President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav congratulated mountaineer Apa Sherpa, World-Record-21-times Mt. Everest summiteer, and his team members on successful completion of the trek on the Great Himalaya Trail.

President Yadav welcomed Apa Sherpa and his team members in his office in Sheetal Niwas this afternoon and assured that the team members will have his support in such noble efforts to help the communities and the nation in the days to come.

Government officials, representatives of the Development Partners and corporate partners of the trek were also present in an event organised there.

The 1,700 km long Great Himalaya Trail-Climate Smart Celebrity Trek (GHT-CSCT) led by the Sherpa along with his entourage concluded on 20th April, 2012 at Darchula, Far-Western Nepal. The team members have now returned to Kathmandu by successfully completing their 99-day long trek on the Great Himalaya Trail.

On the occasion, Apa briefed the President on his experiences from the trek on the Great Himalaya Trail, for which he and his team were flagged off by the President himself in January 2012.

The GHT-CSCT began in mid-January and concluded at Darchula in Far-Western Region, 23 days ahead of the schedule, though it is 120 days long trek that is claimed to be longest trekking route in the world.

Apa and his team had started the walk from Taplejung district three months ago.

The trek covers 20 districts in the mid-hills and low mountains of Nepal, many of which have been reported as vulnerable to Climate Change impacts according to the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) report.

The trek is organised to highlight the impacts of climate change in the Himalayas and to promote the GHT as the best trekking trail in the world-offering trekkers the possibility to experience extremely rich cultures, breathtaking landscapes and diverse range of flora and fauna.

GHT-CSCT is organised by Himalayan Climate Initiative with support of the Government of Nepal, particularly the office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. It is also supported by DFID, British Council, SNV, NTB and TAAN. The event has received support of corporate partners Geo-Eye, Asian Trekking, North Face and Dell. nepalnews.com