The Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) is a first of its kind trail in Nepal that
unifies all the separate trekking routes into one route, traversing east to west
of the country. The GHT will pass through the most remote parts of Nepal across
the rugged mountains and valleys. It will encompass the entire length of the
country passing though the world’s most famous mountain ranges including Mt.
Everest, Kanchenjunga, Annapurna, Makalu Barun, Ganesh Himal and Dhaulagiri.
Traveling in such untrodden trails of the GHT offers exceptional
opportunities to embrace the serene tranquility of nature and witness what has
rarely been seen before. On the trail, one can observe mountain communities
living amidst climate vulnerabilities and disaster risks and also witness
climate resilient adaptation practices they have adopted. Undoubtedly, the
impacts of climate change have left both the communities and the environment
exposed towards an uncertain future.
This project intends to map these changes in the form of narrative writings,
photo essays, stories and interviews. These expressions will be compiled in a
climate travelogue that will provide meaningful information about the lives of
the mountain communities, their struggle with climate change impacts, and will
give a real sense of changing climate scenarios in the Himalayas. Such a view
of climate change impacts is critical to supplement scientific knowledge and
move forward our discussion on climate change adaptation strategies.
In short, the primary objective of this project is to develop a
‘Climatologue’ (a climate travelogue) accounting the impacts of climate change,
its related physical and social vulnerabilities, along with sustainable
adaptation practices along the stretches of the GHT. This book will be based on
science, local knowledge, and my personal observations. The documentation
process would entail written analysis of field-based observations, personal
narrations supplemented by photo essays, interviews, climate impact stories and
case studies.
