FASTEST CROSSING OF NEPAL

157 DAYS OF WORK IN 49 DAYS, 6 HRS, 8 MIN

World Record

Burch set a new official world record for the fastest crossing of Nepal from India to Tibet. He ran and trekked high altitude peaks across the Great Himalaya Trail in 49 days, 6 hours, and 8 minutes. Burch traversed 1,250 miles, took over 2.6 million steps, and tackled elevation gains/losses of over 500,000ft. Some of the obstacles faced included blinding snowstorms, one of latest and worst monsoon’s in Nepal’s history, landslides, high altitude, leeches, hypothermia, and extreme daily mental and physical exhaustion.

Burch had to cross 18 districts of Nepal and broke the previous world record set in 2003 by 19 days. The current estimated time for the trek by expedition companies in Nepal is over 157 days.

Burch remarked, "Having a mindset that kept you focused was the most important asset to the expedition. If I had listened to my body, I would have quit after day 10 when over 30+ leeches attacked my body. Every day was so jammed pack with intense experiences, like 49 individual expeditions.”

Burch was made U.S. Goodwill Ambassador to Nepal by their country’s government for his humanitarian work within the Hidden Himalaya, and met the Minister of Tourism and Ambassador to Nepal in a private ceremony at the Ambassador’s home in Washington, DC after the expedition. “It’s a matter of great pleasure for all of us that Sean Burch has become successful in setting the latest new world record of fastest crossing of Nepal East to West in 49 days…we feel privileged to honor you as U.S. Ambassador to Nepal,” said Sharat Singh Bhandari, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Government of Nepal.
Burch met with top government and tourism officials in Nepal and in the USA to help promote with the non-profit, Nepal Trust, the remote regions of Nepal and assist with sustainable social and economic development projects. “Sean Burch is a Superman,” said Kishor Thapa, Hon’ble Secretary, Nepal Government.