Map
For the trek the double-sided GHT map Far West NP110 covers Simikot to Rara Lake and our route is the direct red line from Simikot to Gamgadhi then around Rara Lake but sticking closer to the shore than the route shown. Ignore the flouro green route, that is our Mugu Exploration .
The map is readily available on Amazon and from other map shops, and in Kathmandu (where you can get the 2013 edition). There is also a GHT-themed route planning map of Nepal that will have you drooling.
Our approximate route is the green dotted line.
Map courtesy
TheGreatHimalayaTrail.org
and do click on the lower right most control to go full screen, then click on the text to activate. Click to
zoom in.
You can buy this map and the GHT series of maps through the links on
GreatHimalayaTrail.com
Trek style
We trek standard Nepal expedition style, with you carrying a day pack, porters carry the gear and we have a kitchen crew to cook for us.
Background
See the quick description of Rara Lake on the GHT website.
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.
There are two main websites with lots of info, Robin Boustead's GreatHimalayaTrail.com and and the NGO-run GreatHimalayaTrail.org .
Real exploration
We love exploring, truly exploring and have many real trekking firsts to our credit, the result of our fun exploratory treks. From 1998-2006 we explored the greater Kanchenjunga region with 7x 42 days treks (!!) then 2008-2018 opened routes for the Nepal Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) and assisted with the GHT map series and various guidebooks. From 2019 we are exploring other pockets of the country with an element of "before it's gone", which is happening at an increasingly rapid rate now.
Most trek pages below have links to photo galleries or see our Nepal Photos Inspiration and for more thoughts on each trek, see our Previous treks . We are also exploring in Ladakh, India ...
2019 Upper Mustang & Dolpo - we further explored the area around Arniko Chuli and Jamie raced to a pass with Tibet, working out we don't need to do that again, they are all more or less the same up there. "Before it's gone", we saw Chharka without the road and realized that smaller trails are more pleasant than bulldozed but otherwise barely used motorbike and tractor roads.
2019 Upper Mustang-Dolpo Wild
2018 Ganesh Himal GHT - we worked out the most direct GHT route across, sticking closest to the mountains, with two new routes and Jamie finished his personal Nepal GHT, finally!
2018 Ganesh Himal GHT: The crew with Gaye (Phil, Esther and others not shown)
2018 Upper Mustang & Dolpo - we discovered the Ghami La is not one but three passes, one now damaged the the earthquake, one for animals and one for people.
The team and crew for the 35 day trek
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.
2017 Kanch satisfaction; myself and Bali atop the 5746m Kang La pass to Tibet above Yangma - Jamie
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.
2015: Alan Kerr, Marco Camozzi, Jamie McGuinness, Jim Robinson, Greg Danforth, Roger Nix and Celesta Fong
2014 GHT Mu La exploration - we investigated Lower Dolpo's Mu La as a GHT alternative but were snowed out by Cyclone Hudhud resulting in another adventure.
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.
2013 GHT Tilman's
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 ... !
Peter, Jamie, Jeff, Arabella, LeeAnn, Bengt, Kaji, Aiteram, Tawa and Paul - Jamie
2011 GHT Dolpo Wild exploration - we were the first commercial trek team across the Lakyap/Kekyap passes (thank you, Paulo Grobel), rerouted the GHT near Bhijer saving a 5368m pass crossing and crossed the tough high route between Dolpo and Mugu without
incident.
The tough 2011 GHT team less one porter and the horse team
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 .
Jamie sleeping out at Saipal Base Camp - photo by Jamie
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.
Our 2006 Kanchen Gola Exploratory trek team at the end
2005 Kanchen Gola Wild - first trekkers to cross the Lumba Samba,
ie Kanchenjunga to the Makalu region, crucial for the GHT.
Standing L-R: Bal Bahadur (porter naike), Pasang (sherpa-cook), Bir Bagh
(sherpa), Dawa Gelje (sirdar), John SS, Da'Yula (sherpa-sirdar), Natasha, Niels,
Alphonse, Dallas C, Jerry C.
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 after us; 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/area that still few people have ever heard of.
