GHT: Ganesh Himal
We trek a section of Nepal's Great Himalaya Trail
From the Buri Gandaki, we cross ridges and descend to valleys under the Ganesh Himal in those rough up and down middle hills through an area that sees very few trekkers. A cultural delight. Although our regular porters should know the way, route-finding might still be somewhat interesting.
More detail sometime soon!
Highlights
+ delightful villages
+ remote camps
+ little trekked
+ avoids peak season crowds
Grading
max sleeping altitude ~3700m/12,100ft
occasional challenging trails
2018 Dates
12-30 Nov, 19 days
start and end in Kathmandu, airport code KTM
Cost - US$2250
trip deposit US$1000
tent single supplement included
Kathmandu hotel single supplement $60
hotel single supplement included
Leader
Jamie McGuinness
Mobile: (+977) 98021 49789
on trek satellite SMS: +88216 21273393
with Bali (Bal Bahadur) Lopchan
Arrival hotel
Hotel Moonlight, Paknajol-Thamel
tel: +977 1 438 0452, 438 0636
Local office contact
Expedition Himalaya
tel: +9771 400 1066
Nabin Trital: +977 98510 04278
Pasang Nuru: +977 98010 25435
Our service includes
all airport transfers
3 star hotel in Kathmandu, single with breakfast
group transportation by private vehicle
entrance fees and permits as needed
Kathmandu group dinner
Expedition-style trek includes
all meals, afternoon tea and hot drinks
roomy single tent / large double for couples
our special comfy dining tent
and more Project Himalaya comforts
porterage
very experienced crew
we care for our porters providing:
warm jacket, pants, hat, gloves & sunglasses
warm duvets, mattresses and sleeping tents
Nice touches included
fresh filtered coffee for breakfast
solar charging for cameras, USB devices
filtered drinking water at camp
Our service excludes
insurance, Nepal visa, other meals in Kathmandu
additional hotel nights due to delays
satellite phone however available for rent
international flights, equipment rental, alcohol, bottled water and soft drinks, laundry,
tipping and other items of a personal nature
Tips & extra cash
allow approx $50 per day for Kathmandu meals
allow more if you are a shopaholic
we suggest 5% of the trip cost per trekker for the crew tips pool
Day 0 - 11 Nov - early arrival
Arrive early to recover from long flights, and to do some sightseeing in the city.
Day 1 - Monday 12 November 2018 - arrive Kathmandu 1350m
2 - drive Arkhet
3 - trek Majhgaon
4 - trek Magne Goth via Myangal Bhanjyang 2975m
5 - trek Richet Gaon
6 - trek Hindung
7 - Hindung rest-explore
8- trek Thulo Dunga Kharka
9 - trek Nochhet Kharka 3690m / Kalo Tal
10 - explore Nochhet Kharka 3690m
11 - trek Thulo Dunga Kharka
12 - trek Hindung
13 - trek Tipling
14 - trek Pansang La camp
We camp near the top of the pass for extensive panoramas.
15 - trek Yuri Kharka
16 - trek Gatlang
17 - trek Syabru Besi
We may trek then drive to Bali's house...
18 - drive Kathmandu
Day 19 - Friday 30 November - depart
Gear
We are camping so the evenings will be cold in the high country and you need a
4 season sleeping bag, nothing less.
Trek style
We trek standard Nepal expedition style, with you carrying a day pack, porters carry the gear and we have a wonderful kitchen crew to cook for us.
Detailed itinerary
Being a somewhat flexible trip with additional complications of where roads are driveable to, I don't provide detailed descriptions of the trek.
Our tough, friendly and well-kitted out porter team - Jamie
Real exploration
We love exploring, truly exploring and have many firsts to our credit and major achievements that we haven't previously
publicized, but as importantly, they have been amazingly successful, fun treks too. From 1998-2006 we explored the greater Kanchenjunga region with 7x 42 days treks (!!) then since 2008 have been opening routes of the the Nepal Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) and assisting with the GHT maps and guidebooks.
Most trek pages below have links to photo galleries, or see our Nepal Photos Inspiration . We are also exploring in Ladakh, India...
2017 'Kanchen Gola' - As well as returning to the the remote Ghari/Kang La, we discovered two passes near there unmarked on maps, and Jamie and Esther also solved cairn riddles to the top of the other Khang La, an alternative GHT start on the border with Sikkim.
2016 Upper Dolpo & Mu La - getting to Bhijer wasn't as hard as we expected, and we finished our Mu La exploration from 2014, crossing this last somewhat enigmatic pass in front the Dhaulagiris.
2015 GHT Wild West - we straightened the last section from Darchula to Simikot , and successfully explored the Simikot-Mugu high route , a first, and a route that is unlikely to ever be repeated.
2014 GHT Mu La exploration - we investigated Lower Dolpo's Mu La as a GHT alternative but were snowed out by Cyclone Hudhud
2013 GHT Tilman's and Tashi Labtsa Wild - we found the hard way the map+guide book are
wrong on Tilman's; and had great conditions for the Tashi Labtsa.
2012 GHT Wild West exploration - we broke trail to be the first trekkers ever to trek Darchula
to Simikot between Api and Saipal, staying completely in Nepal ... !
2011 GHT Dolpo Wild exploration - we were the first commercial trek team across the Lakyap/Kekyap passes (thanks, Paulo Grobel), rerouted the GHT near Bhijer saving a 5368m pass crossing and crossed the tough high route between Dolpo and Mugu without
incident.
2010 GHT Mustang & Saribung Wild - we traversed from Upper Mustang to Nar-Phu and climbed Saribung 6328m with 100% team success, then traversed around Manaslu
as well.
2009 GHT Makalu Wild - we were the first trekkers to cross Chyangtang to
Makalu Base Camp the direct way.
2008 Limi-Saipal - Jamie discovered the crucial pass near Saipal for the
2012 trek after guiding James Vlahos writing for Nat Geo; thanks Nepal Trust .
2007 Manaslu Wild - we explored the Tsum Valley to the Tibet border, and also explored the peaks and passes above Samdo.
2006 Kanchen Gola Wild - first trekkers to the top the Umbak
La to Tibet.
2005 Kanchen Gola Wild - first trekkers to cross the Lumba Samba,
ie Kanchenjunga to the Makalu region, crucial for the GHT.
2004 Nangpa La exploratory - trekking to the Tibet border in the Everest region for the guide book Trekking in the Everest Region.
2003 Kanchen Gola Wild - first trekkers to the top of Olangchung Gola's Tipta La after Joseph Hooker in 1848, and in 2017, we found out no other trekkers ever went there; now there is a road across it.
2002 Kanchen Gola Wild - first trekkers to Yangma's 5746m Ghari La
2001 Kanchenjunga Wild - first trekkers to the Chabuk La, virgin peak ascent, a climb of Tengkoma peak and saw snow leopards, see Wanda's diary .
2000 Manaslu High - we explored Manaslu's Tsum valley prior to Tsum being opened (!) and climbed Chulu Far East.
1999 Kanchenjunga-Makalu - 42/75 day trek (!) and when we couldn't cross Sherpani-West Col, we returned to Tumlingtar in plastic boots.
1998 Wild Kanchenjunga - the trek that started the Kanchenjunga exploration series; we didn't meet any other trekkers.
1998 Churen Surprise - a trek to Churen Himal base camp above Gurjagoan, a trek that still few people have ever heard of.
GHT
The Great Himalaya Trail is the longest and highest trekking trail in the world,
a trail from one end of the Himalaya to the other and Jamie and friends, Robin Boustead and Richard Bull particularly, are deeply involved in
trekking and promoting it.
