Makalu Base Camp

01 / THE EXPERIENCE

Discover the journey

The Makalu Base Camp Trek is a challenging trek that takes you to Mount Makalu's base camp, which is located at 8,481m(27,825ft), the fifth-highest mountain in the world. The journey progressively ascends through thick forests, terraced farms, and traditional Sherpa communities after starting in the lowland district of Tumlingtar. A variety of plants and animals, including threatened species like the red panda and snow leopard, may be found in the Makalu Barun National Park, which also lies in this region and trek route. A number of high-altitude lakes, glaciers, and breathtaking vistas of the surrounding Himalayan peaks may also be found within the park. The trek reaches its climax at the Makalu Base Camp, which offers a breathtaking view of the towering Mount Makalu. The trek takes about 20 days to complete, and is considered to be a physically demanding trek that requires a high level of fitness and endurance.

03 / YOUR ROUTE

Journey at a glance

Day Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu — Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to your hotel. You will receive a briefing of the trip after refreshing. You can visit a temple or historical site depending on your time of arrival. Day Day 2: Fly to Tumlingtar. Drive to Num (1,560m/ ) — Kathmandu - Tumlingtar by flight - Num by road You will be collected from your hotel and driven to Kathmandu airport for your domestic flight to Tumlingtar. The flight usually takes around 35 minutes to reach Tumlingtar. Then, drive to Num which is our starting point of the trek for around 3.5 hours. Overnight stay at Num. Day Day 3: Trek from Num to Seduwa, 1,560m — Num - Seduwa The trek begins from Num to Seduwa after having breakfast. You descend 2 hours down to Arun River and cross suspension bridge to begin climbing to Seduwa while regaining the height the same day. The scenery of rural Nepal is very beautiful. Distance – 8 km/4.9 mi Time – 5-6 hrs Total ascent – 800 m/2,625 ft Total descent – 800 m/2,625 ft Day Day 4: Trek from Seduwa to Tashigaon, 2,100m — Seduwa - Chyaksa Danda - Tashigaon The trek is a little easier today. You ascend a path with many stone steps and mani walls. The pattern of cardamom plantation and bamboo across the hillside can be seen. Dense rhododendron forests can be seen and sometimes you cross log bridges on the way to Tashigaon. Chyaksa Danda at 1900m is where we have our lunch and takes around 2 hours to reach. You ascend and descend to reach the destination. For dinner, you can enjoy Dhal Vat(Nepali food) and overnight stay at Tashigaon. Distance – 8 km/ 4.9 mi Time – 5-6 hrs Total ascent – 700 m/2,296.5 ft Total descent – 0m Day Day 5: Trek from Tashigaon to Khongma Danda(3,560m/ ft) — Tashigaon - Dhara - Unshisha - Khongma Danda This day, the trek contains a lot of ascent with a steep climb through rhododendron forests. In April, the rhododendrons and magnolia trees in bloom provide a colourful foreground with snow-capped summits to the east. As you climb and look back you'll see Tashigaon way beneath you. Lunch will be at Dhara at 2,867m and then climb to Unshisha which takes around 1 hour. Eventually after a couple of hours toiling upwards from Unshisha, you reach a stone rest stop with prayer flags, and another 15 minutes - half hour will bring you to Khongma Danda at 3,560m. Distance – 7.2 km/4.47 mi Time – 7 hr Total ascent – 1400 m/4,593 ft Total descent – 0m/ ft Day Day 6: Acclimatisation walk to Khongma La — We strongly advise you to go to the Khongma La today in order to thoroughly acclimatize. You leave your tea house and start climbing stone steps through rhododendron bushes to the pass at 3,890 meters. You should pass in about an hour. You, then, return to Khongma and relax for the day. Day Day 7: Trek to Dobate 3,860m, over the Khongma La, Sano Pokhari Danda, Shipton La, and Keke La — Khongma La - Sano Pokhari Danda - Shipton La - Keke La - Dobate This day is truly an amazing trek where you will be crossing 4 high passes and rewarded by spectacular views of snow capped peaks. You will have few snacks at Shipton if you need but the lunch will be at Dobate. It takes around one hour of ascent until you reach your first pass of the day - the Khongma La at 3,890m. Then, you descend for a while before ascending towards your second pass. There are views of Kanchenjunga. Sano Pokhari Danda, at 4,105 meters, is reached by several difficult stone steps, with Sano Pokhari Lake below. You reach the highest pass, the Shipton La, at 4,200m after more undulations. You descend on less steep terrain to reach 4,080-meter Kalo Pokhari Lake. From the lake, the ascent to the Keke La, which is at 4,170 meters, is simpler. After around another 45 minutes of descent, you arrive at your lodging in Dobate. Distance – 7.6 km/4.72 mi Time – 6-8 hr Total ascent – 852 m/ 2,795ft Total descent – 599 m/1,965.2 ft Day Day 8: Trek from Dobate to Yangle Kharka (3,630m/ ) — Dobate - Themathang - Yangle Kharka The trail continues with a descent to Barun River through the forest and path underneath a substantial landslide area. After a brief ascent you reach the tea shop at Themathang Kharka, 3,500m which is four hours far from Dobate. It takes about one and a half hours from the tea shop at Themathang to reach the meadows of Yangle Kharka and your lodge for the night. Distance – 9.7 km/ mi Time – 5-6 hr Total ascent – 430 m/ ft Total descent – 600 m/ ft Day Day 9: Trek from Yangle Kharka to Langmale, 4,420m — Yangle Kharka - Yak Kharka - Merek - Langmale The trails start with a descent with dramatic cliffs either side of you and the river on your left. You can see Peak 4, Peak 6, Peak 7 and Yaupa as well as snow-clad summits, vertical cliffs, waterfalls, and sacred caves on the way. Lunch will be during the trek and you reach Langmale Distance – 10.5 km/6.5 mi Time – 5 hr Total ascent – 758 m/2,486.8 ft Total descent – 0m Day Day 10: Acclimatisation walk from Langmale — Acclimatization possibilities are limited. Behind the tea house, there is a good hill and vantage point, and you can continue walking as far as your guide proposes. Day Day 11: Trek to Makalu Base Camp 4,800m — Langmale - Shershong - Makalu Base Camp You begin ascending on a good path but feel tough at this altitude so take it very easy.After a few hours of walking, you arrive at Shershong, a big, flat region with a locked tiny stone house at 4,630 meters. Mt. Malalu comes into view which is the fifth highest mountain in the world. You reach Makalu Base Camp after a 5-6 hours walk from Langmale where Makalu completely dominates the view. Distance – 8.7 km/5.4 mi Time – 5-6 hr Total ascent – 473 m/1,551.8 ft Total descent – 115 m/ 377.2 ft Day Day 12: Exploration day at Makalu Base Camp. — Climbing to the ridge, located about 5,300 meters above the base camp, is one alternative available today that guarantees the most breathtaking panoramic vistas. You may see Makalu, Peak 7, Peak 6, and Peak 4, as well as close-up, dramatic views of Everest, Lhotse, and Nuptse. After sometime return back to base camp. There are other gentler choices, including taking a route to see the lakes past base camp. You can also climb a much shorter ridge just above base camp, and there is a little hill marked with prayer flags at the head of base camp that is about an hour's walk out and back. Day Day 13: Return to Yangle Kharka — Makalu Base Camp - Langmale - Merek - Yangle Kharka You start to retrace your steps to Yangle Kharka and leave the spectacular Mt. Makalu. You reach Langmale and have lunch. Further you reach Merek and have some snacks to eventually reach Yangle Kharka. Distance – 16 km/9.9 mi Time – 6-7 hr Total ascent – 122m/400 ft Total descent – 1,214m/3,983 ft Day Day 14: Return to Dobate — Yangle Kharka - Themathang - Dobate Continuing the trek, you reach Themathang after one and half hour and pass through the landslide area. If you're lucky you may see a Himalayan monal - Nepal's national bird, resplendent in its rainbow colours. The going eventually eases and the ascent becomes more gradual as you approach the hut at Dobate. Distance – 9.3 km/5.77 mi Time – 6 hr Total ascent – 640 m/2,099.7 ft Total descent – 412 m/1,351.7 ft Day Day 15: Return to Khongma — Dobate - Keke - Shipton La - Sano Pokhari Danda - Khongma The magnificent vistas of the tall mountains, especially Kangchenjunga, are only available today. You begin your trek to KeKe La at 4,170m, Shipton La at 4,200m, Sano Pokhari Danda at 4,105m and finally to Khongma La at 3,890m. Overnight stay. Distance – 7.6 km/4.7 mi Time – 6-7 hrs Total ascent – 600 m/1,968.5 ft Total descent – 852 m/2,795.2 ft Day Day 16: Return to Tashigaon — Khongma - Dhara Kharka - Tashigaon You descend from Khongma down to Dhara Kharka which takes around 2 hours. You'll no doubt stop for a cup of tea here. The descent to Tashigaon then takes a further 3 hours through rhododendron and pine forests. Distance – 6.4 km/3.9 mi Time – 5 hr Total ascent – 80 m/262.4 ft Total descent – 1,450 m/4,757.2 ft Day Day 17: Return to Seduwa — Tashigaon - Chyaksa Danda - Seduwa You retrace your steps back to Seduwa this day which will take around 4-5 hours. Distance – 8.9 km/5.5 mi Time – 4-5 hr Total ascent – 150 m/492.12 ft Total descent – 700 m/2,296.5 ft Day Day 18: Trek to Num and Drive to Khandbari — Seduwa - Num - Khandbari This is the final day of trek and a long, fairly steep climb, mainly on stone steps, all the way down to the Arun River at 770m. It will be feeling very warm now as you head deep into the forest lower down. You cross the river and endure the 800m climb all the way back to Num. Finally, you return by vehicle to Khandbari where you spend your last night in the mountains. Distance – 8 km/4.9 mi Time – 5-6 hr Total ascent – 800 m/2,625 ft Total descent – 800 m/2,625 ft Day Day 19: Drive to Tumlingtar and fly to Kathmandu — After breakfast you transfer back to Tumlingtar to make the return flight to Kathmandu airport where you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax and recuperate from your exertions. Day Day 20: Day in Kathmandu, Transfer to airport and Depart — You have a free day to explore some of the sights of Kathmandu, do some last-minute shopping or simply chill out at your hotel. Late afternoon or early evening there will be a transfer to the airport ready for your flight back to London.

YOUR DAY-BY-DAY ROUTE

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1Arrival in Kathmandu — Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to your hotel. You will receive a briefing of the trip after refreshing. You can visit a temple or historical site depending on your time of arrival. +