Makalu Basecamp Trek

On a clear day, taking off for Kathmandu is already an unforgettable experience. From the air, it appears that the Nepalese capital is only a little distance north of the Himalayan ranges. You will enter the passenger pickup area outside the building after customs. A Lekhbesi Holidays sign will be visible. You can expect our representative to welcome you to Nepal. A thorough trek briefing will be given to you after the transfer to your accommodation. You can spend the remainder of the day exploring Kathmandu and finishing up your journey preparations. After this vacation, you'll hear the Nepalese greeting "Namaste," which you'll never forget.

We will go through the trip briefing and inspect your kit this morning. Your passports will be required so that we may submit an application for the hiking permits. We set up a narrated sightseeing trip of the Kathmandu Valley following the briefing. Three of the seven World Heritage Sites that we visit. You begin by going to Patan Durbar Square. After that, you travel to Boudhanath to see the Buddhist stupa. Pashupatinath, a Hindu shrine, is the final visit of the day. Around 4 o'clock is when the tour is likely to end, after which you have the rest of the day free to explore Kathmandu more.

Tumlingtar may be reached by plane in about 45 minutes. After checking in, we enjoy lunch at a nearby lodge before beginning the overland route in jeeps to Num. The bustling market town of Khandbari is one we cross. Terraced fields are passed through as we proceed on the drive road. As we ascend, we pass through forests and arrive at the settlement of Chichila, which is perched atop a ridge. There are also lovely views of Makalu and Chamlang on a clear day. The jeep track continues along the ridge through the Sherpa village of Mure from this point. After that, we move to Num. This community is perched on a bluff above the Arun River. There are excellent vistas of Sedua village across the valley.

We travel down a difficult trail from Num to the 650m-high Arun river, passing through jungle and terraced crops. We cross the swiftly moving Arun River on a suspension bridge. After that, we have a long ascent to Seduwa village. This settlement serves as the Makalu-Barun National Park's entry checkpoint.

Rhododendron and bamboo line the path as we make our way out of the valley. The journey across terraced rice fields to Manigaon village then begins. From here, the trail winds through fields and a forest before arriving at Tashigaon settlement. Our tent is situated near to various teahouse lodges in the village's higher area. As there are only temporary homes and lodges in the Barun valley, Tashigaon is the last village.

A steady ascent through a bamboo forest begins at Tashigaon. We arrive at the Chipla huts, and the area above here is covered in rhododendron trees. At Khongma, a teahouse lodge with tent terraces, we set our camp farther up the ridge.

After ascending 1,400 meters yesterday, we rest today to aid in our acclimatization. This is crucial because we will cross Shipton La tomorrow at a height of 4,216 meters. Today, we will be heading toward Shipton La for a morning stroll along the Khongma Danda (ridge). By adhering to the mantra "climb high and sleep low," this is helpful in the acclimatization process. The view of Kanchenjunga to the east from Khongma is magnificent.

We ascend on a twisty track amid rhododendrons from Khongma. We ascend the slope to reach Shipton La, which is 4,216 meters above sea level. We descend to the Kalo Pokhari Lake before beginning a second ascent to the 4,150m-high Keke La. From there, we make our way down to the Debotay lodge, where we set up camp for the evening.

We make a steep path descent through a blue pine forest from Debotay. We traverse multiple landslide regions as we make our way along the Barun Valley's steep sides. There are enormous granite walls that rise above the valley on both sides. As we continue, the valley becomes wider, and we cross a bridge to Yangle Kharka. We set up camp adjacent to a modest tea house lodge on a green space.

Today, we drive through a number of herder cottages and yak pastures (kharkas). The names and heights of these vary depending on the map or guidebook. At Langmale Kharka, there is a lodge and terraces that have been prepared for camping. We need to give our body enough time to adjust and acclimate to the high altitude since we are now over 4,000 meters.

We depart on a day hike today from Langmale Kharka. This will aid in our acclimatization before tomorrow's ascent to Makalu Base Camp. We can gain more than 800m as we hike up the grassy hills above the resort. Take your time and enjoy the walk; you can see the Himalayan ranges beautifully throughout the day. Along with Chamlang, the views from Peaks 3, 4, and 5 are breathtaking.

We ascend to Sherson by following the Barun valley. Mount Makalu's majestic South-East ridge comes into view. We can see the mountain's enormous south face as we get closer to Base Camp. We spend two nights camping at Makalu Base Camp. We have this time to ourselves to look around.

We have planned a hike today along the hillsides up to Makalu Base Camp's eastern side. Views of Makalu, Lhotse, and Mount Everest may be seen from higher up above camp. The hike ascends to an altitude of 5,300m and lasts around 5 hours roundtrip.

We proceed to Yangle Kharka by taking the same trail down.

We proceed to Debotey by taking the same trail down.

We cross back over the Shipton La to Khongma.

We descend on the same trail from Khongma down to Tashigaon and then down to Seduwa village.

Today, after a two and a half hour walk, we drive jeeps over a bumpy road to Khandbari, a bustling market town. To get to Tumlingtar, we keep driving across terraced farms.

We take the flight from Tumlingtar back to Kathmandu.

After the trek, today is your free day to unwind in Kathmandu. You are welcome to explore the city on your own. Spending time in restaurants and cafés is enjoyable. In case of any flight delays or cancellations from Tumlingtar, the extra day serves as a buffer. By doing this, the likelihood that you may miss your international trip home is reduced.

Transfer from hotel to Kathmandu airport for your flight back home. End of trip.