---
title: "#49 First in the world? 3616 km on foot across the Himalayas – Michal Tlelka and Sofia Bočeva"
description: "The world's hardest trek conquered! Listen to how Michal and Sofia walked 3616 km along the Great Himalaya Trail from Pakistan to Nepal. Tune in to the Život na treku podcast."
canonical_url: "https://gramino.com/blog/3616-km-on-foot-across-the-himalayas"
last_updated: "2026-03-04"
---

# #49 First in the world? 3616 km on foot across the Himalayas – Michal Tlelka and Sofia Bočeva

Authors: David Czempka

Date: 2026-03-04

The world's hardest trek conquered! Listen to how Michal and Sofia walked 3616 km along the Great Himalaya Trail from Pakistan to Nepal. Tune in to the Život na treku podcast.

It all started with a big dream of linking the base camps of the eight-thousanders – and one confident logo. Michal Tlelka and Sofia Bočeva were probably the first people in the world to walk 3616 kilometers along the world's toughest trail – the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT). And they did it in sneakers, without guides, and with no way to call for help. While Michal, a former teacher, was already an experienced mountaineer, Bratislava-born Sofia headed straight into the highest mountains in the world for her very first long-distance trail.

Over 215 days on the trail, they racked up incredible stats: 163 000 meters of elevation gain, 62 high mountain passes conquered, 54 fordings of one single glacial river, and hundreds of instant soups eaten.

Their journey involved a good deal of improvisation. Since there's no exact route, they followed two rules: link the base camps of the eight-thousanders from Nanga Parbat in Pakistan all the way to Kangchenjunga in Nepal, and stay at the highest possible altitude along the way. On top of that, their trek was complicated by political conflicts, torrential rains, and massive landslides.

## 🎧 **Listen to the podcast on**

- [YouTube](https://youtu.be/MAZgmYHROOo?si=jnkUVwv9GXmNR1bq)
- [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/episode/49wvPcv4ncoEXDfdMU7wPk?si=d577211ecc0740ec)
- [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/cz/podcast/%C5%BEivot-na-treku/id1612950422?i=1000753056779)

[Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAZgmYHROOo)

## In this episode, you'll hear:

- What makes the GHT the hardest trail in the world.
- Which Czech candies 🍬 make the best bribe.
- Why yoga 🧘‍♀️ is the ideal preparation for a long-distance trail.
- What happens when you ford a glacial river after noon. 🌊
- What it's like to live above 4000 meters for two months.
- Do horseshoes count as ultralight gear?

Tune in 🎧 to this incredible conversation full of inspiration and humility, and let it take you to the highest mountain passes, leopards 🐆, and unforgettable experiences. If you enjoyed the conversation, we'd appreciate a subscribe, like, or comment. Don't forget to follow us on your favorite podcast platform, too. 😉

## 📖 Chapters

- 0:00 – Intro and introductions
- 2:27 – Pavlína Adam as an inspiration
- 3:51 – A world first
- 5:41 – On willpower and determination
- 7:55 – Obstacles in (not) planning
- 9:54 – Tricky border crossings
- 11:30 – Mental preparation
- 14:33 – Partners' different paces
- 16:33 – Route planning
- 17:25 – The trail in numbers
- 19:05 – Diplomacy and bribes
- 22:35 – Safety and conflicts
- 25:39 – Cultural differences
- 28:38 – How demanding the trail is
- 33:20 – Fording rivers
- 41:45 – The forces of nature
- 47:09 – How to cope with altitude sickness
- 49:21 – Maps and navigation
- 51:30 – Gear and weight
- 57:43 – Resupply and hiker hunger
- 1:02:45 – Crisis situations
- 1:06:42 – Best places and experiences
- 1:12:24 – Emotions at the finish
- 1:16:02 – Future plans
- 1:19:33 – Wrap-up and goodbye

## This could come in handy

- [Hyperlite Mountain Gear Stuff Sack Pillow](/p/hyperlite-mountain-gear-stuff-sack-pillow.md)
- [Gramino Gear List Men's](/p/gramino-tshirt-gearlist-mens.md)
- [Gramino Ultralight Sit Pad](/p/gramino-ultralight-sit-pad.md)
- [Liteway Pokkie Pack](/p/liteway-pokkie-pack.md)
- [Gramino AURA Pouch](/p/gramino-aura-pouch.md)
- [Tyvek 150x250 cm (for 2 people)](/p/tyvek-groundsheet-250-x-150-cm.md)
- [TOAKS Titanium Long Handle Spoon With Polished Bowl](/p/toaks-titanium-long-handle-spoon-with-polished-bowl.md)
- [Sea To Summit Frontier UL Collapsible Bowl](/p/sea-to-summit-frontier-ul-collapsible-bowl.md)
- [DexShell Thermlite](/p/dexshell-thermlite.md)
- [Therm-a-Rest Z Lite Sol](/p/therm-a-rest-z-lite-sol.md)
- [Gramino SagiFlow](/p/gramino-sagiflow-ultralight-bidet.md)
- [Liteway Wash Bag](/p/liteway-wash-bag.md)

This post is also available as [HTML](/blog/3616-km-on-foot-across-the-himalayas).

## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.