Makalu Base Camp and Barun Valley Trekking

On arrival, meet our TH staff for a courtesy transfer to your respective hotels in the heart of Kathmandu, in the Thamel area, a popular spot for shopping and dining at many world-class restaurants, pubs, and bakeries. Our guide will provide details about the Makalu Base Camp & Barun Valley Trek.

Starting this unique adventure with a sweeping scenic flight to Tumlingtar overlooking a range of snow-capped peaks from Langtang to Mt. Everest, Makalu & Mt. Kanchenjunga, on reaching Tumlingtar airport Meet our other trekking crews and guide you to the overnight stop in camps or lodge at Tumlingtar, a large town-village located on a shelf above Arun River with views of Mt. Makalu in the distance, around this area is quite tropical and warm.

After a nice morning view of Mt. Makalu and other ranges of mountains, our day starts with an interesting drive to Num village in the Himalayan mid-hills, the drive passes through many farmlands and villages and into a large town at Khadbari, the headquarters and the main town of Sankha Saba district and Makalu area, from here drive continues leading uphill on the winding dirt jeep track reaching at a farm village of Chinchilla, perched high above the surrounding countryside after a nice break here drive continues on the winding ups and down track till Num village is reached for the overnight stop. Num is a growing village slowly turning into a town, as the motorable road has advanced this far in the last four years. From here onwards, the air will be much cooler.

The morning starts with the first-day walk of this wonderful adventure to Sedua village, setting off down steep downhill slopes and terraced farmlands towards the raging Arun River, a descent of about 800 meters. This narrow valley is densely forested, and the trail is quite slippery in some places. On reaching the bottom, crossing the suspension bridge over the Arun River, the walk leads to an uphill climb, leaving the rain forest behind, then through farmlands and scattered houses, and the hamlets of Runruma.
After a break here or a possible lunch stop, our journey continues with a steep climb up to Sedua, a farm village with a small health post and a primary school.

Today a short day walk of about four hours to Tashi-Gaon, the last village and human settlement for a week, leaving the Sedua village on the gradual winding trail passing several farm areas and hamlets and into a cool forest reaching Tashi gaon for lunch and overnight top, after lunch and camp being set afternoon free at leisure for a short walk, this village is inhabited mostly by Sherpa tribe, unlike Sherpa of Everest, they are bit different in their way of living, being settled in this low warm areas they are farmers tending agriculture fields and terraces and cattle raising.

After a nice day in Tashi Gaon and leaving this last village on route to the higher Makalu region, a morning walk leads through enchanting dense rhododendrons, pines, and oaks forest, the air is cooler and much refreshing on this nice walk passing several summer pasture and grazing fields and meadows, then a steep climb into alpine forest leaving the tree line reaching at Kohama ridge, for overnight camp. From here, spectacular views of landscapes and of snow-capped peaks, including the third highest Mt. Kanchenjunga range of mountains, and looking north at the world’s fifth highest Mt. Makalu.

The morning after the great panorama of mountains, the journey continues with a few ups and downs, passing the glacial Thulo Pokhari (big pond) and Sano Pokhari (small pond). Around this area in snow conditions, it’s quite an arduous job to trace the path, after the Sano Pokhari crossing Tutu-la pass at 4,075 meters and from here onwards descending for few hours towards our overnight camp at Mumbuk and into dense vegetation and heavily wooded tree lines, on reaching at Mumbuk with rock small caves, a shelter for the porters camp is set in this dense beautiful forest with views of Khumbakarna range of mountains.

After the Mumbuk morning walk leads downhill to the exotic and beautiful Barun Valley, in this least trekking region, this unique area with awesome landscapes is protected by Makalu-Barun National Park with some 3,000 species of flowering plants, 440 bird species, and 75 species of mammals, including the endangered clouded leopard, red panda, and musk deer. Barun Valley is a remarkable bio-diversity and it is considered to be of global significance offering a living laboratory for international botanical and zoological scientific research, The climate gets a mixture of warm and cool air, on reaching the vast Barun Valley the trek is nice, and pleasant with gradual climb following Barun River upstream towards Nehe-Kharka for overnight camp, this place is a summer pasture for the local villagers of Tashi and Navagoan.

From this nice camp at Barun Valley enclosed by high sheer rocky cliffs and forests, a morning walk leads to crossing the Barun River with a small wooden bridge support, then walking on the pleasant gradual trial up towards a small place of Ramara, another Sheppard’s area with a large prayer wall, from here onwards the vegetation and tree lines declines for sparse short alpine bushes of juniper, rhododendrons prickly barberries and cotoneaster persists from here onwards to Sherson, after a nice day walk with amazing scenery of surrounding landscapespped mountains reaching at our destination and the highlight of this trip at Sherson the last camp in the end of Barun valley before heading back. The campsite here offers tremendous views of Mt. Makalu, Baruntse peaks at 7,220 meters, the hidden peaks, and lesser-known Peak 04.
In this area, there are stone enclosures for the cattle herders’ shelters, as this high area is the grazing ground for Yaks and other domestic cattle. Afternoon, relax and enjoy the superb views.

A rest day here after a weeklong trekking, an optional short hike around Sherson and to Makalu Base Camp the highest point of this awesome trip at 5,060 meters, a few hours of walk to reach the Makalu Base camp enclosed with the high peak of Makalu and Baruntse and the Barun Pokhari a small glacial pond nearby, then our walk leads to a high climb up the hilltop for views of majestic Mt. Makalu with rare East Face of Mt. Everest known as Khangsung Face with the world’s 04th highest Mt. Lhotse which is close to Mt. Everest.
After a nice morning hike, return to camp for lunch and a relaxing afternoon at Sherson, the last highest camp of this awesome journey.

After a great, memorable stay in this highest region, return trek towards the very end of the Barun Valley at Yak Kharka for an overnight stop after a good, gradual downhill walk to this last camp in the Barun Valley area.

The morning walk leads with a climb back to the tree line and through dense vegetation after leaving Barun Valley. The walk is gradual for an hour in the first section, then steeply uphill through thick forest, reaching Mumbuk for an overnight camp.

From Mumbuk, the morning walk leads up to Shipton-la at around 4,040 meters, crosses the Tutu-la pass at 4,075 meters with a gentle climb, then follows a pleasant, gradual path past Thulo and Sano Pokhari, and back to Kohma danda (ridge) for an overnight camp.

Today, our walk leads back to human settlements and villages after a week away, with the glorious morning panorama of high mountains and rolling hills. The walk descends through dense forest to Tashi Gaon and, after a break, continues on the upper path towards Nawa-Gaon in the cool shade of the forest, then reaches the farmlands and Nawa-Gaon village. This large, scattered Sherpa village is larger than Tashigaon and is located just above Sedua.

After a nice morning with the sound of villagers and domesticated animals, the walk leads on the downhill path through farm terraces and to Sedua village, from here continue descending on the steep trail to the bridge over the raging Arun River, then from here the last uphill climb of this trip and as well the last walk today, after more than an hour climb reaching at Num village for the last overnight camp in this mid hill villages.

With the wonderful morning and views of the surrounding landscapes and distant snow-capped mountains, our journey continues with a drive from Num to Tumlingtar. The drive leads uphill for a while, with scenic panoramas over these super landscapes and villages. After Chinchilla village, on the downhill road to Tumlingtar, passing the town of Khandbari. On reaching Tumlingtar, back to the best available lodge for an overnight stay.

This morning, depending upon the flight time, sometimes the flight can be delayed due to bad weather conditions, after the boarding airport terminal for security check, this scenic flight from Tumlingtar to Kathmandu which takes less than an hour, with super panorama views during the flight of parallel chain of mountains, on reaching Kathmandu domestic terminal, transfer you back to respective hotels with afternoon free at leisure.

The morning after breakfast at a given time our city and cultural guide will guide you in and around Kathmandu at places of interest and importance, as Kathmandu Valley is full of World Heritage Sites the holy Pashupatinath temple, Bouddhanath (Little Tibet), Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) & monasteries, ancient Kings Palaces and courtyard in Kathmandu; after an interesting sightseeing back to the hotel.

Last day in Nepal with a wonderful, memorable time in the Himalaya Makalu Base Camp & Barun Valley Trek with Team Himalaya and transfer to the airport for the flight back home or to the respective destination.