Mt. Makalu Expedition
Mt. Makalu is one of the harder, fifth tallest among the eight thousand mountain and is considered one of the most difficult mountains in the world for the climb. The mountain is notorious for its steep pitches and knife-edged ridges that are completely open to the elements. The final ascent of the summit pyramid involves technical rock climbing. Makalu is the only Nepalese 8,000m. peak which has yet to be climbed in true winter conditions.
Mt. Makalu was first climbed on May 15, 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy of a French expedition led by Jean Franco. Franco, G. Magnone and Sirdar Gyaltsen Norbu summited the next day successfully, followed by Bouvier, S. Coupe, Leroux and A. Vialatteon the 17th. The French team climbed Makalu by the north face and northeast ridge, via the saddle between Makalu and Kangchungtse (the Makalu-La), establishing the standard route.
Climbing Route: Mt. Makalu has fixed five routes by every expedition team and four variations along with other interesting opportunities like the West Face, the Northeast from Nepal and North Flanks from Tibet. Our trek follows one of the most remote and unfrequented areas of Nepal. Starting to fly to Biratnagar and drive to Hile where we start to walk towards Arun River, we walk through the snow, rain and cloud prone Kauma. Base Camp is just south of the snout of the Barun Glacier at an elevation of 4823m. Finally, after the climbing of Mt. Makalu expedition, our trip will finish at Tumlingtar plateau where we take plane to fly in to Kathmandu directly.
Trip Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Welcome to Kathmandu | Kathmandu |
| Day 2 | Preparation for Expedition | Kathmandu |
| Day 3 | Official work for expedition and briefing at Ministry of Tourism | Kathmandu |
| Day 4 | Kathmandu to Tumlingtar by flight and drive to Chichila | Chichila |
| Day 5 | Chichila to Num | Num |
| Day 6 | Num to Seduwa | Seduwa |
| Day 7 | Seduwa to Tashi Gaon | Tashi Gaon |
| Day 8 | Tashi Gaon to Khongma Danda | Khomgma Dhada |
| Day 9 | Acclimatization Day | Khongma Danda |
| Day 10 | Khongma Danda to Dobato | Dobato |
| Day 11 | Dobato to Yangla Kharka | Yangla Kharka |
| Day 12 | Yangla Kharka to Langmale Kharka | Langmale Kharka |
| Day 13 | Langmale Kharka to Makalu Base Camp | Tented Camp |
| Day 14 | Set up camp at Makalu Base Camp | Tented Camp |
| Day 15 to 30 | Climbing period of Mt.Makalu | Tented Camp |
| Day 31 | Makalu Base Camp to Yangla Kharka | Yangla Kharka |
| Day 32 | Yangla KHarka to Dobato | Dobato |
| Day 33 | Dobato to Khangma Danda | Khangma Danda |
| Day 34 | Tashi Gaon to Seduwa | Seduwa |
| Day 35 | Seduwa to Num | Num |
| Day 36 | Tumlingtar to Kathmandu by flight | Kathmandu |
| Day 37 | Kathmandu free | Kathmandu |
| Day 38 | Transfer to Airport |
Note: If above itinerary couldn't meet your needs, we can design a tailor-made itinerary to suit your needs. It is also possible to combine with some other activities such as Tibet tours, Bhutan tours, and Jungle safari in Nepal.
Trip Date & Cost
Cost Includes
- All land transportation by Car, Van or Toyota Hiace (Airport/Hotel/Airport, expedition pick up & drop).
- 6 Nights Hotel accommodations in Kathmandu at 3 star Hotel on Bed & Breakfast plan (before & after expedition).
- Schedule flight KTM/Lukla/KTM for member, Liaison officer & Expedition staffs.
- Transport of food supply & expedition equipments to Base Camp & back.
- Full board in lodges during trekking to base camp and back.
- Base Camp single sleeping tent & Mattress for each member, BC staffs & Liaison officer.
- All kitchen tent, store tent, dining tents, toilet tent, table, chairs & cooking utensils for BC.
- Food and fuel at Base Camp.
- Service of Government Liaison officer.
- Service of cook and kitchen boy at Base Camp.
- Equipments allowance, daily wages of cook, kitchen boys & Liaison officer.
- Insurance of cook, kitchen boy, Liaison officer and porters.
- Expedition Permit fee of Mt. Everest.
- Khumbu Ice Fall route fee.
- Sagarmatha National Park entrance fee.
- Per Person 50 KG. Expedition equipment’s luggage or, barrels allowed for expedition till Base Camp.
- Per Person 40 KG. Expedition equipment’s luggage or, barrels is allowed for returned to Kathmandu.
- 2 Expedition Barrel or, Duffel bag for each member.
- Generator or Solar panel at Base Camp for light and charging.
- Sat Phone available at Base Camp, but nominal charge for use.
- Emergency medical Oxygen at Base Camp.
- Visa extension fee.
- Garbage deposit fees.
- Official taxes and agency service charge.
Cost Excludes
- International airfare from/to your country.
- Nepal entry visa fee (can be obtained at the airport at upon arrival).
- Lunch and dinner during your stay in Kathmandu.
- Hotel after 6 night stay in Kathmandu.
- Personal climbing gear and equipment above Base Camp.
- High Tents above Base Camp.
- High altitude food and fuel above Base Camp.
- Oxygen bottles with mask and regulator - Poisk Oxygen System (available on request).
- Personal insurance such as travel, accident, medical, emergency evacuation & lost luggage.
- Applicable permit fees & customs charges, etc. for SAT phone, Walkie Talkie set and services.
- Communication equipment & commercial filming.
- International airport departure tax at Kathmandu Airport.
- Expenses of personal nature such as drinks, laundry, postage, telephone etc.
- Tips and summit bonus.
Equipment for this trip.
The following gives you a general idea of the trekking equipment and clothing needed for this trek.
This is a porter-supported trek. Two clients share one porter. We will supply you a trek duffel bag where you keep your heavy items and this bag is carried by the porter. You will need to bring your own daypack to be carried by you. In the daypack, you can put money, important documents, water bottle/bladder, camera, toiletries, sunscreen, notebook, etc.
The weight limit for the porter is 30 kg or 66 pounds. 15 kg or 33 pounds for each client. So, we recommend you to pack as carefully as you can and not exceed the weight limit. You can leave your non-trekking stuff at the locker facility in the Kathmandu hotel.
General
- 4-season sleeping bag (We can provide one if you need it but has to be returned after the trek.)
- Duffel bag (We will provide one complimentary Ace the Himalaya duffel bag which is yours to keep.)
- Daypack
- Down jacket (Must have for mornings, nights and evenings, and for altitudes above 4,000 m; We can provide it if you need one but has to be returned after the trek.)
Upper Body - Head / Ears / Eyes
- Sun hat (We will provide you a complimentary Ace the Himalaya hat.)
- Wool or synthetic hat that cover the ears
- Sunglasses with UV protection
- Headlamp
- Neck warmer
Hand
- Liner gloves
- Heavier shell gloves
Core Body
- T-shirts
- Lightweight expedition thermal tops
- Fleece jacket or pullover
- Water/windproof shell jacket (Preferably breathable fabric)
- Synthetic sports bras (For women)
Lower Body – Legs
- Lightweight expedition thermal bottoms
- Nylon hiking shorts
- Soft shell and hard shell trekking pants
- Water/windproof trousers
- Casual pants
Feet
- Liner socks
- Heavyweight socks
- Waterproof hiking/trekking boots
- Light shoes/sneakers/sandals
- Gaiters (For monsoon and winter)
Medicines and First Aid Kits
(Please note our guide will carry the first-aid kit bag during the trek. However we still recommend you to bring your personalized first-aid kit as well.)
- Extra Strength Excedrin for altitude related headaches
- Ibuprofen for general aches and pains
- Immodium or Pepto Bismol capsules for upset stomach or diarrhea
- Diamox (commonly prescribed as Acetazolamide) 125 or 250mg tablets for altitude sickness
- Anti-infection ointments
- Band-aids
- Lip balm (At least SPF 20)
- Sunscreen (SPF 40)
Miscellaneous, but Important!
- Passport and extra passport photos (3 copies)
- Airline ticket (Please make a copy and leave one at our office in Kathmandu just in case if you need to change the date of your flight.)
- Durable wallet/pouch for travel documents, money & passport
- Water bottle/bladder
- Water purification Iodine tablets
- Toiletry kit (Be sure to include toilet paper stored in a plastic bag, hand wipes, and liquid hand sanitizer, towel, soap, etc.)
Optional
- Adjustable trekking poles
- Favorite snack foods (No more than 2 pounds)
- Paperback books, cards, mp3 player
- Binoculars
- Cameras (Memory cards, chargers and also batteries)
- Pee bottle for men and pee funnel for woman
This list is only a guide. While you are required to bring everything on this list, there are numerous options, brands, and versions of each piece of equipment. Use your experience and the listed features to find the best gear for you. Some of the above equipment can be easily found in stores in Kathmandu for cheaper prices.
Note: Tight fitting, figure-hugging clothing such as those made with Lycra can often be offensive to locals, especially to women. If you find these items comfortable as a base layer, please pack something to wear on top of them.
