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Overview The Mount Makalu Expedition also offers an extraordinary adventure for mountaineers seeking a challenging and awe-inspiring experience. Rising majestically to an elevation of 8,485 meters (27,838 feet), Mount Makalu is the fifth highest peak in the world, located in the Mahalangur Himalayas of Nepal. The journey begins in Kathmandu, the vibrant capital of Nepal, where climbers gather to prepare for the expedition. After obtaining permits and necessary equipment, the team also embarks on a thrilling flight to Tumlingtar, a small town in eastern Nepal, followed by a scenic trek through picturesque villages, dense forests, and terraced fields. The trail…
The Mount Makalu Expedition also offers an extraordinary adventure for mountaineers seeking a challenging and awe-inspiring experience. Rising majestically to an elevation of 8,485 meters (27,838 feet), Mount Makalu is the fifth highest peak in the world, located in the Mahalangur Himalayas of Nepal.
The journey begins in Kathmandu, the vibrant capital of Nepal, where climbers gather to prepare for the expedition. After obtaining permits and necessary equipment, the team also embarks on a thrilling flight to Tumlingtar, a small town in eastern Nepal, followed by a scenic trek through picturesque villages, dense forests, and terraced fields. The trail gradually ascends, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes and the distant Himalayan peaks.
As the climbers approach the Makalu Base Camp at 4,870 meters (15,978 feet), the air becomes thinner, demanding acclimatization and patience. The base camp also serves as a temporary home, where climbers rest, train, and acclimatize for the challenging days ahead. Experienced Sherpa guides and support staff assist the team, ensuring safety and logistics throughout the expedition.
The ascent from the base camp is a demanding and technical climb, involving steep ice and rock sections, as well as navigating through crevasses and snowfields. The climbers establish multiple high camps, progressively moving higher and acclimatizing further. The final push to the summit requires endurance, mental strength, and technical proficiency. The reward is reaching the summit of Mount Makalu, standing atop the world and witnessing breathtaking panoramic views of the Himalayan range.
Descending from the summit, the team retraces their steps back to the base camp, celebrating their accomplishment and reflecting on the incredible journey. The return trek also follows a different route, offering diverse scenery and a chance to explore more of the region’s natural beauty.
The Mount Makalu Expedition is a challenging and unforgettable adventure, demanding physical and mental resilience, mountaineering skills, and a passion for exploration. It also presents an opportunity to test oneself against the forces of nature while immersing in the awe-inspiring grandeur of the Himalayas. This expedition promises to be a life-changing experience for those who dare to undertake it.
The Makalu Expedition is a challenging adventure that offers several highlights, including:
Upon your arrival at the airport, you will need to obtain the Entry Visa (if you have not obtained it from your country). At the arrivals gate, one of our representatives shall be waiting to receive you. Then, s/he will drive you to the hotel for you to rest and relax.
Altitude: 1400 m
Meals: N/A
Accommodation: 3-5 Star Hotel
The next day, we will complete all the necessary procedures like obtaining permits and other documentation. We will also prepare for our expedition. A short briefing will be conducted to inform you about the technical aspects of the Expedition. You may go sightseeing and shopping in the evening.
After the early morning breakfast, we will drive to the airport and take a short flight to Tumlingtar, the deepest valley in Nepal. Tumlingtar, in Sankhuwasabha district is the gateway to Makalu Barun National Park. From there, we will meet our crew members and take a 4-5 hour drive to Num, a small village in the Koshi region of Nepal. There we will stay overnight in a tented camp.
Accommodation: Camping
After a night’s stay in Num, we set our feet on the trail towards Sheduwa. First, we descend steeply for 2 and a half hours to reach the Neguwa River with a suspension bridge, crossing which leads us to ascend the dense forests and small settlements. We get to witness the picturesque crop plantation in terraced fields. Later, we reach a check post of Makalu Conservation Area where we will need to take some entry passes.
Accommodation: Camping
The trail from Sheduwa to Tashi gaon is easy as we need to walk through flat surfaces through the bushes and occasional ascents. After walking for almost 4 hours, we reach Tashigaon, a huge Sherpa village, decorated with prayer flags. We will set up our camp to rest overnight.
Accommodation: Camping
The trail from Tashi Gaon to Khongma is an uphill climb through the forests of Rhododendron and pine trees. Kongma La is a ridge with a single tea house. So, we set up a tented camp and rest overnight. Enjoy the meals prepared by our chefs and cooks.
Accommodation: Camping
From Khongma, we head towards Mumbuk on a trail that ascends initially until we reach a beautiful lake, “Kalo Pokhari” meaning “a black lake” at 4004 m, and then descends to reach Mumbuk.
Accommodation: Camping
The trek gets a bit difficult as well as adventurous from Mumbuk as the trail passes through a section prone to landslides. The latter parts of the trails ascend through the grasslands and forests. The majestic views of Mt Tutse, Peak 7 (6185 m), Isuwa La (5340 m), and many other peaks. The Kharka is pasture land and an exceptional spot for Camping.
Accommodation: Camping
From Nehe Kharka, we ascend towards the Lower Base Camp of Mt. Makalu. The views of Mt. Makalu (8481 m), Baruntse (7152 m), Kali Himal (6985 m), Chamlang (7390 m), Makalu II (7640 m) are spellbinding from the Base camp. We will spend two more days in the lower base camp for acclimatization and expedition preparation.
Accommodation: Camping
After acclimatizing at the lower base camp, we hike up to the higher base camp at around 5600 m.
Accommodation: Full Board Camp Service
We will then start our expedition to the legendary Mt. Makalu. We will conduct multiple rotations around the higher camps before the Summit Push. Our team of Sherpas will set up the fixed ropes throughout the route. We will set up higher camps and rotate back and forth to consecutive camps for training as well as acclimatization. Eventually, when the weather is favorable and everyone is good to go, we head for the Summit Push. On Summit Day, we start early so that we reach the top at Dawn to witness the glorious Sunrise. After spending some quality time at the Summit, we then descend to the lower camps and finally to the Base Camp by the end of Day 42.
Accommodation: Full Board Camp Service
Nepal Challenge Trek strictly follows eco-travel and responsible tourism. So, before we return we make sure we clean up all the trash and garbage that we produced during our stay at the Camp and higher camps. After cleaning up the Base Camp, we prepare to return to Yangle Kharka.
Accommodation: Full Board Camp Service
We retrace our path back to Yangle Kharka through the adventurous trail. We will then rest overnight in a tented camp in Yangle Kharka.
Accommodation: Camping
From Yangle Kharka, we retrace the path with the landscapes of landslides. After 4-5 hours we finally reach Khongma to camp overnight.
Accommodation: Camping
During our return, we cover more distance as we descend on major parts. So, we trek to Sheduwa through Tashigaon upon our return.
Accommodation: Camping
The trail from Sheduwa to Num descends steeply at the start and later ascends to reach Num. After passing a small forest of bamboo and small villages, we finally reach Num. from Num, we will meet our crew and drive to Khandbari and rest overnight in a hotel.
Accommodation: Hotel/Lodge
After a night’s stay in Khandbari, we have our breakfast and drive to Tumlingtar airport. Then, we will fly back to Kathmandu and rest at the hotel.
Accommodation: 3-5 Star Hotel
In Kathmandu, you can relax in Thamel, a popular street for tourists where you can get anything you want. You may do some shopping, eat in a nice restaurant, get some spa, do some laundry and many other things. There are also many different attractions in Kathmandu including but not limited to Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath, Bouddhanath Stupa, Basantapur, Bhaktapur, Patan, and so on. You may go sightseeing around these areas with one of our city guides. We will join for the farewell dinner in the evening.
Accommodation: 3-5 Star Hotel
If you have not signed up for any other Add-ons Adventure packages, it’s time to bid you farewell. One of our representatives will drop you off at the airport 3 hours prior to your scheduled departure.
Accommodation: N/A
Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world, located in the Mahalangur Himalayas of eastern Nepal. Makalu Expedition is a challenging climbing adventure that requires technical skills and mountaineering experience.
The expedition starts with a flight to Tumlingtar and a trek to the Makalu Base Camp. The trek to the base camp takes around 16-18 days and passes through beautiful forests, remote villages, and stunning alpine landscapes. The base camp is located at an altitude of 4,870 meters and is the starting point for the climb.
The climb to the summit of Makalu requires technical climbing skills, including ice climbing, rock climbing, and glacier travel. The route to the summit follows the southeast ridge and involves crossing several crevasses and steep sections of ice and snow.
The climb to the summit can take around 4-6 weeks, depending on the weather conditions and the physical fitness of the climbers. The summit of Makalu is located at an altitude of 8,485 meters and offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains.
Makalu Expedition requires a permit, which can be obtained from the Nepal Mountaineering Association. It is also mandatory to hire a licensed guide and a team of porters and climbers for the expedition. The climbers need to have prior mountaineering experience and be in excellent physical condition to undertake the expedition.
Overall, the Makalu Expedition is a challenging and rewarding adventure for experienced mountaineers seeking to test their limits and explore the majestic beauty of the Himalayas.
Preparation of Makalu Expedition
As mentioned above, Mt. Makalu is highly technical, in fact, one of the most difficult climbs in the world. So, if you are planning to head towards Makalu for Expedition, make sure you have enough experience of high altitude mountaineering and have climbed several 7000 m and lower 8000 m peaks. Also, train your body for physical strength and your mind for endurance and determination. Nepal Challenge Trek offers a 1:1 climber to Sherpa to provide you the best experience of climbing.
Best season for Makalu Expedition
The best seasons for the Makalu Expedition are Autumn and Spring that fall in the months of September to November and March to May when the weather is clear and more predictable. The trekking trail is amazingly attractive with blossoms of flowers, blooming of Rhododendron, mild heat, and cold temperatures. However, you may plan your trip for any time of the year. Nepal Challenge Trek will craft the perfect travel plan for you in any season that favors you.
