Makalu Base Camp Trek 22 Days

 Makalu Base Camp Trek Overview

This trip in the great outback of Makalu is a high alpine odyssey that begins from the lowest valley in the world, & then rises up to the highest elevation at the base of Mt. Makalu, the fifth highest mountain in the world at (8,481m). This trek occurs in the Makalu Barun National Park and Conservation Area, an area of exceptional nature and recognized throughout the world for the diversity of its flora & fauna. Being an area with very little accessibility & not much known to most trekking circuits, a countable few trek groups have visited this distinctive region.

Makalu is geographically situated 22 km east of Everest and approx. 80 km west of Mt. Kanchenjunga was closed to the outer world till after the 2nd world war or until 1950 when the famous explorer of the wild, Eric Shipton, visited & crossed what today is known as the Shipton La at {4220m} to get to the base of Makalu. Several years later, in 1955, the French conquered the mountain via its North West ridge.

The Adventure Club has intricately designed this itinerary to give a wonderful trek in the true wild for both first-time adventure seekers heading to Nepal and also those who have hit the trails on several trips. The outing takes off from Tumlingtar at a base altitude of just 400m which then peaks later at 5,500m after a near two weeks. From an eagle’s viewpoint above Makalu Base Camp, there are some outstanding views of some of the world's highest peaks that including Everest at (8,850m), Lhotse at (8,516m), Makalu (8,463m), Chamlang (7,319m) and Baruntse at (7,220m).

While hiking the trails, we come across an interesting host of communities from diverse cultural traditions, these include the Rais, Limbus, Newars & Gurungs who are nearer to the flatlands & as we go to higher elevations, we meet the Bhotias, Tamangs & Sherpas who make up the hill communities. Most of these local folks live in clusters spread far & wide & survive mainly on farming. Although culturally rich, these inhabitants are basically poor & immigrate to the bigger towns for extra work to support their families. The park in the area is home to some of the most beautiful ecosystems in the world & is a wealth of plants & animal life found anywhere else.

If you are a lover of flora & fauna, then your cameras will go on overdrive with the vast array of local plants & wildlife. As you get into the Arun Valley, the vast plant species that grow in abundance include the hibiscus, poinsettia & frangipani that grow wild in this area. It’s a virtual treat to watch in the spring as almost every household has marigolds blooming all over the place; this flower is special to both Hindus & Buddhists as it is used widely in sacred rituals throughout the country.

The fauna found around the Makalu region amounts to different species. They include the red panda, musk deer, the clouded leopard, wild boar, marmot, langur monkey & over 400 bird species that are found cackling throughout the course of your trip. You will find a lot of interesting company on your journey but don’t expect the animals to strike up a pose for your camera {definitely not the YETI!}, & one thing is for sure, you are never alone, wolf tracks are always visible at the break of dawn which is proof that hungry wolves are always on the prowl at nights, especially near the base camp areas.

The Makalu region is a literal gift of divine nature gifted by God as this region is so blessed with Mother Nature in the most diverse forms ever imagined. Perhaps, it’s even more special because so few trekkers visit this region because of its extreme remoteness & lack of teahouses. Reasonable trekking experience is required to do this trek due to some of the risky routes that have to be trodden, but this shouldn’t be an obstacle, even for the first-time trekker. At the ADVENTURE CLUB, our itineraries are shaped to meet any eventualities or unpredictable circumstances due to our extensive experience in this region.