Makalu Base Camp Trek

Arrive in Kathmandu

We meet you at Tribhuvan International Airport and take you to your hotel. In the afternoon your guide comes for a full briefing: the route, the kit list, the rest days and the simple lodges in the Barun valley. We collect passport copies for the Makalu-Barun National Park permit and check that your insurance covers trekking to 5,000 m with helicopter evacuation. If there is time, take a short walk to Asan Tole, where the old trade route to Tibet once began.

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Fly to Tumlingtar, jeep to Num

A morning flight east to Tumlingtar, a wide flat terrace above the Arun river at about 410 m. The word tar means a raised river terrace, and this is one of the largest in the hills. Our jeep climbs through Khandbari, the district headquarters of Sankhuwasabha, and along the ridge to Num, a village spread along a spur with views down to the Arun far below and across to the slopes we walk tomorrow. The lodges here are simple and friendly, and the evening air is cool after the heat of the valley.

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Across the Arun to Seduwa

We drop steeply from Num through terraces and forest to a suspension bridge over the Arun, warm and green at the bottom, and then climb just as steeply up the far side to Seduwa. This is Rai and Sherpa farmland, with millet, maize and cardamom, and houses of wood and stone. At Seduwa the national park checkpoint records your permit. The day is short in distance but hard on the legs, and it is often hot in the valley, so start early and carry plenty of water.

Seduwa to Tashigaon

A pleasant climb along the ridge through terraced fields and small Rai and Sherpa settlements, with views back across the Arun. Children walk to school along the same trail and shout greetings from the terraces. Tashigaon is the last permanent village on the route, spread across a slope of fields and forest at about 2,100 m. Lodges here are simple and family run. Stock up on snacks, buy a pair of local woollen socks if you need them, and make sure everything you will need above the tree line is in your bags.

The long climb to Khongma Danda

One of the hardest days of the trek. The trail climbs steeply through rhododendron, oak and fir forest, past mossy boulders and small clearings, with few flat sections and only a couple of tea stops. Above about 3,000 m the trees thin and the view opens toward the Arun valley and the ridges to the south. Khongma Danda is a high ridge with a few basic lodges. Take it slowly, rest often, drink a lot and expect a headache at the end of the day; it usually clears with rest and water.

Acclimatisation day at Khongma Danda

After yesterday's big climb we stay a second night. In the morning we walk up the ridge above the lodges for a few hundred metres of height and the first good look at the high peaks, then come down for lunch and rest. Your guide checks everyone's sleep, appetite and oxygen saturation. The afternoon is for reading, writing and sleeping. Tomorrow's crossing of Shipton La is high and long, and arriving there well rested is the best insurance you can have.

Over Shipton La to Dobato

We climb over open ridges past small lakes and prayer flags to Keke La and Shipton La, named after the British mountaineer and explorer Eric Shipton. On a clear morning you can see Kanchenjunga far to the east and the peaks above the Barun ahead. In snow this crossing is slow and cold, and good gloves and gaiters help. The trail then drops steeply through rhododendron and fir to Dobato, a small lodge site in the forest.

Into the Barun valley to Yangle Kharka

We descend through forest to the Barun river and turn upstream into the valley. The walls here are sheer granite, streaked with waterfalls, and the river is milky blue with glacier flour. Look for musk deer tracks, langur monkeys and, if you are lucky, red panda in the bamboo. Yangle Kharka is a summer pasture with a few lodges and a small shrine, used by herders who bring their yak and dzo up from the villages in the warm months.

Up the Barun to Langmale Kharka

The trees give way to juniper, then grass and stone. The valley widens and the walls rise ever higher on both sides. Peaks begin to show at the head of the valley, and Makalu itself appears in the afternoon, closer each hour. Langmale Kharka is a high pasture with simple stone lodges. Walk slowly today, because this is the biggest height gain since Khongma Danda. In the evening, as the sun goes, the peaks above the valley glow orange for a few minutes.

Makalu Base Camp

A gentle final climb along the valley floor and over moraine brings you to Makalu Base Camp, a broad flat area of stone huts and tent platforms at the foot of the south face. Makalu rises about 3,600 m above you, a wall of dark granite and ice, with Chamlang and Baruntse close by. The lodges here are among the simplest in Nepal: a stone dining room, a fire and dal bhat. Rest in the afternoon and watch the face in the evening light.

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Explore above base camp

A full day at base camp. If everyone is well, we climb the ridge above camp toward the Barun glacier viewpoint for a wider panorama that, on a clear day, includes Everest and Lhotse to the west, seen from a side few people know. Those who prefer can walk to the edge of the glacier or simply rest. Bring warm layers and food; the wind can be strong. Back at base camp, the last light on the south face is the reward for all those steps from Tashigaon.

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Down the valley to Yangle Kharka

We walk back down the Barun valley, past Langmale and into the trees again. Losing height makes the day feel quick, and the valley looks different in this direction, with the waterfalls and granite walls lit from new angles. Arrive at Yangle Kharka in time for a long tea in the lodge kitchen. If you missed wildlife on the way up, the forest edges in the late afternoon are good for langur and birds, including blood pheasant and monal on the slopes.

Back to Dobato

We leave the Barun valley and climb back up through the forest to Dobato. The trail is steep in places and can be muddy after rain or slippery with frost in late autumn. This is a quieter day, a chance to absorb the trek and to talk with your guide and porters about their villages. Many of our Makalu crews come from the Rai and Sherpa villages above the Arun, and they know every turn of this trail.

Back over Shipton La to Khongma Danda

We climb back to Keke La and Shipton La. With acclimatisation behind you, this crossing feels much easier than the first time, and you will have time to stop at the small lakes and take in the view east toward Kanchenjunga. Then we drop down the open ridge to Khongma Danda. Tonight is the last night above 3,000 m, and the lodge owners usually make a fuss of trekkers on their way out.

Steep descent to Tashigaon

A long, steep descent through the forest to Tashigaon. Use your poles, take short steps and give your knees a rest at the tea stops. The forest is full of birds in the morning, and in spring the rhododendrons flower in red, pink and white. Back among fields and houses, the first warm shower in a week and a plate of fresh greens taste very good. In the evening we hold a small thank-you dinner for the porters.

Tashigaon to Num

We walk back down the ridge to Seduwa, then drop to the Arun bridge and climb the last long hill to Num. Jeep tracks now reach Seduwa and beyond in some seasons, and if one is running and the group prefers, we ride part of the way. The warmth of the valley and the green of the terraces feel very different from the moraine of a few days ago. In Num, a cold drink and a hot meal mark the end of the trek proper.

Jeep to Tumlingtar

A morning jeep ride back along the ridge through Khandbari to Tumlingtar. We sleep here because flights to Kathmandu usually leave in the morning, and the road can be slow. In the afternoon, walk out across the terrace to the edge above the Arun, where the river runs wide and fast toward its meeting with the Tamor and Sun Koshi far to the south. Dinner is at a simple hotel near the airstrip, and the warm evening air is a pleasure after the cold nights above.

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Fly back to Kathmandu

A morning flight back to Kathmandu. If the weather holds, sit on the right side for the long line of peaks from Makalu to Everest. Afternoon free at your hotel to rest, shower and repack. In the evening, your guide meets you for a debrief and a farewell dinner, which is on us. If the flight is delayed by weather, which is common here, we keep you comfortable in Tumlingtar and use your buffer time in Kathmandu.

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Depart Kathmandu

Our driver takes you to the airport about three hours before your international flight. We strongly suggest one or two spare nights in Kathmandu after this trek, because flights from Tumlingtar can be cancelled by cloud for a day or more, and we would rather you spend a relaxed day at Patan or Boudhanath than miss your flight home. Tell us about your trek before you go: what we got right and what we can improve for the next group.

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