Mt. Makalu Expedition

Trip Introduction

Makalu, the world’s fifth highest peak in the world rising to 27,765 feet (8,463 meters). This beautiful and impressive massive is situated just 14 miles east of Everest in the Khumbu region. Its size alone is impressive, but its perfect pyramid structure with four sharp ridges makes this mountain all the more spectacular. Makalu is actually a double peak. The subsidary peak rising just north of the main summit connected by a saddle is called Chomolonzo (25,650 ft.) It is interesting to note that the summit ridge is the demarcation point indicating the border between Nepal on the Southern side and Tibet to the North.

The name of the mountain was probably taken from the Sanskrit word Maha-Kala, which means Big Black and is a by-name of Shiva – one of the most important gods of Hinduism. Shiva is sometimes an evil, cruel destroyer but at other times he tends to be gentle and kind-hearted. The mountain has another name in the local dialect – Kumba karna, which means The Giant.

Makalu has proved to be a challenging climb, as only five of its first sixteen attempts were successful. Prior to its first ascent in 1955, it was admired and studied by several Everest expeditions, but like a lot of other giants in the Khumbu region, it was not attempted until the summit of Everest was first ascended in 1954.

Makalu is situated in the Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area which was established in 1992 as Nepal’s eighth national park and the first to include an adjacent inhabited conservation area as a buffer. Covering 2,330 sq km, Makalu-Barun is a vital component of the greater Mount Everest ecosystem which includes Nepal’s 1,148 sq km Sagarmatha National Park to the west and the 35,000 sq km Qomolangma Nature Reserve in Occupied Tibet to the north. Most of the Makalu-Barun National Park is a remote wilderness, with just two small settlements and seasonal herding in high pastures. The incredibly steep topography and abundant monsoon rains (1000 to 4000 nm per year) of the eastern Himalaya support unusually diverse bioclimatic zones and a rich store house of medicinal and useful plants. Alpine pastures above 4000m contian the religiously important dwarf rhododendron and juniper, aromatic herbs and delicate wildflowers. Sub-alpine forests of fir, birch, and rhododendron, and temperate stands of oak, maple and magnolia thrive between 2-4000m. Luxuriant orchids drape the chestnut and pine forests of the subtropical zone (1-2000m), and sal forests reach their northernmost limit within Nepal along the banks of the Arun (below 1000m).

Outline Itinerary

• • Day 01
  • Arrival day in Kathmandu (1300m)
• • Day 02
  • Preparation day in kathmandu For Expedition
• • Day 03
  • fly from kathmandu to Tumlingtar
• • Day 04
  • Drive from Tumlingtar to Num (1560m/5118ft
• • Day 05
  • Trek from Num to Sheduwa (1510m/4954ft)
• • Day 06
  • Trek from Sheduwa to Tashi Gaun (2070m/ 6791ft)
• • Day 07
  • Trek from Tashigaon to Khongma, (3760m/12335ft)
• • Day 08
  • Trek from Khongma to Mumbuk (3520m/11548ft)
• • Day 09
  • Trek from Mumbuk to Yangla Kharka (3557m /11669ft)ft)
• • Day 10
  • Trek from Yangla Kharka to Langmale Kharka (4410m /14468ft)
• • Day 11
  • Trek from Langmale kharka to Makalu Lower Base camp (4870m /15977ft)
• • Day 12
  • Acclimatazationa Day In Lower Base camp
• • Day 13
  • Trek from Lower Base camp to Makalu Higher Base Camp
• • Day 14-41
  • Makalu climbing Period ( Base to Makalu Summit (8463m/27765ft) and Base Camp
• • Day 42
  • Trek Back from Makalu Higher Bace cam to Lower Base camp
• • Day 43
  • Trek from Lower Base camp to Yangla Kharka
• • Day 44
  • YanglaKharka to Kongma
• • Day 45
  • Trek from Kongma To Sheduwa
• • Day 46
  • Trek from Sheduwa to Num
• • Day 47
  • Drive from Num to Tumlingtar
• • Day 48
  • fly Back from Tumlingtar to kathmandu
• • Day 49
  • Free day in Kathmandu
• • Day 50
  • Final Departure