Pic: Great Himal Race/FacebookStarting on 6 April, around 40 athletes will race 1,400km through the entire Nepali Himalaya, from East to West. They will start close to Kanchenjunga Base Camp in Taplejung, at 5,140m. From there, they will travel through Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, Mustang, Dolpa and Humla Valley, before ending at Hilsa at Nepal’s western border. The highest point will be an altitude of 5,800m.
One of the longest foot races on earth, through the world’s greatest mountain range, people also refer to the Great Himal Race as “the race you can see from the moon”. This year will be the first time participants run along the entire Nepalese Himalaya. In 2016, the race also started in Taplejung, but ended in Kathmandu.
The Great Himal Race was organised by Bruno Poirier, who himself ran across Nepal in 1994, along with the French running collective. Apart from many French and other international runners, eight Nepalis will also participate. Runners can choose to run solo or in a team of two or three. They will receive assistance every 5-7 days.