Makalu Base Camp Trek

Duration: 21 days
Starting from: Tumlingtar
Ending at: Tumlingtar
Grade: Moderate
Highest access of the trek: 4,800m.
Mode of trekking tour: Fully organized trek.
Culture: Different Community with majority of Sherpa, Tamang, Chhetri, Brahamn, Tibetan, and Great Himalayan Landscape.
Lake: Pach Pokhari (lake) and Honku Pokhari (lake)

This region is blessed with an incredible diversity of natural beauty and culture. Enter the lowest valley in the world to begin your journey to the base of the fifth highest mountain in the world (8481m), Mt. Makalu. This trek will give you the opportunity to visit cloud-forest, high alpine terrain, orchids, and rural farm and market villages. From there, you will follow the ridge above the Arun River, which is home to many glacial lakes. Pass through yak pastures towards the endless ice fields of Mt. Makalu. This place provides you the views of the Kanchenjunga massif, Everest, Lhotse, Baruntse and Chamlang as well as the rarely seen Kangshung face of Everest. Return through isolated Sherpa villages back to Tumlingtar for your picturesque return flight below the Nepalese Himalaya.

Day 01: Arrival transfer hotel. O/N Hotel.
Day 02: Full day sightseeing Kathmanduvalley. O/N hotel.

Day 03: Flight to Tumlingtar stat trek to Khandabari. From the spring, after a short climb you begin to see more houses and soon you emerge onto the ridge where there is the check post at the entrance to Khandbari.

Day 04: Khandabari to Chichila. Continue on the ridge route to Mane Bhanjyang. Continue to gentle climb through terraced fields to the village of Pangma. The monotonous route seems very long as you climb to Bhote Bash.

Day 05: Chichila to Num. Continue trek up and down path emerges atop a ridge in the village of Chichira. The ridge route out of Chichira continues pleasantly to Kuwapani with Makalu visible in the far distance. After the forest you pass Fururu and come to Daujia Dhara Deorali. Continue a gentle descent, we are in village Num.

Day 06: Num to Sedua. Continue on main path down the gently sloping ridge route. On the opposite mountainside are the village of Sedua; behind it are visible the mountains of Shipton pass. Continue along the descending ridge route to the Arun River, going from Hedanna to Bungin, the steep slope subsides and you arrive in Rumruma. As you climb from this hamlet diagonally through terraced fields and hours interspersed with mountain flanks, you come to Sedua (1480 m).

Day 07: Sedua to Tashigoan. At Sedua you leave the Arun River and enter the area Kashuwa Khola. A chorten marks your arrival at the Sherpa village of Naba Gaon. Enter the mountainside on the right bank of the Kashuwa Khaola. Upon crossing a small stream, you come to the most remote permanent village, Tashi Gaon (2050 m).

Day 08: Tashigoan to Kauma  Climb a gentle slope, and arrive at the Uteshe. Climb up a gentle slope, cross a stream, and then emerge to Kharka. The path gradually becomes steeper; you pass Dhara Kharka atop the ridge and then come to Unshisa at the ridge crossing. From Unshisa you are on the Iswa Khola side of the ridge; you pass by some step hills and streams and continue along the ridge route until you arrive at Kauma.

Day 09: Kauma to Mumbuk. When you climb the ridge from Kauma you emerge a top the best scenic lookout of this course. Lined up at the far reaches of Iswa Khola are Chamlang (7319m), Peak 6 (6739m), Peak 7 (6105m), and long-awaited Makalu (8463m), while to the east is silhouetted the outline of the Kangchenjunga Range. Continue ascend through Shipton Pass which actually consists of two passes, Keke La and Tutu La. Descend to a small pond where once again you begin to climb the mountainside to Keke La (4127m) and Tulu La. As you descend through the forested area, you arrive at the campsite of Mumbuk (3500m).

Day10: Mumbuk to Nehe Kharka. From Mumbuk you follow a steep, After passing a bivouac cave, you descend to the Barun Khola. The path follows the right bank of the riverbed from which peak 6 is visible; When you emerge to a terraced hill, you are at the Tematan Kharka. Climb gentle slope to a wide valley, head right to Nehe Kharka (2670m).

Day 11: Nehe Kharka to Shershon Continue ascend and soon Ama Bijma (Pregnant Woman) becomes visible and reach to the Ripock Kharka. From this point to Kamara via Jark Kharda you travel a path up a gently sloping mountainside leading away from the Barun Khola; you will enjoy the excellent views here. Pyramid Peak (6830m), Peak 4 (6720m), Chamlang, Peak 6, Peak 3 (6477m), Peak 5 (6404m) – each appears one after the other. Here, one may truly savor the charm of Himalayan trekking at its finest. When you pass Ramara with its single bivouac cave, the Barun Khola approaches and the snout of Lower Barun Glacier appears ahead. You arrive at Shershon (4615m) with its four roofless bivouac caves.

Day 12: Shershson rest and acclimatization. Looking up at the upper half of Makalu from Shershon, you enter an old zone of ablation. Skirt around the terminus of the southeast ridge of Makalu and emerge to a lateral moraine after an easy climb. At this point, the entirety of huge Makalu towers overhead. Makalu Base Camp is on the opposite bank so you must descend to the riverbed, ford the stream, and climb a terraced hill. It is a pleasant grassy campsite at 4800m. To go to Barun Glacier, descend temperately to the riverbed which enters a zone of ablation. Circle to the left and arrive at a flat plain Known as Baruntse Base camp from which you obtain an unusual view of Everest and Lhotse at the end of the valley. If you climb the hill behind you, you achieve an excellent panorama of the surrounding mountains. The terminus of Makalu's southeast ridge offers the best view in this course. Cut across the riverbed from Makalu Base Camp and climb the mountainside for 1.5 hours. The view from this level ridge is superb; around you in a 360 degree arc are Makalu, Everest and Lhotse.

Day 13: Day trip to Makalu base camp.

Day 14: Shersong to Yangle Kharka

Day 15: Yangle Kharaka to Mumbuk
Day 16: Mumbuk to Tashigoan

Day 17: Tashigoan to Chichila

Day 18: Chichila to Khandabari Bazar

Day 19: Khandabari Bazar to Tumlingtar/flight to Kathmandu. O/N Hotel.

Day 20: At leisure Kathmandu for independent activities. O/N Hotel.

Day 21: Transfer to airport for next destination.