Often regarded as one of the best off-the-beaten-path treks in Nepal, Makalu Base Camp is where you are looking for a fairly challenging trekking experience on a less crowded route. Makalu Is the fifth-highest peak in the world, and on this trek you will be reaching its foothill.
The Makalu Base Camp is part of the Makalu-Barun Valley in Sankhuwasabha district of Nepal. It is a glacier valley in the Himalayas, offering stunning views of several mountain peaks such as Everest, Lhotse, Baruntse, Chamlang and, of course, Makalu.
Since not many foreign travelers visit Makalu Base Camp, you can expect to see and experience authentic mountain culture and traditions. But Makalu does test the trekkers to their absolute limit before offering itself. Along the way you will journey through the lush forests, tiny mountain hamlets, meadows and waterfalls. And if you are lucky, you might even chance upon the local wildlife including the elusive red panda and even leopards.
This 14-day Makalu Base Camp itinerary is therefore a unique blend of breathtaking nature, culture and adventure.
Please see the itinerary section for more details about the trek.
Makalu Base Camp Trekking is one of the best treks for travelers to explore Nepal's isolated and uninhabited mountains. The Makalu Base Camp, located at an elevation of 5250 meters, is the trek's ultimate endpoint. It is blessed with a pristine scenery and abundant natural beauty. With its beauty and diversity, Makalu (the fifth-highest peak) draws a lot of travelers looking for adventure. With the 17-day Makalu Base Camp Trekking, you may take in the breathtaking Himalayan views and get a sense of how remote Nepal is. When you visit Makalu Barun National Park, you may hear the sounds of nature in addition to the stunning mountain scenery. Due to the several high altitude passes, Makalu is among the most difficult base camp treks. A short saddle (7200 meters) connects Kangchungtse (Makalu II, 7678 meters) and Chomo Lonzo (7804 meters), two famous subsidiary peaks of Makalu. By global standards, each peak is a sizable mountain.
Starting from Tumlingtar, the Makalu Base Camp Trek ascends the Arun river valley to Sedua and Num before crossing the Shipton La Pass (4210 m) and entering the upper Barun river valley to get a close-up view of Makalu and Chamlang Himal. One of Nepal's most uninhabited and isolated regions is visited on this trek. The Makalu Base Camp Trek starts in Tumlingtar and continues up the Arun river valley to Sedua and Num before crossing the Shipton La Pass (4210 m) and entering the upper Barun river valley to get a close-up view of Makalu and Chamlang Himal. A distant and rarely traveled region of Nepal is visited on this expedition. According to a deal between the governments of China and Nepal, which includes 830 square kilometers of conservation area and 2330 square kilometers of national park in Nepal alone, the Barun valley is a component of a vast international protected region.