TREKKING IN NEPAL

The desire to be greeted with spectacular scenes is natural, and an obvious choice to go would be anywhere in the country of the Himalayas. One such country is Nepal, known as a traveler’s paradise (especially trekkers), situated in the lap of the majestic Himalayas!

There are several unique and amazing options for trekking in Nepal, one of which is slowly but steadily gaining a lot of attention in recent years: Makalu Base Camp.

The Makalu Barun Valley in Nepal is one of those places that has its own charm that sets it apart from other regions of the country. Due to this uniqueness, many hikers and adventure seekers wear trekking boots every season.

Well, where do I start with the trek that is quickly becoming popular as the new Annapurna Circuit trek? Let’s start with the basics.

MOUNTAIN. MAKALU

Mount Makalu, the 5th highest mountain in the world It is located in eastern Nepal. It is one of the eight thousand that are in the Khumbu region, where Everest, the highest in the world, is also located.

It is an independent peak with a height of 8463 m. The immediate peaks of Makalu are Kangchungtse (Makalu II – 7640m) and Chomo Lonzo (7804m).

Mount Makalu was named after the Hindu god mahakala in Sanskrit, it is one of the forms of Lord Shiva, the destroyer. mahakala means ‘big and black’ and hence Makalu is known as ‘The Big Black’ for its distinctive large black rock face.

This mountain is quite difficult to climb and requires mountaineering experience. Makalu was successfully climbed in 1955 AD by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy of a French expedition team.

HIKE TO MAKALU BASE CAMP

The Makalu Base Camp trek, as the name suggests, is a trek to the base camp of the fifth highest point in the world – Mount Makalu. It takes hikers to the foot of this mountain and passes through some of the most magnificent scenery on earth.

October – November and March – May is a good time to do the trek. The base camp is located near the tranquil lake of Barun Pokhari at 4,950m. The trek to base camp and back can be completed in around 18 days.

The highest elevation of this trek is 5,250m, with a viewpoint on the lower slopes of Peak 3 (6,477m) near Shersong (4,660m).

This trek starts and ends at Tumlingtar passing through various places along the way like Chichila, Num, Sedua, Tashigaon, Khongma, Mumbuk, Yangle Kharka, Merek, Shersong and Khandbari.

There are strict rules and regulations that exist to protect and conserve both the natural environment and the unique culture of the region, which hikers must follow. One of the rules is to camp only at the designated camping sites for the hike.

on the walk, there are three passes: Ghungru La (4050m), Shipton La (4216m) and Keke La (4150m) on the way from Khongma to Mumbuk. While crossing these passes, trekkers can witness magnificent views of the Himalayas, which is also why trekking in Nepal is so loved.

It has stunning views of Makalu, Chhamlang (7319m), Baruntse (7220m), Everest (8848m), Lhotse (8501m), Peak 3 (6477m), Peak 4 (6720m), Peak 5 (6404m), Peak 6 (6739m), Peak 7 (6105m) and Hong Chuli (6833m).

Although teahouses and lodges have sprung up along the trail in recent years, the Makalu Base Camp trek is best experienced as a camping trek. However, these establishments provide very basic needs in terms of food and accommodation. So hikers must have a hard time when they stop at these teahouses that are few and far between along the way.

Don’t expect these lodges to offer luxurious facilities like the Everest and Annapurna teahouses with hot showers, chocolate cakes and such. This hike throws all personal comfort out the window!

Therefore, hikers had better be self-sufficient in dealing with difficult terrain and unpredictable weather conditions. Hikers should be prepared with the mindset of being safe rather than sorry on this particular hike.

The Makalu Base Camp trek runs through one of the most remote parts of the country, in the vast desert, so there must be at least two trekkers venturing onto this land, at any given time.

This trek is definitely for the more experienced and hardy trekkers who can adapt to any type of environment without any complaints, especially about how its facilities are not like Everest or Annapurna, and who can enjoy the basic accommodations or even the lack of they.

MAKALU BARUN NATIONAL PARK AND CONSERVATION AREA

The trek to Makalu Base Camp is located in the Makalu Barun National Park and Conservation Area. This national park is located in Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu districts with an area of ​​1500 sq. kilometers in eastern Nepal.

The land is teeming with wildlife such as lynx, snow leopard, blue sheep, warthog, red panda, musk deer, barking deer, flying squirrel, jackal, clouded leopard, kingfisher dark blue, the blue-naped pitta, eagles, birds of prey, white naked stork and many more.

The trek makes its way through the glacial Himalayan valley of Makalu Barun. The Barun River valley is covered in lush green forests with colorful rhododendron flowers and refreshing waterfalls. The landscape changes dramatically to alpine meadows and barren rock and gravel land as you go north on the trail.

The region is equally rich and diverse in culture with people from different sects like Sherpa, Rai, Gurung, Limbu and many more calling it home.

Even though there are teahouses and other modern facilities cropping up on the Makalu Base Camp trek, it still ranks high for adventure trekking in Nepal. So, put on those trekking boots for this Himalayan trekking season!