Makalu Base Camp Trek
5/5 based on 100 reviews
Trip Duration
15 Days
Group Sizes
2-16 People
Difficulty
Difficult
Max. Altitude
4,870m
Activities
Meals
Accommodation
Among the several large and diverse trekking route that covers the long journey, Makalu Base Camp Trek stands as one of the enormous trekking journeys. It covers the area of Makalu region and the surrounding geography of Mt. Makalu which is also the fifth-highest peak in the world with an elevation of 8463m from the sea level. This trekking trail goes through the various landscapes of Makalu Sanctuary, which consists of unspoiled beauty and untouched nature.
The majestic world, far from the outer world drives this trek as a great journey as well as very refreshing to the soul as Makalu Base Camp Trek is known for its untouched beauty of nature and the very uninfluenced Himalayan culture of the ethnic people living there. With such emerging and diverse features it also comes along with the wildlife and the ecosystem of various species in Nature.
This trek is also a great opportunity for the adventurous journey as it covers the rough routes, Himalayan terrains, remotest paths, very difficult steps, and higher cliffs. It comes with enormous and breathtaking views of landscapes and mountain ranges as well as the different natural bodies. So, this trek has countless features and diverse aspects to offer for the travel enthusiast and the people having an adventure spirit.
And here we bring you the 15 day Makalu Base Camp Trek to ensure your journey is a great memory for you. This comes with the proper planned and scheduled journey over the landscapes and the geography of the Himalayan region of Nepal. This 15day journey will cover all the features and the advantages that you can get during your trekking trip. It is also planned in a budget-friendly way to make it easier for travel enthusiasts like you.
With the fresh morning in Kathmandu, and with the tasty breakfast you will head towards the airport and take a domestic flight up to the Tumlingtar.
This flight takes you the flight time of 35min to arrive in Tumlingtar. This is a very scenic flight that offers you a great view of Ganesh Himal, Mt. Makalu, and Mt. Kanchenjunga.
After some time in Tumlingtar, you will picked up by a jeep which will drive you to the seduwa. This is also a very scenic journey that goes through the khadbari a very popular place among the Nepalese and through the place called Hururu. You will see different villages and small settlements throughout the drive with farmland and terraces surrounding them.
Once you arrive at the seduwa, you will see the starting point for the trekking journey.
Your overnight stay will be in Seduwa.
With your refreshing morning schedule, our journey continues after the breakfast in teahouse.
The journey of this day is filled with the trail which passes through farmlands, fruit and vegetable terraces, Bamboo bushes, and alpine forest with the vibrant Rodhendroden all over the trail.
You will find this walk to be more nature-friendly, as you will pass through the woodlands which consists of bird crisps and the freshening air of the Himalayan region.
After you reach the kasuwa khola, you are just a little far from the Chyaksa Danda. And with just a walk of an hour, you will arrive at the Tashigaun.
Your stay overnight will be at Tashigaun.
Our journey will continue with the 5th day of the itinerary with the morning in Tashigaun. And after breakfast, as usual, we will move towards another point called Kauma.
This journey goes through the scenic Rodhendroden forest and alpine woodlands. You also cross several suspension bridges as well as the ridges as it goes through them with diverse and irregular slopes than other days.
After a couple of hours of trek, you will arrive at the Dhara and have a small lunch. And continues with some rest there. After the Dhara, you will have to go through the stepper part of this trail. You will also cross the stone-paved routes and various ponds and lakes.
With some more walking, you will arrive at the Kauma.
Your overnight stay will be there at Kauma.
Same as other days, after breakfast at Khongma, our journey begins towards the Mumbuk through a slightly inclined trail and goes through several passes that touch the high-altitude mountain hills. This day can be called one of the best points in this itinerary which leaves you with the ascend and descend journey of Himalayan geography.
This day is where the real adventure walks for this whole itinerary. You will get to pass through the Keka La Pass which touches an elevation of 4,170m and before it, you will go through another pass which touches an elevation of 3,873m as the Khongwa La Pass. From there both passes offer you a great view of Makalu and Cham Lang Himal.
After another decent and downhill path, you again need to climb another pass called Ghurung La Pass and another pass called Shipton La Pass which touches an elevation of 4220m. After some descent from this pass, you will arrive at the Kalo Pokhari down nearly 20 from the last pass Shipton La Pass.
You again need to go down some hundred descends from Kalo Pokhari from there to reach Dobate. After crossing or passing through the beautiful valley you will arrive at the Dobate. With this diverse trek of this itinerary, you will get to have some rest there.
Your overnight stay will be managed there at Mumbuk.
After a good rest to kill the tiredness of the sixth day of the itinerary, you will get a fresh morning at Mumbuk. After breakfast, we will head on our journey to the nest point of Neha Kharka.
The journey between Mumbuk to Neha Kharka consists of and goes through the plain area. This plain area is filled with lush greenery. The plain area of Barun Valley is filled with greenery making it a very beautiful landscape to witness.
With further walking and crossing the several streams, you will arrive at the Neha Kharka.
Your overnight stay will be at Neha Kharka.
This day takes you to another great place Shearson Village. It is located at the higher end of Barun Valley. It is near to the lower Barun Glacier.
It is also going to be a tough hike as you pass through different rough steps. But you will be amazed with the life in such altitude living with the traditional methods. You will see the various waterfalls and settlements of ethnic communities. After arriving the places like Jhark and Mera you will soon reach the village of Shearson.
Your overnight stay will be managed there.
This is the final day of the main point of this trekking journey. With the fresh morning and a light breakfast at Shearson, we will head towards the Makalu Base Camp which is just far of about maximum of 5 hours of walk.
You will go through the rough mountain paths until you arrive at the Makalu Base Camp. After you arrive at the Makalu Base Camp, you can enjoy the magnificent view of massive mountain peaks above you as well the glacier at the lap of those peaks and have the untouched air of the Himalayan region. You will see the magnificent view of the whole landscapes holding each other to create the whole nature thing.
The best part of this day is also the sunset view from the base camp.
Your overnight will be there at Makalu Base Camp.
This whole day is dedicated to exploring the surroundings and the features of Makalu Base Camp. As it is a very diverse place as well it is a great place to have some break from the rest of the world. So, we stay here for the rest of the day beneath the fifth-highest peak in the world, Mt. Makalu.
It can be taken as the opportunity to taste living life at a high altitude and being isolated from the nature from rest of the world.
You will get to see the magnificent view of landscapes of high hills with the great backdrop of the following Himalayan range.
During the day, you will witness icefalls, snow glaciers, gorges, crevasses, and the massive mountain peak which makes you feel how big the mountains are.
You will see a very different perspective of nature and its beauty with the unspoiled nature and beauty of the Makalu region.
Exploring the Makalu Base Camp, your overnight stay will be made in there in teahouse at Base Camp.
This eleventh day is about to return through the huge gap of descent back downhill back to Dobate.
So, with the morning breakfast at the teahouse in Makalu Base Camp. We will start our journey back to the seduwa passing through the massive fall in altitude. It covers more than the altitude of 1000m in decent. This day is going to be a hard one for you as it goes down through the difficult geography and the rough downhill terrains. The rocky steps will make it more difficult.
But with the difficulty you will get a great view of sunrise above the Kanchenjunga range. With the difficult trekking journey through the lush greenery and the Rodhendroden forest, you will soon arrive at the village of Dobate.
You will stay there for your overnight stay.
This day covers the journey between Dobate To Seduwa. After the fresh morning and breakfast at Dobate, we will head towards the Seduwa. This route follows the same trail that we came from.
So, after a walk of about 7 hours, through lush greenery and remote paths, you will arrive at the Seduwa.
Your stay will be managed there.
With the fresh morning and a good breakfast at Seduwa, we will move towards the Mure. The trail goes through the same path from where we ascended.
While descending the trail down to the Mure you will go through the Num Valley which is a very beautiful place and an example of a Himalayan valley at a high altitude. After crossing the Num Valley and with some more further walk you will arrive at the Mure.
Your overnight stay will be there at Mure.
From Mure, you just need to walk an hour and have a drive to the Tumlingtar.
So, after the morning breakfast, you will get to start your further journey for the walk of an hour and after the walk, you will get a jeep to drop you to the Tumlingtar.
Your stay will be at Tumlingtar.
This is the last day of the 15-day Makalu Base Camp Trek itinerary. From here, the trekking journey comes to an end after a few days of trekking.
With some walking and crossing suspension bridges, you will arrive at the airport of Tumlingtar from where you will be dropped off in Kathmandu through the flight.
Nepal is a natural miracle in itself, which holds the beauty of nature and its aspects equally over all the seasons or months throughout the year. It only differs according to the features and the aspects which you could harness with different seasons. It means there is no specific or solid choice in the best time or the best season to have the journey over the Makalu Base Camp Trek. As it also differs according to the personal experience and the area of choice. So, considering the features and the aspects that a trekker can harness or get during the different seasons Autumn and Spring are said to be the best to trek not only on the trail of Makalu but also around the whole of Nepal.
The Spring in Nepal comes with the blossoms of several flowering plants or most of the wildflowers making the trail a very picturesque journey and the scenic one. The monsoon before it also brings a very refreshing environment and clears all the dust in the air as well. It brings you great visibility as well the clear skies to make your journey more of a beauty. You also get one of very stable weather during this time. And a plus point is the days are longer so, you can have more daytime in the highlights of the Himalayan region. So, having such features during the spring, it is considered to be one of the best times to trek in Makalu Base Camp Trek.
As well in the Autumn, the weather gets its most stable stage and the journey becomes more scenic as well the picturesque. During Autumn, comes with the changing phase of dry leaves with the new ones, which makes the journey a colorful one. It can be said that it is the most picturesque and mesmerizing journey over the trail of Makalu. You will get the most clear visibility than any other season of the year, offering you a greater chance of enjoying the views of various scenery.
The accommodation in the journey of Makalu Base Camp provides you with the basic structure of food and the overnight stay will be at the teahouses and guesthouses. These all are designed with the basic logistics as there are only teahouses and guesthouses which run with limited resources as the infrastructure for transporting goods is nearly nonexistent. But it is a great opportunity to live with such basic logistics and living standards in such high altitude region.
The menu for foods consists of local foods like Dal Bhat Tarkari, omelets, noodles, various soups, and local cuisines. You may not find the Western dishes on this trail as there are no restaurants that offer you the Western dishes like the trails of Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Base Camp.
Your overnight stays will be at lodges and teahouses, where you will get or be provided with basic living logistics. Remember these teahouses and guesthouses are already running on very basic support and limited resources. So, you have to be convinced by such basic logistics and services provided to you. And we already told you that this all are also a great opportunity to experience the life of high altitude with limited resources.
This trekking journey covers more than two weeks of trekking journey. And it covers the tough Himalayan terrain and difficult geography. So you need to prepare this with a very strong and proper plan.
So, you need to pack a good set of clothes for your journey which helps you to keep warm as well as comfortable in the cold of high altitude. Keep some extra pair of clothes more than your packing list as it may help you later. Also, carry an extra pair of shoes with you as there is a very low chance of getting or having another pair of shoes or footwear in such remote places if your shoes turn out to be with the faults.
Also, carry the trekking accessories, trekking poles, trekking shoes, and clothes that are a proper fit and comfortable for you otherwise you will left with more difficulty in the trekking journey.
Do not forget to carry a medical kit and some basic medicine support items with you. It applies not only in this trek but the trekking journey which you will do in other scenarios too. Having or getting small wounds during your journey on trekking trails are frequent and normal but they may lead you to further infections if not properly cared for.
Also, we recommend you carry your personal camera with you to get and keep your memorable journey within your own interest rather than rely on others. You can also do it with your phone camera. It is only recommended for high-quality captures.
This trekking trail of Makalu Base Camp falls under the area of Makalu Barun National Park and goes through the Conversation Area of Makalu.
The permit works and the process of permission in this trekking trail is a little different than the rest of the trekking trail in Nepal. You need several permits from different official and representative boards.
So, here is the list for them
Above is the required permit paperwork to get access to the trekking trail. The regular and the most used permit card of TIMS( Trekking Information Management System) is replaced by the Makalu Ruler Municipality Permits in this region of Makalu.
You do not need to worry as our staff or a guide from the representative will help you to manage this permit work.
This trekking journey of 15 days to Makalu Base Camp comes with natural beauty, and adventures, as well as the opportunity to learn and witness the various cultures of ethnic communities. Trekkers also get a chance to witness the ecosystem and the wildlife of the Himalayan region. It also covers natural bodies like lakes and rivers as well as ponds and glaciers.
So, you can expect to get the chance to witness the enormous beauty of nature. You will be offered with the stunning views and the breathtaking scenery of different landscapes of the region. This trek offers the stunning scenery of the mountain range and peaks which includes Mt. Everest, Mt. Makalu, and Mt. Kanchenjunga. You will also see a very different angle view of Mount Everest which you can barely guess.
You also expect to see a diverse range of ecosystems and wildlife including rare plants and endangered animals. As the Makalu Region holds the unique living ecosystem of high altitude.
You will pass through the various crystal clear lakes, fresh running water rivers, cold streams, ice and snow glaciers, and many more. And nature walks through the different forests, lush greenery, and landscapes of vegetation.
In the view of adventure, you can expect to have an adventurous journey over the Himalayan terrain, rough routes, different cliffs, and vertical steps. Walking through these aspects will automatically make your journey a great adventurous journey in itself too.
Besides all the natural things, you also get your chance to witness the unique culture and traditions of the people living there. You will see different villages, with farming terraces and with the traditional farming style. The jaw-dropping beauty of villages surrounded by farming terraces with the backdrop of mountain peaks is the best thing that comes with this journey through traditional villages.
You also get a great chance to taste different local foods and local cuisine in different traditional villages with their different origin.
So, it is a once-in-a-lifetime journey for you.
The difficulty level of this trek is moderately hard covering the difficult geography and the rough terrain with the long distance to cover. So, if a beginner wants to have the journey over this trek, it could be a hard one to tackle. Even if it does not consist of any technical climb or the hard cliff steeps it is still going to be hard for beginners. But it doesn’t mean a beginner can’t do it, as it may not be that suitable for beginners, but still a beginner trekker can make it as the adventurous one challenging the hardest part of this trek at the beginning of their trekking journey.
Yes, it is a teahouse trek consisting of a Teahouse and lodges with very basic logistics and services for your overnight stay and your accommodation for food and drinks. The trail is full of such teahouses.
Only Nepalese currency is in use right now on the trail of Makalu Base Camp. You cannot use any other currency or they do not transact any kind of financial transaction other than with the Nepalese currency. So, you need to carry the local currency of Nepal to get transactions. You can exchange your currency with the local one in exchange stores in Kathmandu with an international exchange rate.
Yes, it covers all of them as it is designed to do so. This trek is designed and properly planned to cover all the features that should be covered or done during the trek of this region considering the timing too. So, you can harness or cover or get to have all the aspects and the features that you should or could during the trek in this Makalu Region.
Yes, you get the guide and potter for your group with the trekking package. They will help you throughout your journey during the trek in the Makalu Region.
This trek covers the 15 days Makalu Base Camp Trek as it is itself drawn in the long route and the trail. And another point is it is scheduled and planned accordingly to cover all the aspects and the features. You will get to have a great advantage during this whole itinerary of trekking journey.
Write a Review
