The Nepal section of the trail begins near Kanchanjunga in the eastern border with India and Tibet and ends in Humla at the Nepal-Tibetan border. Bringing you closest to nature, the route takes you through the spectacular mountain landscapes, people and cultures.[break]
With his ardor and belief, Dhendup Lama, 36, recently successfully completed the arduous trek which was a stretch of around 2,000 kilometers in 110 days. He did it along with his companion Ram Bahadur Rai, 50, and concluded it on December 9, 2011.
Originally from Darjeeling, Lama was living in the US for twelve years but he had still not given up on his love and interest for adventure and trekking. Having worked as a trek leader before, trekking was not a new thing for him; but to embark on such a grueling project after his comeback was no easy feat. An avid traveler, he wishes to build a positive impact in the field of trekking in Nepal and also encourage the local trekkers.
Trekking, which started off as a hobby has now become a profession for Lama, and the Himalaya is where he finds solace, peace and a place where he pacifies his stress. He will be returning to the Himalaya again as it has been an integral part of his life.
The Week met Lama to know more about his recent venture, his future plans and the Great Himalaya Trail itself.
How did you get into trekking and what made you venture out on the Great Himalaya Trail?
My interest in trekking dates back to 1994. I was working as a local trek leader back then with the World Expeditions in Nepal for four years until I left for the States. There I took it more as a hobby but later realized that I needed to do something substantial in this field.
The initial idea of doing the Himalaya Trail came about at the end of 2009 when I decided to come back to Nepal. I had been contemplating about this, and when I finally came back from the States in early 2010, I somehow bumped into the information of the Great Himalaya Trail on their website and that was how it all started.
I had also taken the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOSL) course in the US. I had done the popular regions like Everest and Annapurna before, but the anticipation and apprehension of doing such a long trail was there as it had been a long time since I hadn’t done such a long trekking. This was how I came up with my own personal project, “Across the Himalaya: An Odyssey” and doing the Himalayan Trail was a part of it.
How was your experience when you undertook the Trail? Do you remember any difficult incidents when you were at it?
Most of the people who are doing this trail are usually doing it on the east-to-west route. But I started from west Nepal in Darchula and then finished off in Pashupati Nagar. Basically, to say it in short, it started with Darchula, then all the way up to Yari, then via Humla, I came down to Mugu, then went over to Dolpa, Mustang, Upper Mustang, then came across Manang and made my way over Manaslu, Taplejung, and finally Pashupati Nagar.
The trekking is difficult in the sense of it being one of the longest and highest trekking trails, that there’s a lot of planning required and the money factor is also there. But more than the financial issue, I believe that the drive and enthusiasm to do it is what matters. At first, there were a couple of other people who were there with us but only till the first far west part. Then it was just me and my companion, Ram Bahadur Rai, who finished off the trail.
One of the most difficult experiences, or I would rather put it as our mistake, was when we ran out of food and just had tea and a handful of tsampa, which is roasted flour usually made of barley flour, when we were in Dolpa. During that time, it had become difficult for us to sustain ourselves but we managed somehow.
Since you did such an extensive trekking after a long time, what differences did you find compared to then and now?
When I went back to the Khumbu region after thirteen years, there were a lot of changes that I saw. There have been some positive changes, like in the sense, to accommodate the travelers, a lot of teahouses have been built and people are doing well financially and their perception has changed.
But at what costs? I feel that with commercialization, we’re drastically losing our cultural heritage at the same time. It’s only natural that once people start making money and become financially secure, they start venturing out. But I think it’s important to keep track with the development while maintaining the cultural aspects together as well.
What’s your next venture?
In a week’s time, I’ll be starting a trek of five months in India. I’ll begin with Arunachal Pradesh in North India, then to Uttar Khand, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh and then finally Kashmir. Since it’s a totally unexplored route, I don’t know how that’ll go. But I’m looking forward to it. Then I’ll head over to do the sections in Pakistan. I’m also planning to do the Nepal section of Great Himalaya Trail again.
Tell us about your project, Across the Himalaya: An Odyssey.
My personal project, “Across the Himalaya: An Odyssey” is set to document my entire journey across the Himalaya, starting from Pakistan and all the way to Arunachal Pradesh. Through this project I aim to create an enthusiasm among the younger generation who are into trekking. I also want to elevate the level of work and the quality of services in the trekking sector of Nepal.
Any other projects that are you’re currently working on?
In collaboration with my friends, I’m trying to start a dollar-a-day initiative. The idea of this project is to encourage people to pledge a dollar for every single day of the days I trek. The donated money will then go to about 25 organizations that are involved in grassroot level projects that have been initiated by the villages in the Himalaya spread across Nepal, India and Pakistan. There are many projects which they are doing without any help from anywhere. So I want to source the money and help them. I have this idea and I’m trying to materialize it.
What suggestions do you have for the upcoming trekkers who want to get into trekking and are aspiring to do the Himalayan Trail as well?
One of most important things that one should have is a sense of faith and you also need to have the knowledge of living outdoors as there are lots of uncertainties out there. In order to initiate that, a good way would be to give some time from daily schedules and just go outdoors and indulge in activities like camping and hiking. First, get the feel of the outdoors and then you can research on the information and work on it.
The biggest concern that one may face while trekking is medical issues. So you need to have knowledge of basic first aid as well. Other than that, the whole Himalayan region is quite safe to explore.
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