Tiphaine Muller – Alps to Himalayas: Cycling Across Continents & Trekking the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal cover art

Tiphaine Muller – Alps to Himalayas: Cycling Across Continents & Trekking the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal

Tiphaine Muller – Alps to Himalayas: Cycling Across Continents & Trekking the Great Himalaya Trail in Nepal

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 In this Tough Girl EXTRA episode, we catch up with Tiphaine Muller, the intrepid French adventurer who continues to push her boundaries through long-distance cycling and remote, high-altitude trekking. Now 31 and based in Chamonix, France, Tiphaine has spent the last decade traveling the world by bike, exploring five continents. Her latest journey saw her pedaling from the Alps to the Himalayas before tackling one of the toughest and most remote treks on earth: The Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) in Nepal. This conversation picks up from where we left off in her first Tough Girl Podcast interview (November 2021) — where she shared her early adventures and passion for slow travel. This time, we dive deep into her 2024 journey: Cycling from France to Nepal through the Balkans, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia, and the Himalayas — all while managing extreme heat, border crossings, and a strict budget of €10/day. Hiking the Great Himalaya Trail solo (West to East), over 80 days, through towering 5,000m+ passes, remote villages, and ever-changing terrain — while battling physical exhaustion, route-finding issues, and high-altitude nutrition struggles. Tiphaine candidly shares: The logistics and challenges of arranging permits for restricted zones without a guideHer coping strategies for trekking alone in high mountainsCultural highlights from cycling through Turkey and IranHow she funds her travels and balances life back home as a social workerHer future goals — including film-making and another epic cycle across South America This episode is a deep, honest reflection on the highs and lows of big adventures and what it takes — mentally, physically, and emotionally — to keep moving forward when things don’t go to plan. Don’t miss this inspiring update from a woman who truly lives the spirit of adventure, one pedal stroke and step at a time. New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries. Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast. Your support makes a difference. Thank you x Show notes Who is Tiphaine31 years oldLiving in Chamonix, France Travelling on and off for the past 10 years Going on 3 big bicycle trips1st Tough Girl Podcast episode - November 18th 20212nd Big Cycle Trip - Cycling from Mexico to AlaskaThis episode focusing on cycling from France to Nepal and hiking the Great Himalaya Trail Thinking about the next challengeHiking the High Route of the Pyrenees solo Joking about the Great Himalaya Trail Figuring out the visa and trying to plan for the trail Planning for 6 months and working out how to make it work with the seasonsStarting in March 2024The Route - Cycling Europe really fast in 1 monthGoing through the Balkan Countries, Greece then the ferry over to TurkeyAcross Georgia, Armenia, Iran and the Stan countries Highlights and magical moments from the cycle ride Why Turkey is one of her favourite countries Why Iran was really demanding The bike and gear setup for 6 months Dealing with extreme heat and needing to ride during the night to escape the heat Funding the trip and living off savingsLiving off a daily budget of 10 euro per person per day (while cycling)Earning money working as a social worker Day to day rhythm while riding on the bike Having a rest day every 10 days The Great Himalaya Trail and wanting to walk West to East Needing to go to Katmandu first to sort out all the permits Taking a rest in Katmandu for 10 daysBusing to the start of the trail Having 80 days to walk the trail Why the first 2 weeks were super hard Getting lost of the trail; no signs, no gps on the phone, incorrect maps, not knowing which track was the correct oneStruggling to stick to the schedule, due to the permits Not having a guide Dealing with problem after problem Walking in the high mountains Needing to have guides while walking in Nepal….Going through a trekking agency - who will allow you to get the trekking permits without a guide The restricted areas close to the borders Mixing the high routes and the low routesFinding resupply and food on the trailThe challenges of cooking at altitudeStruggling to get the calories in and needing to focus more on foodNeeding to eat, even when not hungry Paying for food - and taking cash for 80 days…Coping with the altitude and the high passes over 5,000mHiking without a guide Connecting with other hikers and Nepalese people What’s app group for GHT preparation! Hiking or cycling?!Reaching the end of the hike in DecemberDeciding to continue cycling for another 2 months and visiting China and Malaysia Writing another book?Focusing on film and ...
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