On July 17, 2022, around 8:15 PM, Mangal Lama arrived in Hilsa, a border village in the Humla district, and made history. He became the first person to solo bike the entire Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) high route, a 1,700 km trail that spans across the Himalayas, mostly above 5,000 meters, and stretches from Nepal’s eastern to western border.

Over the course of 88 days, Lama persevered through crushing challenges including fever, sleep deprivation, freezing weather, hostile terrain without proper biking trails, monsoon rain, and even the loss of all his belongings. Nevertheless, he remained determined and never gave up, ultimately accomplishing his incredible feat of solo mountain biking along the GHT on wheels.

Despite its difficulties, Lama was inspired to keep going by the magnificent mountain scenery and support from the well-wishers. “This adventure was the defining moment of my life, and it was both mentally and physically challenging,” said Lama. “The daily grind was gruelling, but the memories and experiences gained to make it all worth it.“

Growing up in Kakani, Nuwakot, Mangal Lama used to eagerly watch mountain bikers pass by his village. Enthralled, young Mangal often followed them to a distance. He had humble beginnings as a mechanic when he started working at a bicycle repair shop in Kathmandu. Since then, his passion has flourished into a fully-fledged MTB racer, a mountain bike guide, and an adventurer with several ambitious feats.

“I had this idea of exploring the Himalayas by mountain bike. More than that, I want to promote the Great Himalaya Trail and lesser-known areas of Nepal for adventure tourism, improve education, and raise the locals’ income levels”, said Lama. With this adventure over, he continues to guide with his company, El Yak Adventures and focuses on writing a book and creating a documentary on his GHT experience.