Makalu Trekking

High in the heart of the eastern Himalayan, seven valleys radiate from Mt: Makalu the world’s fifth-highest peak. These valleys, particularly the Barun valley, treasure some of the last remaining pristine forests and alpine meadow of Nepal. From the bottom of the Arun valley at just 435m above sea level, the Himalayan rise to the snowcapped tip of Makalu 8463m within a 40 km. distance. Within this wide range of altitude and climatic the Makalu Barun area contains some of the richest and most diverse pockets of plants and animals in Nepal, elsewhere lost to spreading human habitation.

Most of the Makalu trekking is a remote wilderness, with just small settlement and seasonal herding in high pastures. The incredible steep topography and abundant monsoon rains (1000-4000m.m. per year) of the eastern Himalayan support unusually diverse bioclimate zones and a rich storehouse of medicinal and useful plants. The trek has more the 400 species of birds, including the spotted wren babbler and the olive ground warbler. These two species have never have been seen in Nepal before. These are many animals including the endangered red panda, Himalayan black bear, the clouded leopard, Ghoral, Thar, wild boar, barking deer, Himalayan marmot, weasel, common langur, and monkey.

The Arun River gushing through the park has around 84 varieties of fish including salmon. Incredibly close views of the snowcapped Himalayas, waterfalls, monasteries, wild animals, butterflies, birds, pristine forests, and alpine meadows will catch your heart. Aside from the natural beauty, one of the main attractions of this trek is the people who are mainly the Bhotia people originally hailing from Tibet and who live at a higher elevation and carry on Buddhist traditions. A handful of other ethnic groups including Gurung, Tamang, Magar, Rai, Newar, Bahun, Chetri, and occupational castes live in lower elevations.