Nepal Trekking - Trek to Makalu Basecamp
This is very exciting adventure trekking to see Makalu, the fifth highest mountain on our planet. This is a relatively remote and quiet corner of the Himalaya, far removed from the Everest crowds, and as such it offers a very special experience.
After going through our final equipment checks in Kathmandu (and doing a bit of sightseeing while we're there), we'll fly east to Tumlingtar, then have a short jeep journey into the mountains to the town of Num. Here we'll start our trek to Makalu Basecamp. We'll trek in over the next eight days, over the Shipton La (4170m) and up the valley via Yangle Kharka and Langmale Kharka before arriving at Basecamp (4780m).
We'll have two nights at Makalu Basecamp to give us plenty of time to soak in the grandeur of our high Himalayan surroundings, taking lots of photographs and making lifelong memories of this incredible place.
We'll then begin the journey back down the valley to Tumlingtar, before returning to Kathmandu. This is a lodge-based trek throughout.
Trekking to Makalu Basecamp Highlights:
14 days trekking.
Return flight to Tumlingtar
Explore the beautiful Barun valley.
Cross the high Shipton La Pass (4170m).
Discover the Barun Glacier.
Enjoy Sherpa hospitality throughout the trek.
Trek through a wide range of different habitat types, from jungle to pine forest, and from glacial valleys to high passes and alpine terrain.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1. Arrive in Kathmandu. You'll be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel in the Thamel area of Kathmandu. Depending on your flight arrival time, there may be time to explore the city. In the evening we'll gather as a group at the hotel. You'll meet your UK guides, and also your Sherpa guides who'll be with you for the rest of your trip. There'll be time to answer questions, and we'll advise you about packing for the flight to Tumlingtar, etc.
Day 2. Kathmandu. As some flights may not arrive until late on day one, we'll have breakfast together in the hotel, then spend the day in Kathmandu. You could enjoy the exotic splendour of Kathmandu independently, or explore Thamel and the neighbouring area with your UK guide. We normally have an early dinner together, as we'll need to get an early night's sleep, ready for a very early start the next day.
Day 3. Flight to Tumlingtar. This is a short flight of about 35 minutes from Kathmandu, and we'll then jump into private jeeps for a drive further into the mountains. We'll spend the night in the town of Num.
Day 4. Trek to Seduwa via a descent to the Arun river and a beautiful climb up the other side.
Day 5. We'll follow woodland trails high above the valleys, eventually reaching Tashigaon village that lies on the hill above the Kasuwa Khola.
Day 6. Trek to Khongma. We're gaining more height now as we cross the pass at Kauma La and reach our overnight lodge at Khongma at 3760m.
Day 7. Acclimatisation day at Khongma. We'll relax and enjoy the village and the amazing views of the mountains over the Barun river.
Day 8. Today we climb over the Shipton La, a high pass at 4170m, then descend to our lodge in the village of Dobate at 3610m.
Day 9. We begin the day with a descent to the stunning Barun valley, then climb up along the riverside to Yangle Kharka where we spend the night.
Day 10. Moving further up onto the high mountains, today we climb to the village of Langmale Kharke which sits beneath a cirque of high mountains to the north, which include Sherson 6432m and Yaupa 6422m Across the valley to the southwest is the mountain of Tutse 6758m.
Day 11. An exciting trek today as we head up to Makalu Basecamp next to the lake of Barun Pokhari.
Day 12. We spend the day exploring around Basecamp, marvelling at the high mountains all around us. Makalu (8468m) is the obvious number one attraction, but there are loads of other high mountains here too, including Sherson North West, and Honku Chuli.
Day 13. Today we start our trek down the valley, spending the night at Yangle Kharka.
Day 14. Trek down the valley to Dobate.
Day 15. Trek to Khongma.
Day 16. Trek to Tashigaon.
Day 17. Trek to Num and catch our jeep back to Tumlingtar.
Day 18. Fly to Kathmandu.
Day 19. Sightseeing and shopping in Kathmandu.
Day 20. Depart for home, or head for Chitwan National Park if you've booked a safari extension.
Trekking to Makalu Basecamp Trip Dates:
April 4th - April 25th 2026 (arriving in Kathmandu on April 5th, and departing for home on 24th) 8 places available
Cost per person: £3150
We're very keen to be as transparent with our fees to you as we can. As such, we've decided to change our overall pricing on this page to make it clear where your money is going. This is important to us, as we want to ensure that you know that our agents and trekking crew in Nepal are being paid appropriately. Our fees for this trek are:
£3150 (approx), payable as:
£500 as a non-refundable booking deposit to book (paid to our agents in Nepal to secure your trek)
£960 guiding fee to Graham Uney Mountaineering (payable 4 weeks prior to the start of the trip)
$2380 (around £1870) payable in US Dollars upon arrival to our agents in Nepal (as the remaining balance for your trek)
Costs Included:
Arrival and Departure transfer as per itinerary including domestic and International flights.
4 Nights Hotel Majestic/Manang with breakfast on room sharing basis (2 nights before the trek and 2 nights after).
Sightseeing to Monkey Temple and Boudhanath.
Domestic flight Tumlingtar
15 nights Lodge accommodation on trek on a room sharing basis.
All three-time meals while trekking.
An experienced trekking Sherpa Guide.
An experienced UK guide (for all trips with more than four paying guests)
Necessary assistant Sherpa guides.
Necessary porters.
All trekking staff wages.
Insurance for the trekking staff.
National Park entrance fee.
SKA T-Shirt and Duffel bag for use during the trek.
Farewell Dinner with cultural show.
Costs Not Included:
International Airfare.
Nepal visa fee. Can be obtained at the Kathmandu Airport upon arrival. https://nepaliport.immigration.gov.np
Lunch & Dinner during your stay in Kathmandu.
Additional nights at the hotel in Kathmandu.
Personal trekking equipment - a full kit list will be sent upon booking.
Medical insurance (high altitude coverage and emergency evacuation) and Travel insurance.
Emergency rescue evacuation if needed.
Bottled beverages, telephone calls, internet usage, and battery charging.
Tips for the staff.
This trek is limited to 8 paying guests per departure date. We require a minimum of 4 paying guests in order to have a UK guide accompanying the trek.
Contact us
Contact us
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Makalu and Chamlang
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Makalu
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Himalayan Snowcock
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Patan in Kathmandu
