in the world. It winds between the largest mountains and remotest communities on the planet, connecting five Asian countries (Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan) and covering more than 4,500km, from Namche Barwa in Tibet to Nanga Parbat in Pakistan.

Currently, only the Nepal section (1,700km) is available to traverse, as it is the only part that has been walked and mapped thoroughly (the other countries are still being researched). All of Nepal’s 8,000m peaks can be viewed along the trail, while trekkers also have the opportunity to experience remote cultures in hidden corners of the country – a true exploratory experience.

The Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal has been documented – from its start in the east at Kangchenjunga to its completion in western Tibet – by author and adventurer Robin Boustead, who worked closely with World Expeditions to create the inaugural supported treks on this trail.

The GHT in Nepal as 7 trekking sections and 3 link sections

Unique to adventure holiday expert World Expeditions, the full traverse costs £20,500 and takes 157 days to complete, although alternatively it can be broken down to seven smaller stages:

* Stage 1: Kangchenjunga Exploratory (30 days)

* Stage 2: Makalu & Everest Travers via Sherpani Col (34 days)

* Stage 3: Everest & Rolwaling Traverse via Tashi Labsta Pass (28 days)

* Stage 4: Langtang via Tilman Pass (18 days)

* Stage 5: Manaslu & Annapurna (26 days)

* Stage 6: Upper Dolpo Traverse (26 days)

* Stage 7: Rara Lake & Yari Valley (23 days)

Commenting on the launch of the Great Himalaya Trail, Brad Atwal, World Expeditions’ UK Manager, said:

“When World Expeditions launched in 1975 offering some of the very first trekking holidays in Nepal no-one would have imagined that one day the Everest Base Camp trek would become such a popular, almost mainstream holiday…. we’re proud that 35 years later we’re still able to continue our pioneering history in the Himalaya by launching an iconic trek such as the Great Himalaya Trail.”

He continued:

“While each section of the Great Himalaya Trail offers something distinctive and different, the entire traverse is united by the cause of exploring the paths less travelled and benefiting the most remote communities. In line with World Expeditions’ ethos, the financial benefits from these treks will be injected directly back into the host communities, many that never see a penny from tourism, through the ethical use of local guides, porters and carriers, as well as travellers’ purchase of food, drinks and authentic hand crafted artefacts.”

For more information and bookings call 0800 0744 135 or visit www.worldexpeditions.co.uk.