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Makalu Region

Sankhuwasabha, eastern Nepal

The fifth-highest mountain on Earth, 19 km east of Everest, and a near-perfect four-sided pyramid. The base camp trek climbs from 435 m of tropical lowland to 4,870 m, which is one of the longest altitude gradients on any single Nepali trail.

8,485 mSummit
5thWorld Ranking
1,500 km²Makalu Barun NP
15 May 1955First Climbed
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Makalu Region
8,485 mAltitudeEastern Nepal (Sankhuwasabha)Region
MAKALU REGION TRIPS

Trips Starting from Makalu Region

Hand-crafted itineraries that start in Makalu Region, from a single sunrise day-trip to multi-week Himalayan expeditions.

Makalu Region
About Makalu Region

A Pyramid Unlike Any Other

Makalu reaches 8,485 m just 19 km east of Everest, making it the fifth-highest mountain on Earth. The name comes from the Sanskrit Maha Kala, a name of Shiva meaning great black. What sets it apart visually is its shape: where most Himalayan giants present a jumble of ridges and subsidiary summits, Makalu is a clean four-sided pyramid, recognisable from every angle in the Barun valley.

Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy summited on 15 May 1955 for a French expedition, and then the entire team followed over the next three days, which was exceptional for the period. The region is protected by Makalu Barun National Park, 1,500 km² that adjoins Sagarmatha National Park to form one unbroken stretch of protected Himalaya across the border with Tibet.

The base camp trek runs 18 to 21 days and starts in tropical lowland at 435 m, finishing at 4,870 m. That gradient is the trek's character: you begin among rice terraces and Rai bamboo villages, climb through some of Nepal's best rhododendron forest, and end in the upper Barun looking at Everest's east face, Lhotse, and the cathedral-like Chamlang. Fewer trekkers walk it in a year than reach Everest Base Camp in a good week. See eastern Nepal for the region around it.

8,485 mSummit
5thWorld Ranking
1,500 km²Makalu Barun NP
Highlights

Things to do in Makalu Region

Standout experiences hand-picked by our local guides.

  • 01
    Makalu Base Camp
    4,870 m, facing the south-west face. One of the most striking single-mountain views in Nepal.
  • 02
    Barun Valley
    A glacier-walled valley whose upper meadows carpet with wildflower in spring.
  • 03
    Sherson
    An optional climb to about 5,300 m from base camp for Everest's east face, a view very few people see.
  • 04
    Rai and Sherpa Villages
    Bamboo-built Rai villages low down at Tashigaon and Khongma, Sherpa Buddhist settlements higher.
  • 05
    Shipton La
    A 4,210 m pass over the ridge above Khongma, named for the British explorer Eric Shipton.
  • 06
    Rhododendron Forest
    Some of Nepal's finest, between 2,000 and 3,500 m on the approach. Solid colour through April.
  • 07
    Chamlang
    A 7,319 m satellite peak whose west face dominates the upper valley.
  • 08
    Tumlingtar
    The Arun valley airstrip where every Makalu trek starts. The flight in skirts Everest's eastern flank.
When to visit

Best time to visit Makalu Region

The enormous altitude gradient needs settled weather at both ends. Autumn is the most reliable; spring gives you the rhododendron.

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best Good Avoid trekking Avoid
  • ★ BEST SEASON
    Spring
    March – May
    Rhododendron turns the forest pink and red through April. Expect snow above 3,500 m until May. Drier of the two seasons on the approach.
    -5°C – 18°C
  • MONSOON
    Summer
    June – August
    Monsoon. Leeches, mud and landslides on the steep lower forest. There is no case for walking this trek in it.
    8°C – 22°C
  • ★ BEST SEASON
    Autumn
    September – November
    Peak season. Clear days, stable weather and the mildest nights you will get at base camp. The best window for the views this trek exists for.
    -12°C – 15°C
  • MONSOON
    Winter
    December – February
    The upper trail becomes impassable with snow and base camp closes. The lower Rai villages remain visitable.
    -25°C – 5°C
Good to know

Makalu Region questions, answered

How hard is the Makalu Base Camp trek?
Hard, and for an unusual reason: the altitude gradient. You start at 435 m in the tropics and finish at 4,870 m, which is one of the longest climbs on any single trail in Nepal. Add the Shipton La at 4,210 m, very basic lodges, and real remoteness. It is a step beyond Everest Base Camp in commitment though not in maximum height.
Why is Makalu so much quieter than Everest?
Access and infrastructure. There is no Lukla equivalent: you fly to Tumlingtar and then drive and walk a long way in. The lodges are basic and sparse where they exist at all, and the trek is longer. The result is that fewer people walk it in a year than reach Everest Base Camp in a good week, on a trail many people consider more beautiful.
Can you see Everest from Makalu Base Camp?
Not from base camp itself, but from Sherson, an optional climb to around 5,300 m above it, you get Everest's east face, the Kangshung side, which almost nobody sees. That view is one of the strongest reasons to do this trek rather than another.
Are there teahouses on the Makalu trek?
Some, and they are basic. There are simple lodges in the lower and middle sections through the Rai and Sherpa villages, but the upper Barun has very little and most operators carry camping support for those stages. Do not expect Khumbu standards anywhere on this trail.
What permits do I need?
A Makalu Barun National Park entry permit and a TIMS card. It is not a restricted area, so there is no special permit or minimum group size the way Kanchenjunga or Dolpo require. The difficulty here is logistics, not paperwork.
When should I go?
October and November for the clearest views and the most stable weather. April and May for rhododendron, with the trade-off that snow lingers above 3,500 m into May and the air is hazier. The monsoon is genuinely not worth attempting on this approach.