Makalu Base Camp trek (fly in / fly out) 18 days

Makalu Trek

This trek is an adventure that will tax your physical abilities to a great extent. You will hike the trails on some of the most rugged terrain on earth, traversing varied altitudes of tremendous proportions.......but all good things come to those who have patience.......you will be rewarded with spectacular sceneries and landscapes, perhaps, never ever seen before. This venture will stir your spiritual instincts to the core.

The Makalu Base Camp trek is a challenging venture of immense physical proportions that takes aspiring adventurers to some of the most remote regions of Nepal; remote to the extent where even human inhabitation is not found.

It is certainly an outstanding trek to the base camp of the world’s fifth highest mountain. You fly to Tumlingtar and walk up the lush and beautiful Arun valley before crossing the Shipton La (4127m) into the upper Barun Khola Valley. En route, you will meet the ethnic groups of Limbu, Newar and Rai at the lower elevations and Tibetan Buddhists at the higher elevations. At the Makalu base camp, you will get upfront panoramic views of Makalu (8481 m.) in addition to Everest, Lhotse, Baruntse and Peaks 6 and 7.

This is a purely camping trek. Lodges are not available along the route. This trek goes high up to 5,100m. Where you will not have access to any modern facilities and amenities but will be blessed with an incredible diversity of rugged natural beauty that will leave you awestruck to the bone.
 

Itinerary of Makalu trek in Details

Day 01

Fly from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar (510m.) which takes about 45 minutes. On the same day, you begin your trek from Tumlingtar to Maney Bhanjyang which takes about five and half hours. The trail ascends all the way through forest of rhododendrons and sal trees. En route, you pass a few villages. Maney Bhanjyang is a ridge inhabited by some people. It is gently surrounded by lush green forest and is a grazing field for cattle and fodder used by the local people. Stay overnight in camps. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 02

Trek from Maney Bhanjyang to Chilchile (1830m.) which takes about five hours. The trail ascends through forest of rhododendrons and sal trees for about three hours and you will ultimately walk over a flat trail that brings you to Chilchile. This is a small village mainly inhabited by Gurungs and other communities as well. There is a government school where locals educate their children. You will find some good tea houses around here. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 03

Trek from Chilchile to Num (1500 m.) which takes about four and half hours. The trail ascends for about 2 hours and then descends by a small perennial river and you walk on a flat trail for about one hour and reach Num. Num is a beautiful village which is enriched with many tea houses and also has telephone facilities. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 04

Trek from Num to Seduwa (1510m.) which takes about four and half hours. The trail descends steeply for about 2 and half hours till you come to a big river named Neguwa Khola. The trail passes through the suspension bridge and ascends through forest and a few traditional villages. People of this area are mainly engaged in agriculture and crops grown here are paddy, millet, potatoes and vegetables depending on the season. There is a check post and local office of the Makalu Conservation Area. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 05

Trek from Seduwa to Tashigaon (2070 m.) which takes about four hours. The trail slightly ascends but the major part of the hike is flat and easy through the bushes. While walking, you will see villages at a far distance. Tashigaon, surrounded by verdant forest is a big sherpa village. You find prayer flags fluttering in the wind whispering odes of prayers for the dead and forgotten; in and around the village. The camping spot in this village is really a praiseworthy site. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 06

Trek from Tashigaon to Khongma la (3560m.) which takes about six hours. The trail ascends throughout the day and you will walk through forest of Rhododendrons and Sal trees until you reach your destination. Kongma la is a ridge and there is only one tea house here. This is also perfect place for camping. It snows here even during the spring of March and April. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 07

Trek from Khongma la to Mumbuk (3550m.) which takes about six and half hours. The trail ascends and then following a rugged path you reach a beautiful lake named “Kalo Pokhari” at the height of (4004 m). Leaving this lake, you go downhill until you reach Mumbuk. It is a serene camping spot surrounded by green forests. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 08

Trek from Mumbuk to Yangle Kharka (3600m.) which takes about four and half hours. The hike today is a bit adventurous and strenuous. The trail passes for about 3 hours through a landscape which is very prone to landslides. The Barun River running through the trail adds more dimensions to the trek with its spectacular views of Mt. Tutse (Peak 6) 6739m and Peak 7 (6185m.). Stay overnight at camp.

Day 09

Trek from Yangle Kharka to Yak Kharka (4810m.) which takes about five and half hours. The trail ascends through grasslands and forest. You can enjoy the majestic peaks such as the Mt. Tutse (Peak 6) 6739m, Peak 7 (6185m), Isuwa La (5340m) and many unnamed mountains and peaks. Yak Kharka is a grazing field and you camp overnight here.

Day 10

Trek from Yak Kharka to Makalu Base Camp (4812m.) which takes about four hours. The hike passes through a flat trail and will descend to a Perennial River. As you reach Makalu Base Camp, you will be mesmerized by the views of Mt. Makalu (8463m), Baruntse (7152m), Kali Himal (6985m), Chamlang (7390m) and Makalu II (7640 m), etc. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 11

A day for Rest at Makalu Base Camp. You will enjoy the whole day in the base camp. there will be spectacular views of different mountains and peaks like Mt. Makalu (8463 m), Baruntse (7152 m), Kali Himal (6985 m), Chamlang (7390 m), Makalu II (7640 m), etc. You can also hike to the Baruntse Base Camp. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 12

Trek from Makalu Base Camp to Yangle Kharka (3600 m.). This takes about four and a half hours. After ascending for a few hours, the trail moves along a flat level path and at the end it descends to reach Yangle Kharka. En route, you walk through a rocky forest path with views of green hills and huge stones at some distance. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 13

Trek from Yangle Kharka to Dobato which takes about four and half hours. The trail ascends for almost three hours through the same landscape of landslide. Then you have to trek uphill passing through jungles all the way to Dobato. This is not a village but a camping place. Here, you find small bushes of rhododendrons. We stay overnight at camp.

Day 14

Trek from Dobato to Tashigaon (2070m.) which takes about six hours. The trail descends steeply up to Khongma la via Kali Pokhari through a dense jungle. You again walk along downhill all the way to Tashigaon. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 15

Trek from Tashigaon to Num (1490m.) which takes about five hours. The trail steeply descends in the beginning and will pass through a steep ascent later on to reach Num. You pass through small forest of bamboo and small villages. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 16

Trek from Num to Maney Bhanjyang (1158m.) which takes about five hours. The trail ascends by starting through the forest and will gently descend in the second half of the day. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 17

Trek from Maney Bhanjyang to Tumlingtar which takes about five and half hours. Stay overnight at camp.

Day 18

Fly out from Tumlingtar to Kathmandu.