A wonderful and adventurous journey along part of the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT), through a still remote, still wild region of the Nepal Himalaya.
We start in the far east of Nepal in a landscape of lush rain forest and traditional Rai villages, moving quickly north into another world of alpine forests, soaring summits and Tibetan settlements until we reach Kanchenjunga North Base Camp. Here the huge massif of Kanchenjunga (8598m) towers above us, rising up from the borders of Nepal and India. This the world’s third highest mountain is known in Tibetan as ‘the great treasure house of snow’. From the Tibetan village of Ghunsa we pass over the Nango La, which leads us to a long descent to the Yangma Khola and then eventually climbing along the Tamor river we’ll reach the cobbled village of Olanchungola. Once one of the most remote villages in the Kanchenjunga region it’s now nearly joined up to the south by road to Taplejung, and by road into Tibet (currently a closed border). But for the moment this Tibetan village gives us an incredible opportunity to experience life there as it has always been. Try the tongba (and keep warm by the fire)!! From here our route takes us over the remote Lumbha Sambha pass (5120m) from where we can see an incredible panorama including both Kanchenjunga and Makalu, giving us some idea of the scale of our journey! A magical descent along the Lapsi Khola brings us to the Tibetan village of Thudam. Before covid the village traded with Tibet over the Umbak La (5230m).
A full day traversing jungle forest takes us into a different world and the gently terraced fields of Chyamtang and Hongon. Our journey ends here with a descent to Gola and jeep ride to Tumlingtar.
As a supported “fastpack” (see updated definition below!) we’ll carry our own personal gear, with support for the wild camps. We’ll guide you through every step of the way, we’ll organise all transport, food and accommodation, leaving you to focus on your own challenge and your own experience within this shared journey.
This journey offers you a very tangible physical and mental challenge, simply getting from A to B through some of the world’s highest mountains, but in this refuge from your everyday there will also space to reflect. You’ll see things from a different perspective, it will change you!
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Equipment list and joining info
What’s a “skydance“?
Well, this isn’t a race and this isn’t a traditional trek, it lies somewhere between. Outside of a traditional race format, and as a small group, we have total flexibility over our itinerary, and how far or fast we travel each day, and within the constraints of eventually getting from A to B, we have the freedom to explore. It’s likely we’ll compress several “traditional trekking camps” into one day, but at other times we might decide to stay longer in a village to explore for a day off the main route. We won’t be running but we will be moving fast, with some long days once we are acclimatised. Some might call this fastpacking, but this isn’t quite that either. Jamie McGuiness coined the term “Skypacking”, but it’s something a little different to that too.
And so, it seems, the best way to describe this is as a Skydance. This is how Lizzy termed her original attempt at the Great Himalaya Trail back in 2011. Her intention then was to keep as much as possible to the trails through the highest mountains (a pure route), moving fast and light, with minimal support.
We’ll have support, but the spirit of our journey is the same, to move fast and light through the high mountain terrain between Kanchenjunga and Makalu! Join us for this supported fastpack along Lizzy’s GHT route!
This. Whatever else it becomes, it will be a “beautiful, rough, hard and unforgettable journey”. Not sure yet where this will take me. It is not simply about the physical challenge. This is my ‘kora’, a point to point journey across a country, but circling back to where I start, which is here and now. A journey inward to the core, and a journey outward to the edge of what I know.
Lizzy Hawker, in a facebook post before the start of her 2016 journey along the Great Himalaya Trail crossing Nepal from East to West
You love the mountains and wild places. You’re looking for a beautiful experience and magical journey shared with a small group of like-minded souls. You’re comfortable with doing without luxuries for a while, and you’re excited to have an opportunity to experience the ‘real Nepal’ off the beaten track, and to immerse yourself briefly in the traditional culture of some remote and thriving communities. You’re a runner or a hiker or a mountaineer, and to put it simply you love moving on foot through high mountains.
Bring an adventurous spirit, a sense of humour and a willingness to be challenged. This will be a journey of the mind, heart and spirit as well as a journey for your physical body. You’ll experience life from a different perspective. Be prepared to be changed!
“To be stood at the hips of giants. To fastpack for hours each day and not see a soul on the trail. To be welcomed into Tibetan family homes as if a friend and to experience for a brief moment Tibetan family and village life, before it changes forever. To take the time to sit and just ‘be’, just observing the soaring peaks. This was a true privilege.“
Nick Keen, 2022
Trip leader
Our journey will be led by Lizzy Hawker. On foot whenever possible, as an elite athlete Lizzy held the world record for 24 hours on the road and won the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc an unprecedented (and unmatched) 5 times. A National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and now race director of the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa her passion for exploring is taking her far beyond competition to high, wild places often alone, and often in Nepal. Lizzy completed the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) from east to west across Nepal in 2016 and 2017, this route follows the easternmost part of her GHT journey. Her feet and heart know the lie of the land now, this will be her 5th crossing of the remote Lumbha Sambha pass between Kanchenjunga and the Makalu Barun regions (2011, 2016, 2017, 2021).
Our guide will be Laxman Khatri who has spent some years managing the vipassana meditation centre “Dhamma Pokhara” at Begnas Tal and will be happy to support you in the spiritual part of your journey as well the physical!
Lizzy and Laxman will be happy to guide you through these high mountains, to share their experiences, and to create new memories and new dreams with you on this journey.
The organisers
The journey will be organised by our local partner Hidden Trails Adventures and through Kora Explore GmbH (organiser of the Ultra Tour Monte Rosa and the Kora Explore training camps / running tours). Hidden Trails Adventure is a Nepal based travel company and notably a pioneer of tourism in the Manaslu region. The Hidden Trails team has successfully organised the Manaslu Trail Race since November 2012 and the Mustang Trail Race since April 2013. The team has a wealth of experience in creating beautiful experiences in the high mountains of Nepal and enabling guests to realise their dream journey.
Write to us at info@koraexplore.com
The basic trip is from Friday 17th October (arriving Kathmandu) until Sunday 9th November (leaving Kathmandu). If you have extra time before you need to leave we will be more than happy to suggest or organise another tour/excursion for you!
Basic cost: 3080 USD (or equivalent in EUR / CHF / GBP at the time of the tour).
Group size: minimum of 2, maximum of 6-8. This small group size means that we can offer you a beautiful and personal experience.
Cost includes: everything from leaving Kathmandu to arriving back in Kathmandu: welcome dinner in Kathmandu, all necessary permits, all domestic transport (flights and jeep), accommodation and food (lodges, homestays, wild camps) for 20 nights on the trail, insurance and salary for our guide(s) and any other support we need.
Cost excludes: International Flights, Medical and Travel Insurance, Nepal Visa, Helicopter evacuation (should be covered by individual medical insurance), while on trek; additional meals, alcohol and bottled drinks, while in Kathmandu; all meals, drinks additional to those provided, Monastery donations, Equipment rental, Tips.
Extras: We will of course arrange for your accommodation in Kathmandu but we leave this as a supplementary cost depending on the number of nights you would like and if you prefer single or shared accommodation etc. Where possible we will book you into the beautiful family run Karwaan Bed and Breakfast who will look after you very well. Just let us know what you need!
Support: We’d love to invite one or two young Nepalis who dream of a life on the trails (whether running races, or eventually leading treks) to join us and increase their mountain experience. If this works out then part of your registration will fund this and you’ll get to share a lot of time together! Through Kora Explore we already support some families in Ghunsa with educational costs and are hoping to do the same after this trip with our young friend Yangla in the village of Thudam. The concept of sponsorship raises so many questions, but at the same time in certain circumstances a small financial contribution can make a huge difference to a child’s life. If, after your journey, you find you feel moved to help in some way then let us know and we can try to work out what could have the most lasting impact for a child/family/community. On a material level, good shoes and warm clothing (eg duvet jackets) are always in short supply, and if you have anything to bring or leave behind we’ll make sure it gets to someone who can use it!
Once you register we’ll send you a full list of gear/equipment that you will need to bring. We will also send you the “joining info” which will explain exactly how everything works once you reach Kathmandu airport, including orientating yourself to the craziness of Kathmandu, what happens while we are out in the mountains, and any useful tips that we can think of to tell you in advance!
You must have a travel or medical insurance that covers you fully against the costs of helicopter evacuation, hospitalisation, repatriation as required in case of injury or sickness. We will need a copy of your insurance details before you arrive in Kathmandu. Please make sure your policy covers you for trekking up to altitudes of 5200m. Thank you!
Friday 17 October
Arrival in Kathmandu. We will meet you from the airport and provide transport to your hotel. See the “joining” info on how to orientate yourself to the craziness of Kathmandu. We’ll meet for a group dinner to welcome you and answer any questions or concerns! Lodging: Hotel
Saturday 18 October
We’ll meet after breakfast for a briefing on the adventure ahead and to check kit, answer questions etc. Following this you are free to enjoy the day! We’ll give you some suggestions of how you might like to spend the day, whether that’s gear shopping in Thamel, enjoying a spa or massage, or exploring some of the heritage sites of Pashupatinath, Durbar Square and Swayambunath. We’ll suggest a group visit to Boudhanath in the early evening to make a few koras, set some intentions for the journey ahead, and enjoy a good meal together. Lodging: Hotel
Sunday 19 October
We’ll take an early morning flight from Kathmandu to Bhadrapur (100m) in Terai (flat lands) of the far east of Nepal, and then it will be an all day jeep ride to reach Taplejung (1442m). It’s a long drive, but we should get some beautiful views of Kanchenjunga itself and we’ll make some stops for tea and lunch to ease the journey. Lodging: Hotel
Monday 20 October
We’ll make a day trip to Phatihibhara Devi Temple (3794m), on a hilltop outside Taplejung. This is considered one of the holiest places for Nepalese people and a revered pilgrimage site. It’s a chance for us to get a great acclimatisation, warm up our trekking legs, experience incredible views of the Himalayan landscape we’ll soon be deep within, as well as to set our intentions for the beautiful journey ahead. After a jeep ride of 1-2 hours we’ll reach Kafle Pati, and have a 4-5 hour round trip on foot to reach the hilltop temple before returning to the comfort of our hotel. Lodging: Hotel
Tuesday 21 October
Suketham to Phaktanglung (~2000m). After a 4-5 hour jeep riverside jeep drive we reach the roadhead at Suketham for a relaxed lunch. We’ll have a 2-4 hour trek to reach the hamlet of Phaktanglung where we’ll sleep for the night. This river valley is prone to landslides during the monsoon, so seasonal diversions may make this short section slow going. Lodging: Teahouse
5 km, +400-500m
Wednesday 22 October
Phaktanglung to Gyabla (2730m). Lodging: Lodge
12.5 km, + 1000m
Thursday 23 October
Gyabla to Ghunsa (3595m). Lodging: Lodge
12.5 km, + 910m
Friday 24 October
Ghunsa to Kangpanchen (4100m) & acclimatisation hike to Jannu Base Camp (4500m). Lodging: Lodge
10.7 km, +750m, -76m; + Jannu hike 9.45 km, +541m, -541m
Saturday 25 October
Rest day or acclimatisation hike to Lake (5000m). Lodging: Lodge (Kangpanchen)
Sunday 26 October
Kangpanchen to Lonak (4785m). Lodging: Teahouse
10.5 km, +820m
Monday 27 October
Lonak to Kanchenjunga Base Camp to Kangpanchen (3595m). We’ll leave early morning and trek to Base Camp together. We’ll have time to spend an hour or so to admire these magnificent surroundings, meditate, drink tea etc. We’ll return to Kangpanchen for the night… it makes for a fairly long day (although the better half is all downhill and gravity helps) but eating, sleeping and recovery is much easier at a lower altitude. Lodging: Lodge
28 km, +700m, -1520m
Tuesday 28 October
Kangpanchen to Ghunsa (3595m). Today is half rest day, so we can either enjoy the sunshine at Kangpanchen or head on early down to Ghunsa and enjoy the comforts of the village. Lodging: Lodge
10.7 km, +750m
Wednesday 29 October
Ghunsa to wild camp (~4800m) via the Nango La (4775m). It’s a fairly steep ascent but we’ll enjoy the wild crossing of the Nango La before gently descending to a beautiful kharka. Lodging: Wild camp / Tent
~21 km, ~+1430m, ~-750m
Thursday 30 October
Wild camp to Olanchungola (3220m). Today we descend a few hours to the Yangma Khola, and then have a few hours navigating the thin (in places) river trail to the valley junction. We’ll take it slow through this wild section. After an hour or two ascending we reach the magnificent village of Olanchungola. The monastery is well worth a visit, or just a wander around the village. Lodging: Lodge
10 km, +850m, -1400m
Friday 31st October
Monastery visit to the Gompa of Olanchungola. Olanchungola to wild camp. Lodging: Wild camp / Tent
Saturday 1 November
Wild camp to Thudam (3556m) via the Lumbha Sambha Pass (5195m). Lodging: homestay
Sunday 2 November
Thudam to Yak Kharka (2187m). Lodging: homestay
9 km, +670m, -1100m
Monday 3 November
Yak Kharka to Chyamtang (2250m). Lodging: Lodge
10 km, +550m, -1000m
Tuesday 4 November
Chyamtang to Hongon (2190m). Lodging: Lodge
8 km, +880m, -690m
Wednesday 5 November
Hongon to Gola (2190m). Lodging: Lodge
~16 km
Thursday 6 November
Jeep from Gola to Tumlingtar. The warmth and thick air of low altitudes will make you feel like you are on holiday, time to relax, review and recover. Lodging: Hotel
Friday 7 November
We’ll keep this as a day “in hand” in case of bad weather or sickness, or to allow us to have an extra rest or exploration day on route. If we make good progress we’ll spend this “spare” day in the mountains!
Saturday 8 November
We will take a morning flight to Kathmandu and you’ll have the afternoon to rest or explore some of the iconic sights. We will share a final dinner together at a local restaurant. Lodging: Hotel
Sunday 9 November
Departures! Of course if you are staying longer in Nepal then we are happy to give you suggestions or help to arrange a tour or excursion. So many wonderful things to do and we’d love to suggest some great ways to continue to explore this incredible country!
ADVICE: It’s always best to keep an extra “free” day in Kathmandu at the end of your trip in case of domestic flight delays or cancellations.
THANKS: we’d like to sincerely thank Kim Bannister of Kamazang Journeys and Jamie McGuiness of Project Himalaya for advice and sharing their knowledge of the area before, during and since Lizzy’s 2016 GHT journey!
