The Survival Nepali Culture and Language Course is a vital part of a subaltern’s entry into the Brigade of Gurkhas. Part of the course involves a two week duty trek, where we were fully immersed in some of the most vital elements of Nepal, as we trekked between the houses of Gurkha Welfare Trust pensioners in rural areas ranging from Gulmi to Okheldunga. As we experienced Nepal’s arduous terrain and met its subsequently hardy people, we found ourselves constantly in awe, and felt that any challenge we undertook would need to be able to hold a candle to the challenges faced by welfare pensioners every day. So, we set out to raise £20,000, roughly the amount of money needed to build three earthquake-proof homes in Nepal

The idea was born after a few Gorkha Premium-haru in hamro manparne Lakeside bar at the Busy Bee’s Cafe. We would run a 55km ultra-marathon, up and over Pokhara’s various danda-haru, carrying the same 15kg Doko used by potential recruits undergoing selection who we had seen almost every day while on our course. We had been issued Dokos for our own race, and we’d trained for the 5.8km selection climb behind British Gurkhas Pokhara (BGP), so all that remained was to run a little extra.

In the build up, we were met by Gurkha Welfare Trust (GWT) ambassador, Kenton Cool, a British climber with 18 Everest Summits to his name alongside numerous other mountaineering firsts. He was inspired by the work being done by the GWT and we were able to show him how it felt to use a namlo to carry a load. He remarked that he would be sticking to his pack for future climbs. What we didn’t tell him was that we had doubled the load inside that particular Doko to a ‘cool’ 30 kilograms.

The organiser of the Fishtail 42km Trail Race was certainly amused to hear our plan, and even more so when we told him that we’d also be running the 8km to the start to make an ultra-marathon (plus 5k extra, which would come later). When race day came, with Doko’s packed and adjusted, we were seen off at the gates of BGP by Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Fenn, Field Director for the GWT, at 0515 hrs on 7 December 2024.

From Devi Falls, we’d almost immediately proceed ukhalo, past the Shiva Statue and along the ridge to drop back into the Pokhara Valley at Ghatchinna. We’d then climb up the other side of the valley towards Sarangkot and finally descend to finish on the shores of Phewa Tal.

We were lined up at the start amongst other runners who wore their most lightweight of ultra-running packs and compression socks. They regarded our Dokos with a mixture of fear and disbelief. After a brief countdown from 10 we were off to a flying start, very briefly holding the lead off the tarmac and onto the trail, where we adopted a more realistic pace that we’d sustain for the rest of the day. Clean fatigue runners passed us giving words of encouragement (even including an enthusiastic “AYOOO GORKHALI!”) and before we knew it we had summited the ridge and were rounding the Peace Pagoda, clockwise. We were soon met by our support team consisting of GWT staff and 2nd Lieutenant Rab Tiainen, Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment, in a GWT Land Rover, who was furiously batting away civilian runners attempting to make use of the aid station he had set up for our team. We made our way through the villages atop the ridge, attracting all the attention of the local population going about their day in their rice paddies.

With spirits high, 30km in the bag and great progress made, we continued to ’shuffle-hos’ through the checkpoints, spurred on by the knowledge of the dhal-bhat awaiting us at Checkpoint 4, which lay in the bottom of the valley. It may have been the tastiest daal-bhat I have ever experienced, besides, obviously, that which I had when I visited my Platoon Sergeant’s parents in Pokhara (dherai dhanyabhad Ama). Now refuelled, the day’s second climb awaited us.

Having already climbed and descended the equivalent of Ben Nevis, another serial lay ahead, and despite the dhal-bhat, fatigue was setting in. The trail up the ridge was steep, muddy and overgrown. Checkpoints were now few and far between as we neared 45km. Now noticeably in pain, we made our way along the violently undulating Sarangkot ridge, picking up unladen stragglers from the race who were navigationally confused. Suddenly, there was the support vehicle. “You’ve only got 2km left, lads!” were the magic words from 2nd Lieutenant Tiainen that we needed. Dokos were quickly shouldered, we could smell the finish. To the sound of Nepathya’s ‘Resham’ we rounded the corner onto the Lakeside path in a rigid two ranks. Curious onlookers enjoying the scenery parted ways as we passed, all the way to the finish line, where the Gurkha Welfare Trust and many other auspicious supporters welcomed us with medals and traditional kata.

We have raised £5,860 of our goal of £20,000, which will be enough to build three earthquake proof houses for pensioners supported by the GWT in Nepal. Our fundraising page is still active, and any contributions towards our cause will be greatly appreciated. Also, standby for some of the Doko Ultra team doing it all again at Trailwalker 2025.

Donations can be made at the following link
Ultramarathon in Pokhara – Raising Funds for Gurkha Veterans
Ultramarathon in Pokhara – Raising Funds for Gurkha Veterans

The team:

  • Lieutenant Seb Harris – Queen’s Gurkha Engineers
  • Lieutenant Joey Smith – Queen’s Gurkha Engineers
  • 2nd Lieutenant Alfie Shankland – Queen’s Own Gurkha Logistic Regiment
  • 2nd Lieutenant Pete Gardner – The Second Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
  • Lieutenant James Fleming – The First Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
  • 2nd Lieutenant Matt Sutton – The First Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles
Ultramarathon in Pokhara – Raising Funds for Gurkha Veterans
Ultramarathon in Pokhara – Raising Funds for Gurkha Veterans
Ultramarathon in Pokhara – Raising Funds for Gurkha Veterans