Books & Maps
Books and Guides - There are surprisingly few that provide detailed trekking routes throughout the Great Himalaya Range. Many trekking guides currently on the market only describe the most popular trails and/or haven’t been updated for over a decade, see list below.
Maps - There is no up-to-date topographic series that covers the entire Great Himalaya Trail. There are two large-scale series dating from the 1950s and 60s produced by the USA (L500 and U502, both 1:250k, available at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/) and Russia (1:200k, Russian language only, available at http://en.poehali.org/maps). These maps are good for planning but they are either hard to read or not very accurate for navigation in the field. However, for sections in Tibet, Pakistan and much of India and Bhutan there is no alternative.
For all of Nepal there is an excellent 1:50k series of topographic sheets available from the Maps of Nepal shop in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, as well as full colour topographic trekking maps from the Himalaya Map House.
List of Publications by Country
| Publication Name | Author / Scale | Publisher | Best Online source | |
| Bhutan | ||||
| Guide | Trekking in West Tibet and Bhutan | Hugh Swift | Trafalgar Square, 1989 | www.amazon.com |
| Guide | Bhutan: A Trekker's Guide | Bart Jordans | Cicerone, 2008 | www.amazon.com |
| Map | Tibet - Nepal - Sikkim - Bhutan | 1:2,400,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Bhutan Himalaya | 1:390,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Phari Dzong NG 45 04 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Tongsa Dzong NG 46 01 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Towang NG 46 02 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Yamdrog Tsho NH 46 13 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/china/ |
| China (Tibet) | ||||
| Guide | Tibet Handbook | Victor Chan | Moon Publications Inc, 1994 | www.amazon.com |
| Guide | Trekking in West Tibet and Bhutan | Hugh Swift | Trafalgar Square, 1989 | www.amazon.com |
| Map | Tibet - Nepal - Sikkim - Bhutan | 1:2,400,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Gyantse NH 45 16 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/china/ |
| Map | Kyimdzong Dzong NH 46 15 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Namche Barwa NH 46 12 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/china/ |
| Map | Trigu Tsho NH 46 14 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/china/ |
| Map | Yamdrog Tsho NH 46 13 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/china/ |
| India (Northwest) | ||||
| Guide | Trekking in the India Himalaya | Garry Weare | Lonely Planet, 2002 | www.amazon.com |
| Guide | Trekking in Pakistan & India | Hugh Swift | Teach Yourself Books, 1990 | www.amazon.com |
| Guide | Trekking in Ladakh | Charlie Loram and Jim Manthorpe | Trailblazer, 2004 | www.amazon.com |
| Map | INDIA #1: Jammu & Kashmir: Shrinagar, Kolohoi Glacier & Kishtwar | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #2: Jammu & Kashmir: Kargil, Zanskar & Nun Kun | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #3: Jammu & Kashmir: Leh, Zanskar & Nubra Valley | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #4: Himachal Pradesh: Chamba, Dhauladhar Passes & Pangi Valley | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #5: Himachal Pradesh: Kulu, Lahaul & Parbati Valleys | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #6: Himachal Pradesh: Kalpa-Kinnaur, Spiti & Shimla | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #7: Garwhal: Gangotri, Har-Ki-Dun & Mussorie | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #8: Kumaon-Garwhal: Pindari Glacier, Badrinath & Nanda Devi | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | INDIA #9 Ladakh: Rupshu, Tso Moriri, Pangong Tso | 1:200,000 | Leomann, 2007 | www.chesslerbooks.com |
| Map | Ladakh & Zanskar: Centre | 1:150,000 | Editions Olizane, 2008 | www.stanfords.co.uk |
| Map | Ladakh & Zanskar: North | 1:150,000 | Editions Olizane, 2008 | www.stanfords.co.uk |
| Map | Ladakh & Zanskar: South | 1:150,000 | Editions Olizane, 2008 | www.stanfords.co.uk |
| Map | Anantnag NI 43 11 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Chini NH 44 01 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Dehra Dun NH 44 05 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Kargil NI 43 07 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Maryselang NI 43 12 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Nanda Devi NH 44 06 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Palampur NI 43 16 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Pangong Tso NI 44 09 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Shrinagar NI 43 06a | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Simla NH 43 04 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Towang NG 46 02 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Tso Morari NI 44 13 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| India (Sikkim) | ||||
| Guide | Sikkim: A Traveller's Guide | Sujoy Das, Arundhati Ray | Sangam Books Ltd, 2001 | www.amazon.com |
| Map | Sikkim | 1:150,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Kanchenjunga NG 45 03 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Phari Dzong NG 45 04 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Nepal | ||||
| Book | The Great Himalaya trail: A Pictorial Guide | Robin Boustead | HMH, 2009 | Contact Us |
| Guide | Nepal: Trekking & The Great Himalaya Trail | Robin Boustead | ETA March 2010 | Contact Us |
| Guide | Trekking in the Annapurna Region | Bryn Thomas | Trailblazer, 2006 | www.amazon.com |
| Guide | Trekking in the Everest Region | Jamie McGuinness | Trailblazer, 2009 | www.amazon.com |
| Map | Kanchenjunga - Pathibhara & Limbu Cultural Trail | 1:100,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Makalu Base Camp | 1:80,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Langtang, Gosainkund & Helambu | 1:120,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Jiri-Pikey-Everest | 1:125,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Naar Phu - The Lost Valleys | 1:60,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Everest Base Camp | 1:50,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Bhairab Kund | 1:40,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Rolwaling | 1:85,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Manaslu | 1:110,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Mustang | 1:60,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Around Annapurna | 1:100,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Dolpa - The Land of Bon | 1:125,000 | Himalayan Map House | Contact Us |
| Map | Topographic broadsheet series of Nepal | 1:50,000 | Finaid | Maps of Nepal, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| Pakistan | ||||
| Guide | Trekking in Pakistan & India | Hugh Swift | Teach Yourself Books, 1990 | www.amazon.com |
| Guide | Pakistan Trekking Guide | Isobel & Ben Shaw | Odyssey Publications, 1992 | www.amazon.com |
| Map | Kargil NI 43 07 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Mundik NI 43 03 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |
| Map | Gilgit NI 43 02 | 1:250,000 | U502 | http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/ |