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 guide
- Her coping strategies for trekking alone in high mountains
- Cultural highlights from cycling through Turkey and Iran
- How she funds her travels and balances life back home as a social worker
- Her 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.
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Show notes
- Who is Tiphaine
- 31 years old
- Living in Chamonix, France
- Travelling on and off for the past 10 years
- Going on 3 big bicycle trips
- 1st Tough Girl Podcast episode - November 18th 2021
- 2nd Big Cycle Trip - Cycling from Mexico to Alaska
- This episode focusing on cycling from France to Nepal and hiking the Great Himalaya Trail
- Thinking about the next challenge
- Hiking the High Route of the Pyrenees solo
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