MAKALU REGION

Established in 1992 the Makalu Barun National Park covers 2330 sq. km. Nestled in eastern Nepal this national park contains its namesake, Makalu Mountain. It is the highlight in this stunning wilderness.  Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world (8463m/ 27,766ft), but you will find 16 other distinct peaks in this national park. Formerly a restricted area, it spans five major ecological zones. Beginning with the lush and sub-tropical Arun Valley, the trek leads into dense forests of rhododendron and fir. The trail winds its way to alpine meadows that further lead to the mighty Barun Glacier. The trek next takes you to the base camp of Makalu and you will be faced with this impressive tor.  Much of this trek is in the lower altitude area of the Arun Valley. The mighty Arun River houses a sub-tropical climate and in places is densely forested. It’s in stark contrast with the terraced slopes higher up farmed by villagers of diverse tribal groups. This is where your trek will meander through as you slowly ascend into the Makalu Barun National Park. Along the border of the national park are high pastures on the upper slopes of this river valley, and are an important conservation area for many threatened species. The elevation profile of the trail rises from 850 meters (2,788ft) to 5000 meters (16,900ft) above sea level. For the trekker looking for an “off the beaten path” experience, this trek is it. It is a less popular route, but no less impressive and is a great alternative to the more heavily travelled routes. This trek requires stamina and fitness to fully appreciate the beauty of the region, and a trekker who takes time to build their physical capacity will be rewarded with outstanding mountain views. Sherpa, Rai and Limbu ethnic groups are the main inhabitants of this region. If time is of concern, yet you still want to visit this lesser trekked region there is a flight to Tumlingtar, a very small town located on a plateau. Those that decide to shorten their trek by a few days will find a strenuous climb from Tumlingtar which sits at barely 390m to Makalu Base Camp at 4,800m. The hardy trekker who takes this route will also encounter a vast range in temperatures from steamy in the lowlands to the occasional snow storms at high altitude. There are a few versions of this trek one of which will take you across the Sherpani Col and west Col into the upper Hongu valley. The trekking in the Arun Valley is incredible in its own right. The high point of this trek is Salpa Bhanjyang at 3350 meters. During this trek you will enjoy a visit to a lake sacred to Hindus called Salpa Pokhari. This is a marvelous and easy trek for those who don’t want to encounter a mass influx of tourists on the trail, but equally want all the splendid mountain scenery and rolling green hills to ramble along. Due to the low number of trekkers, there are relatively few tea and guest houses, but there is no lack of hospitality from the many ethnic groups that call the Arun Valley home.