The Makalu Base Camp Trek is Nepal’s greatest remote Himalayan adventure — a 21-day journey into the heart of the Makalu Barun National Park to the base of Makalu (8,485m), the world’s fifth-highest mountain and one of the most technically demanding and visually dramatic peaks on earth.
While Everest Base Camp receives tens of thousands of trekkers every year, Makalu Base Camp sees only a few hundred. There are no crowded teahouse queues, no lines at mountain passes, no buzz of helicopter traffic above the valley. What you find instead is exactly what most trekkers are looking for but rarely encounter — genuine Himalayan wilderness, untouched forest, authentic mountain communities, and the overwhelming scale of a great Himalayan peak seen from its base without another trekker in sight.
The route passes through the Makalu Barun National Park — the most biodiverse protected area in Nepal, connecting with Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park to the north and preserving an extraordinary range of ecosystems from subtropical riverine forest to permanent glacial terrain. Red pandas, snow leopards, Himalayan black bears, and over 440 bird species inhabit in this park — making this as much a wildlife and nature experience as it is a mountain trek.
The approach takes you through traditional Rai and Sherpa villages where ancient cultures and ways of life continue largely untouched by modern tourism. The trails are quiet, the landscapes are vast, and the sense of achievement on reaching Makalu Base Camp at 5,000m is proportional to the distance and effort required to get there.
This is not a trek for those seeking comfort and convenience. It is a trek for those who want the real thing — and Alliance Treks has been guiding trekkers safely through this extraordinary landscape for over 30 years.
Day 1 Arrive in Kathmandu(1,310m/4,600ft) and drive to Hotel by driving
Day 2 Kathmandu Sightseeing
Day 3 Fly from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar(820m/1,315ft) and drive to Num(1,560m/5,118ft)
Day 4 Trek from Num(5,118ft) to Seduwa(1,460m/4,922ft)
Day 5 Trek from Seduwa(4,921ft) to Tashi Gaun(2,070m/6,791ft)
Day 6 Trek from Tashi Gaon (6,791ft) to Kauma(3,470m/11,385ft)
Day 7 Acclimatization day in Kauma
Day 8 Trek from Kauma(11,384ft) to Mumbuk(3,570m/11,712ft)
Day 9 Trek from Mumbuk (11,712ft) to Neha Kharka(3,700m/ 12,139ft)
Day 10 Trek from Neha Kharka (12,139ft) to Sherson(4,615m/15,141ft)
Day 11 Trek from Shersom (15,141ft) to Makalu Base Camp(5,000m/15,978ft)
Day 12 Day 12: Acclimatization at Makalu Base Camp
Day 13 Trek Makalu Base Camp (15,978 ft) to Neha Kharka(3,700m/12,139ft)
Day 14 Trek Neha Kharka (3,700m / 12,139ft) to Mumbuk (3,750m / 11,712ft)
Day 15 Trek Mumbuk (3,570m / 11,712ft) to Kauma (3,470m / 11,384ft)
Day 16 Trek Kauma (3,470m / 11,384ft) to Tashi Gaon (2,070m / 6,791ft)
Day 17 Trek Tashi Gaon (2,070m) to Pakuwa (1,520m / 4,987ft)
Day 18 Trek Pakuwa (1,520m / 4,987ft) to Bumling (1,160m / 3,806ft)
Day 19 Trek Bumling (1,160m) to Tumlingtar (820m / 1,315ft)
Day 20 Fly Tumlingtar to Kathmandu & Transfer to Hotel
Day 21 Departure from Kathmandu
Why Makalu Base Camp?
Of all Nepal’s base camp treks, Makalu stands apart as completely genuine, completely remote. The Barun Valley has no road access, no helicopter landing pads near the base camp, and almost no trekking infrastructure beyond the most basic teahouses in the lower villages. Getting to Makalu Base Camp requires commitment — roughly 8 days of walking from the roadhead at Num — and that commitment is precisely what makes it so extraordinary.
The mountain itself is extraordinary. Makalu’s perfectly pyramidal southwest face — visible from the upper Barun Valley in breathtaking clarity, It is one of the most spectacular sights in the entire Himalaya. Unlike Everest Base Camp, where the mountain itself is largely hidden by surrounding terrain, Makalu dominates its valley with full visual force from Sherson and the base camp itself.
The Makalu Barun National Park
Established in 1992, the Makalu Barun National Park covers 1,500 square kilometres of the most biodiverse terrain in Nepal. It is the only protected area in the world that preserves an unbroken ecological corridor from subtropical lowlands (below 1,000m) to the summit of an 8,000m peak. The park’s extraordinary biodiversity includes 47 species of mammals, 440 bird species, 75 orchid species, and 47 primula species.
Walking through the park over 21 days, you witness this biodiversity personally — subtropical forest in the lower Arun valley, temperate rhododendron and oak forest above Tashi Gaon, high alpine meadows and scrub above 4,000m, and finally the glacial moraines and permanent snowfields of the upper Barun. Each ecosystem transition is dramatic and visible within a single day’s walking.
The Route
The trek begins with a flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar — a small airstrip in the Arun valley serving the Sankhuwasabha district of eastern Nepal. From Tumlingtar, a 4-hour drive climbs to Num at 1,560m — the actual trailhead. The walking begins immediately, descending into the Arun gorge at Seduwa before climbing steeply to Tashi Gaon — a traditional Sherpa village at 2,070m and the last permanent settlement before the high country.
Above Tashi Gaon, the trail enters the national park and the character of the trek changes completely. The trail becomes steeper, narrower, and less maintained. Villages give way to seasonal herder settlements at Kauma and Mumbuk. The forest becomes denser and more diverse. The altitude increases each day noticeably.
Neha Kharka at 3,700m is the last high-altitude meadow before the dramatic final push to Sherson (4,615m) — the upper Barun campsite from which Makalu dominates the horizon with full magnificence. From Sherson, a 4–5 hour walk leads to Makalu Base Camp at 5,000m — a flat glacial area at the foot of the Barun Glacier with towering peaks surrounding it, including Makalu, Makalu II, Chomo Lonzo, and Baruntse.
A full acclimatization day at base camp allows you to explore the surrounding glacial terrain, attempt higher viewpoints, and simply absorb the overwhelming scale of the landscape before the long descent begins.
The Descent
The return route follows a slightly different path — descending via Pakuwa and Bumling to Tumlingtar, adding new villages and perspectives to the journey. The flight back to Kathmandu from Tumlingtar completes the loop, offering a final aerial view of the eastern Himalayan giants before landing back in the capital.
Difficulty and Preparation
The Makalu Base Camp Trek is rated challenging and is best suited to experienced trekkers with prior high-altitude experience above 4,000m. Daily walking of 5–9 hours on remote, sometimes poorly marked trails requires good stamina and strong navigation support from your guide. The maximum altitude of 5,000m at base camp demands proper acclimatization — the itinerary includes two dedicated acclimatization days at Kauma (3,470m) and Makalu Base Camp (5,000m) to manage this safely.
Physical preparation should begin 2–3 months before departure and include long-distance hiking, cardiovascular training, and ideally some experience on trails above 3,500m.
Alliance Treks & Expedition Pvt. Ltd. Once is not enough for naturally and culturally Himalayas
