 Makalu
Base Camp Trek
Mt. Makalu High in the heart of the
eastern Himalaya, seven valleys radiate
from Mt Makalu, the world's fifth
highest peak. This trek follows the
Barun Valley which contains some of the
last remaining areas of pristine forests
and alpine meadows in Nepal. From the
bottom of the Arun Valley, near the
start of the trek, the mountains rise
from just 435m (1,430ft) above sea level
to the lofty snow capped peak of Makalu
at 8463m (27,760ft) within a distance of
only 40km. The trek therefore passes
through a wide diversity of ecosystems
and cultures. Communities of Rai farmers
give way to Sherpa and Bhotia villages
as altitude is gained. These peoples
live in isolated villages much as they
have for centuries. Their livelihoods
depend upon forest resources for animal
fodder, fuel, food, housing materials,
fertilizers and medicine.
The Makalu - Barun National Park and
Conservation Area was established in
1992 as Nepal's eighth national park.
Covering 2,330 sq km, Makalu - Barun is
a remote wilderness, with just two small
settlements and seasonal herding in high
pastures. The area receives few foreign
trekkers due to its relative
inaccessibility and a journey to base
camp is an unforgettable experience. In
the forests there are many varieties of
orchids and more than 3,000 species of
flowering plants. The area protects an
abundant wildlife including the
endangered red panda, musk deer,
Himalayan thar and leopard. There are
more than 400 bird species, some of
which are extremely rare.
Then of course there are the mountains,
Makalu, Everest, Lhotse and Chhamlang
that form a stunning backdrop at the
head of the Barun Valley. This is an
extremely rewarding trek that remains
largely untouched by tourism. It is
definitely one for the connoisseur of
wild places! Our itinerary has been
carefully planned to allow for
acclimatization to the altitude, and
ample time in the area of "low" base
camp for further exploration to high
base camp at the foot of the Chago
Glacier, and for those who wish, a climb
to a high point of 6170m ((20,240ft).
There are some long days of 7 to 8 hours
walking, some rough trail sections and
the effects of altitude will be present.
Day to day
itinerary
Day 01:
Flight: Kathmandu - Tumlingtar (860 m).
Trek to Khadbari (1,040m) (4 hrs). Camp.
Day 02:
Trek Khadbari to Chichila (1,830 m) (5/6
hrs). Camp.
Day 03:
Trek Chichila to Num (1,490 m) (5 hrs).
Camp.
Day 04:
Trek Num to Sedua (1,460 m) (5/6 hrs).
Camp.
Day 05:
Trek Sedua to Tashi Gaon (2,070 m) (5
hrs). Camp.
Day 06:
Trek Tashi Gaon to Kauma (3,470 m) (6
hrs). Camp.
Day 07:
Rest / Exploration day at Kauma. Camp.
Day 08:
Trek Kauma to Mumbuk (3,570 m) (5 hrs).
Camp.
Day 09:
Trek Mumbuk to Nhe Kharka (3,000 m) (6
hrs). Camp.
Day 10:
Trek Nhe Kharka to Sherson (4,615 m) (7
hrs). Camp.
Day 11:
Trek Sherson to Makalu Base Camp (5,000
m) (4/5 hrs). Camp.
Day 12:
Explore Makalu Base Camp..
Day 13:
Trek Makalu Base Camp to Nhe Kharka
(3,000 m) (7 hrs). Camp.
Day 14:
Trek Nhe kharka to Mumbuk (3,570 m) (6
hrs). Camp.
Day 15:
Trek Mumbuk to Kauma (3,470m) (5 hrs).
Camp.
Day 16:
Trek Kauma to Tashi Gaon (2,070 m) (5
hrs). Camp.
Day 17:
Trek Tashi Gaun to Pukuwa (1,520 m) (6
hrs). Camp.
Day 18:
Trek Pukuwa to Bumling (1,160 m) (5
hrs). Camp.
Day 19:
Trek Bumling to Tumlingtar (860 m) (4
hrs). Camp..
Day 20:
Flight: Tumlingtar – Kathmandu hotel.
Overnight. Rest of the time for
shopping. |
