THE SNOW LEOPARD
TRACK

Reliable paper maps are scarcely available for much of the route outside Nepal. A GPX-compatible device with pre-loaded tracks is mandatory. Contact Us for more info on this matter. You must be proficient in reading terrain and off-trail navigation, as physical paths frequently disappear in landslide zones, meadows, brambles, and glacial moraines. (While the map resource provided here offers detailed descriptions of each route segment, significantly more detailed GPX models exist, available upon request.)

Yes. Because it seeks to remain as remote and high as possible, the core route involves crossing numerous glacial passes. A minimalist alpine rack, and the knowledge on how to employ this, are crucial to safely completing the core trail . While care was taken to balance reasonable difficulty with the most spectacular routes, nothing about this trail is light. It is undoubtedly the most difficult thru-hike in the world. That said, for those without partners or technical foreknowledge, an alternative low route exists, thought this often exchanges technical difficulty with routefinding difficulty, or an increase in overall vertical. Alternatively, for those who want to get high but lack the knowledge, many technical sections can be tackled with the aid of skilled mountain guides - most notably those in Pakistan and Nepal. As a sidenote, many stretches of river in Central Asia are prime for packrafting. This opens up exciting and efficient possibilities.

Resupply points are generally far apart. Expect to carry 8-10 days of food regularly. More often, the most reliable resupply is in the nearest large city. In Nepal, it is possible to pay a guide to deliver food to key points along the trail. In India and Pakistan, food is widely available in minor cities along the route. Afghanistan can be done in a single push. For Tajkistan I recommend buying everything one needs in Dushanbe, then staging out of Khorog for each section. Between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan the key resupply cities, in order from south to north, are: Batken, Osh, Bishkek, Almaty, and Karakol.

It is almost assured that you will break bread with shepherds regularly throughout the trail. Hospitality is a commonality across nearly all of the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia. Unsurprisingly, many hosts will balk at any gestures of payment, but mutual exchanges of goodwill are usually eagerly met.

While alway possible, it is unlikely. They are the "Ghosts of the Mountains" for a reason, and this elusivity is what lends them such a legendary status amongst mammals. That said, you will be walking directly through their prime habitat for months, hence the name of the trail, and you will almost certainly see some signs - scat, scrapes, and prints. Beyond this, other wildlife such as argali, ibex, Himalayan brown bears, Asiatic black bears, pallas cat, steppe wolves, Eurasian lynx, and many more abound.

The full traverse, in practice, consists of numerous consecutive expeditions. Any of these could be considered a strong effort on its own, but when strung together they become what is undoubtedly the hardest "trail" on earth. The average gradient is more than double that of the PCT, the resupply intervals much greater, and the absolute elevation is very high. Public transport, borders, and heavy carries hinder a swift, fluid thru. Theoretically, with bombproof logistics and an iron will, a trekker could complete the entire traverse, south to north, in approximately 2 seasons.

Dedicate a minimum of 3 months to Nepal, from March through May, then quickly migrate to Uttarkhand and work north through India from June through August. Between August and September, crack away at the Karakorum in Pakistan before the high passes snow in. The next season would commence in southern Kyrgyzstan, and work northward through August before jumpng back to conclude with the Pamir spanning Tajikistan and Afghanistan. Realistically, it is more practical to segment hike portions of the trail, rather than attempt the whole route, as this ensures one experiences each region during its optimal season.