Makalu Expedition - Black Diamond Expedition
  • View of Mount Makalu

Makalu Expedition

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  • Duration
    Duration:58 Days
  • Accomodation
    Accommodation: 7 Nights (Standard Hotel)
    17 Nights (Lodges/Tea Houses)
    33 Nights Camp
  • Meals
    Meals :57 Breakfast, 53 Lunch
    55 Dinner
  • Location
    Service: Airport to Airport
  • Trip Grade
    Trip Grade :Advance
  • Max Altitude
    Max Altitude: 8,463m/27,766ft

Overview

Mount Makalu (8,463 m), the fifth highest mountain, is located between Mt. Everest (8,848 m) and Mt. Kanchanjunga (8,586 m). Situated in the North East, Mt. Makalu lies in the very precious and diverse landscape of Makalu Barun National Park. Makalu means the great black one, so called due to its very dark appearance. The perfect Pyramid shaped with four sharp ridges makes this mountain very beautiful and spectacular one. Due to the isolation and relatively inaccessibility, the area has pristine cultural and biological treasures which add unforgettable memories to the visitors.

Mt. Makalu Expedition is relatively challenging, potentially dangerous but equally rewarded and self-esteem. Mt. Makalu was first climbed by the French group in 1955. Because of its difficulty it is less attempted Mountain. Before planning for climbing the Mt. Makalu, previous experience of climbing mountains including at least one 8000m above is recommended.

Highlights

  • The fifth highest mountain in the World.
  • Located in the very precious and diverse landscape of Makalu Barun National Park
  • Spectacular views of the perfect Pyramid shaped sharp ridges
  • Pristine cultural and biological treasures adding unforgettable memories to the visitors
  • Relatively challenging and potentially dangerous but equally rewarded and giving self-esteem

Itinerary

Day 1Arrive in Kathmandu

Upon arrival at the Kathmandu Airport (TIA), you will be welcomed and greeted by our representative and then transfer to the hotel. After the check in, there will be a pre-trip discussion in Black Diamond office where we can meet our trek leader and other team members. Black Diamond briefs us regarding the trip as well as provides us an opportunity to ask any questions we may have regarding our upcoming adventure. In the evening, we will organize a Welcome Dinner at an excellent traditional Nepalese restaurant where you will enjoy a Nepalese cultural program as well as a fine meal.

Meals: Dinner
Max Altitude: 1300m/4264 ft

Day 2Kathmandu: Sightseeing and Trip Preparation

After breakfast, you will be taken to the memorable UNESCO Heritage Tour. You will visit the Pashupatinath Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa and Swoyambhunath Stupa (Monkey temple). You will then be taken back to your hotel where we will check the equipment for the trip and go shopping for the missing items and be prepared for the trip.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 Final preparation and packing

After breakfast, you will be taken to Kathmandu Durbar square for sightseeing and then the whole of the afternoon will be spent again for preparation and final check up. This expedition is really challenging and of advance type, therefore, we need to get well prepared by checking even the smallest bit of the necessary equipment and accessories to make our trip successful.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 4Kathmandu to Tumlingtar flight,Trek to Khadbar

Today we will fly to Tumlingtar from Kathmandu. This flight takes about 50 minutes. You will enjoy the scenic aerial views of mountains such as Ganesh Himal, Everst, Makalu and Kanchenjunga. Upon arrival at Tumlingtar Airport, we will descend towards Shawa Khola (a small river) from where you will view Chamolang Mountain at a distance. Walking along the river, we will proceed towards Khadbari, a mountainous town with some facilities like banking. Overnight in Khadbari.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5Trek to Num

Today, we will proceed towards Mane Bhanjyang climbing uphill. We will pass through terraced fields and local villages of Pangma and reach Bhotebas. This pretty village offers spectacular mountain views towards the north. Walking past tiny local settlements and the rhododendron forest, we will reach Sakurate, where we will spend the night in a teahouse.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6Trek to Sedua

Another exciting trek begins today. We will trek downhill from Num and walk through a forest enjoying the birds chirping and finally we reach Lumbang. Further, we descend down to Arun River. Walking along the slippery path, we go across a suspension bridge and start climbing uphill and trek until we reach Sedua. For your kind information, Sedua is an entry point to Makalu Barun National park. Overnight in Sedua.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7Trek to TashiGaon

Today, we will continue our journey through the farmlands and mani walls. We will climb again the uphill above Ipsuwa and Kasuwa Rivers passing through Sherpa village of Navagaon and finally we will arrive in Kharsing Kharka. Today’s trek ends when we reach Tashi gaon. Overnight in Tashigaon.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 8Trek to Khongma

Our trek begins early in the morning today. Leaving Tashigaon, we will walk through rhododendron and oak forest. The trail takes us through different pastures and lush green vegetation where we can see local animals grazing. The zigzag trail passes through stone steps and finally we reach Khongma, located atop the hill. Overnight in Khongma.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 9Trek to Mumbuk

Leaving Khongma, we will pass through colourful forest and reach to the ridge with mani walls and prayer flags. You will be thrilled with the panoramic views of Kanchenjunga. We will trek past the Keke La pass (4,230m) and Tutu La pass (4,200m) before descending down through rhododendron forest to Mumbuk. Overnight at Mumbuk.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 10 Trek to YangleKharka

Today’s trek remains a bit challenging as we have to walk through the landslide prone area for about 3 hours after we leave Mumbuk. You will oversee Barun river from most of the points of this trek. Nevertheless, the panoramic views of mountains such as peak 6 (6,739m) and peak 7 (6,185m) will enthral you and you will not realize that you are trekking through the difficult trails. We continue walking until we reach Yanglekharka. Overnight in Yanglekharka.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 11Rest & Acclimatization day

Today, there is no trek. We need to acclimatize and prepare for the upcoming treks. YangleKharka is one of the best places to take rest. The view of mountains from YangleKharka is unbeatable. Explore around YangleKharka for proper acclimatization and prepare yourself for the challenging climb to Makalu summit. Overnight at YangleKharka.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 12Trek to Shershon

Another exciting trek begins today. We walk upstream until we reach Nglekharka. You will be captivated by the views from NgleKharka. Further trek, leads you to the alpine meadow of RupakKharka and JhakKharka. Walking past waterfall, we will reach summer grazing land of Yak Kharka from where we will head west and walk through gravel area with breath-taking view of Lower Barun glacier and finally arrive in Sherson. Overnight at Sherson.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 13Trek to Makalu lower base camp

Walking along the eastern side of the valley today, we will enjoy the panoramic view of Mount Makalu. We will further descend to a small pass and further down to Makalu Base Camp walking through boulders. You will really feel blessed by the breathtaking view of the south face of Makalu Base Camp. Overnight at Makalu Base Camp.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trek Duration: 6 hrs

Day 14Rest, Acclimatization & Preparations day

The hardest part of our journey is about to begin and therefore, you will have to rest and acclimatize today. There are many view points to the right of our camp from where you will have a closer look of Mt. Makalu, Barun Pokhari, Lhotse and Everest. Those who still want to hike, can take a short hike to the green vegetation around and return to the Base Camp. Overnight in Makalu Base Camp.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15 Trek to Advance Makalu base camp

Walking through the desolate area from lower Makalu Base Camp, we will reach to Advance Makalu Base Camp that exists at the snout of Barun glacier. We will place our camp nearby the glacial pond. We can climb a little higher than our camp for better view of Makalu. Return to Advanced Camp to spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trek Duration: 3-4 hrs
Max Altitude: 5600m/18372ft

 

Day 16-17Acclimatization and preparations for climbing to higher camps

We will spend the first couple of days at Advanced Base Camp. The guide will share Makalu Climbing strategy with us. We will climb to High Camp I and lower down to Base Camp. Rotation of camps help us in acclimatization.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 18-50Acclimatization, load ferries, route opening, summit attempt of the Mt. Makalu (8,463m) and descend to the base camp

Day 18 through day 50 are dedicated in climbing Mt. Makalu. We will choose the normal route that progresses through southeast ridge. We will place 3 High Camps.

High Camp I and High Camp II

High Camp I is located at 6500m and High Camp II exists at 7300m. These two Camps are founded at the base of southeast ridge. We will cross glacier and pass through snow field and hanging ice fall. Basic Alpine climbing technique is enough to reach up to Camp II. We need to climb 35 to 45 degree slope.

High Camp III

High Camp III is located at the beginning of southeast ridge at 7900m.We need to climb 50 to 55 degree slope till we reach High Camp III.

Climb to Makalu Summit and Descend to Base Camp

Expect to climb 70 to 75degree slopes to reach to the summit. We will need help of fixed ropes. After enjoying spectacular views of mountains and surrounding from summit, we will return to base camp where we will celebrate successful climbing of Makalu.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 51Trek YangleKharka

Return trip begins today. We will clean Makalu Base Camp and return to YangleKharka via Sherson. The path is scenic with panoramic views of several mountains. Overnight at YangleKharka.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trek Duration: 8-9 hrs

Day 52 Trek to Mumbuk

Return trail from YangleKharka to Mumbuk is easier as we will be following descending trail for most of the day. We will walk past rock fall and then the trail takes us through rock gully all the way to Mumbuk. Returning to Mumbuk, we will be greeted with green sceneries. Overnight at Mumbuk.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 53Trek to TashiGaon

Leaving Mumbuk early in the morning, we will walk through rhododendron and fir forest. We need to cross Keke La, Shipton La Pass and Ghurung La Pass so that we can reach Khongma. The trail takes sharp descend from Khongma to TashiGaon where we will stay overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 54Trek to Num

From TashiGaon, we will lower down to Arun River and retrace the route to Seduwa. Walking through forest, we will lower down once again to river and climb through the opposite side of valley to reach Num where we will stay overnight.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trek Duration: 5 hrs

Day 55Trek to Tumlingtar

After early morning tea, we will return to Chichila and continue our journey through Mane Bhanjyang to Tumlingtar. Overnight at Tumlingtar.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Trek Duration: 8 hrs

Day 56Fly to KTM, transfer to hotel

We will take flight back to Kathmandu from Tumlingtar. Once we reach domestic airport in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to hotel. Take rest. Stay overnight at your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 57Free Day for Shopping & Evening celebration time

This is a free day. You can go for shopping in Freak Street of Thamel. Return to hotel. We will celebrate the successful adventure.

Meals:Breakfast

Day 58Final Departure

You will be transferred to the Airport as per your flight schedule.

Meals: Breakfast

Included

  • All transfers, sightseeing, airport pick up and drop by private vehicle.
  • Welcome dinner and farewell dinner
  • Kathmandu - Tumlingtar - Kathmandu flight
  • Porter & Yak from Tumlingtar to Base Camp & back to Tumlingtar.
  • 5 Nights accommodation in Kathmandu with bed & breakfast (in a 3 star hotel).
  • Meals (3 times) during trekking & expedition period
  • 1 tent for each 1 person during expedition – “North face brand V-25” or similar tent.
  • The equipment like main rope, Ice bar, sable for clear snow. Ice piton, ICE Crew. Dining tent, toilet tent, table and chares, Mattresses for expedition on the basis of sharing with other members.
  • Liaison officer's allowances equipment for Expedition, flight ticket, insurance, daily wages sharing with other groups of Nepalese staff.
  • Expedition Crew’s (Nepali staff) allowances for Expedition, flight ticket, insurance, daily wages etc.
  • Makalu Expedition Permit, National park permit and TIMS.
  • Garbage Disposal and Garbage Deposit charge.
  • Base camp Guide, Cook, Kitchen boy and Kitchen helper sharing with other members of the climbing group.
  • Emergency Oxygen-Mask and regulator.
  • Satellite phone (Pay call).
  • Gamo Bag (life-saving device in case of altitude sickness) sharing with group member.
  • Solar panel for light and charging batteries.
  • Supply of Medical Kit.
  • All company service charges.

Excluded

  • All international air tickets to and from Kathmandu and all airport taxes (wherever it is applicable).
  • Nepal Entry Visa fee
  • Travel, Medical and Personal insurance.
  • Rescue evacuation in case of emergency.
  • Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
  • All expenses of the personal nature, like laundry, postage, telephone calls, bar bills & beverage, camera & photography expenses.
  • Air cargo customs clearance duty fee for the expedition goods sent by the climbers to the Kathmandu prior to their arrival in Kathmandu.
  • Personal clothing and personal trekking gear including sleeping bag & down jacket.
  • All sorts of personal climbing equipment.
  • Filming permit
  • Extra expense occurred due to unexpected circumstances like cancellation of internal flights, floods, strike etc.
  • The extra nights stay in Kathmandu and other tour activities by the climber, other than the fixed number of nights’ stay as mentioned in the expedition itinerary package above.
  • Any expense for early returning member due sickness, injury or any other reason. No refund will be entertained for any unused service.

Accomodation

You will be accommodated in Hotel Encounter Nepal or a similar category’s hotel in Kathmandu, and basic tea houses/guest houses/tents during the Makalu Expedition when Expedition with Black Diamond Expedition.
On most Makalu Expedition, the tea houses or lodges serve rooms on a twin-sharing basis with an attached bathroom and hot shower facilities. Single-supplement rooms are served with an extra charge of USD 495. This is for the Makalu Expedition but if you go on a different trek then will be cheaper than this. However, it may be difficult to get one at higher points or during the peak season of trekking and Expedition.
Some of the tea houses in this trekking region in both lower and higher elevations may have shared bathrooms and toilet facilities.

Meals

Your meal plan in Kathmandu includes only breakfast while you are on the  Trek and Expedition, there are three-course meals will be served during the trekking and Expedition.
The tea house where we spend an overnight will serve us a balanced diet for breakfast and dinner whereas lunch is taken at one of the tea houses on the way to our next destination. Black Diamonds has also prepared a special Welcome and Farewell dinner for the guests following a cultural performance in Kathmandu.

Best time to Makalu Expedition

The best seasons for trekking to the Makalu Expedition are Autumn (September to December) and Spring (March to May). During these seasons, you’ll encounter favorable weather conditions with moderate temperatures, clear skies, and captivating natural vistas. However, visits during other seasons also have their advantages, such as fewer crowds and often lower prices compared to peak seasons. The ever-changing weather conditions allow you to appreciate the diverse facets of the landscapes.

Packing Lists for Makalu Expedition

While trekking to Makalu Expedition, it is essential to pack necessary items wisely. You should be sure to pack the stuff appropriately because you will be trekking through the rough terrain in high-altitude areas and it will be difficult to carry all the stuff and trek. So you should be careful and clever to pack only the necessary items. Some of the essential items that you should pack include:

  • Down Jackets and Base Layer 
  • Insulating layer
  • Sun hat & sunglasses
  • Gloves and Hat 
  • Trekking poles
  • Hiking Sturdy Boots

For detailed lists of what to pack, check our comprehensive Nepal Packing Lists. 

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