Makalu Base Camp Trek

Overview

Makalu Base Camp stands apart from every other high-altitude base camp trek in Nepal by virtue of a single defining quality: genuine remoteness. While Everest Base Camp now hosts a functioning coffee shop and Annapurna Circuit teahouses offer WiFi, Makalu Base Camp is reached by 18 days of expedition-style camping through terrain that sees fewer than 150 trekkers per year. The approach follows two of Nepal's most beautiful valleys — the broad, subtropical Arun Valley and the narrower, more dramatic Barun Valley — traversing the full width of Makalu Barun National Park, one of the world's most biodiverse protected areas. The journey passes through five distinct ecological zones: from the warm lowland forest at Num (1,560m), through rhododendron-draped mid-hills, over the Shipton La and Keke La passes, and into the high alpine wilderness of the Barun Valley, terminating at the massive south face of Makalu (8,485m) at 5,009 metres. Makalu is often described by mountaineers as the most technically demanding of the 8,000-metre peaks, and its south face — first climbed in 1955 — is one of the great walls of Himalayan mountaineering. Standing at the base, looking directly up 3,500 metres of ice and rock to the distant summit, creates a sense of scale and awe that is simply unavailable anywhere else in the Himalaya. The trek includes two high-pass crossings — Shipton La (4,210m) and Keke La (4,170m) — which provide some of the finest viewpoints in eastern Nepal and require solid fitness and good weather to cross safely. A Restricted Area Permit and mandatory guide are required.

Highlights

Best Time to Trek Makalu Base Camp

Difficulty & Fitness

Frequently Asked Questions