Makalu Base Camp & Sherpani Col Pass Trekking - 23 days

After your breakfast you will be meet by our Trek Guide and checking about trekking equipments . And the Kathmandu Sightseeing beings with visit to various UNESCO enlisted cultural Heritage sites including medieval Palaces in Kathmandu-Bhaktapur-Lalitpur Durbar squares. Other sites are Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath and Swayambhunath Stupa.In the evenining you will walk along the Thamel streets which is a good place to buy trekking equipment.

This morning you'll be transferred to domestic airport to fly to Tumlingtar enjoying the scenic view of snow capped peaks from Langtang all the way to Mt. Everest, Makalu & Mt. Kanchenjunga, on arrival at Tumlingtar airport which is a village town located on a shelf above the Arun River, we'll drive by 4W jeep for off road trip to Num village and meet up our crews for the trekking, Stay overnight.

Today We start our adventurous journey from Num village with pleasant walk for an hour through the farm fields downwards 800m and villages, crossing through Arun River  again ascending some steps to get Seduwa village.

We have easy and pleasant short walk that takes you to rural farm villages, on the gradual trail through the farm fields and terraces, as we come near to Tashi Gaon, it's an uphill climb for an hour through the millet and rice fields. We'll overnight at camp and rest of the time walk around the village.

This is the last village up to the Makalu and after this village the walk is refreshing for an hour and a half in the beautiful shade of the rhododendron and oaks forest, after leaving the dense forest coming to a summer pastures with traces of temporary made shepherd huts. From here onwards to Khongma ridge is strenuous uphill climb, as the tree lines declines for the bushes of rhododendron and juniper. We'll stay here and can be seen scenic mountain ranges.

After the superb mountains view and the surrounding landscapes and snow capped peaks, our trek follows a gradual trail with few ups and down as we pass through the Thulo Pokhari (big pond) and Sano Pokhari (small pond). In the heavy snow, the path from here can be quite misleading and it will be arduous to find the trail sometime and further walk cross the pass of Shiptom-la at 4,075m. We onwards our journey, it is all downhill back to vegetation, a small clearing place for camping in the middle of the woods of pines, hemlock, birch and rhododendrons to reach at Dobate for the overnight.

The trail today is bit adventurous and strenuous. The trail continues though the forests and steeply (extremely steep) drops down to the river for the first hour. The trail now continuously undulates in through a very bad section. Most of this section goes through an eroded trail and boulders and makes a very uncomfortable walk. After an hour or so the trail finally starts to get better. Once on a better trail, it takes an hour to get to Femtang (a single lodge here). After Femtang, it takes one and half hours of easy walk to get to Yangle Kharka. It is big meadow with lodges on the rather side of Barun River that the trek had followed throughout the day. The Barun River through the trail adds more dimensions to the trail with its spectacular views of Mt. Tutse (Peak 6) 6739 m, Peak 7 (6185 m).

After having breakfast, we have to moving upwards to Varun valley with beautiful pasture place. It takes about 5-6 hours from starting point. Langmale the place where some tea houses are  build and running from local people of Makalu region. Background mountains and beautiful landscape downward it looks like heaven on earth.

From Langmale, we continue to more isolated area towards the higher  camp, which is less than three hour trek above Langmale, at the snout of the Barun glacier, near its glacial pond. On arriving at the camp afternoon free for short hike above this camp, a climb on the moraine ridge, for more spectacular views of Mt.Makalu, and of the usual hidden east sides of Lhotse and Everest, which looms above the Barun glacier to the North West. We will spend rest of the afternoon at leisure and preparing for the next big adventure. Some of the porters will set off back with equipment which we do not need to take with us making the load as light as possible to overcome the traverse over Sherpani Col and beyond.

Today you have full day rest at the camp or for acclimatization visit around some interesting hike and view points to explore, the most scenic walk would be taking a hike on the right side of the camp above for the closer view of Mt. Makalu, Barun Pokhari and the view of the rare face of Everest the Kanshung face with Lhotse. An hour steep up brings you to the large meadow, you can walk further up, to have a greater view of the mentioned peaks and more other peaks of this area and beyond. After exploring the area, stroll back to the camp.

Our journey from here heads westwards to camp just below Makalu west piller, as the altitude gains slowly, we take our time with enough breaks in this high terrain our walk follows a path which climbs an ablation valley on the west side of the Barun glacier. Following this valley onto the glacier we make our way over the boulder-strewn caves and ice to a camp known as Puja Camp below the towering Mt. Makalau's West Pillar. Our strenuous trek on the glacier is rewarded with unique views of Lhotse and the rare Kangshung face of Everest. Overnight camp on the clearing of the moraine.

Leaving our camp the path follows to a steep climb up the rocky slopes of the Barun's west bank, until a line of cairns leads us into the valley where two small glaciers are fed by the slopes of the Sherpani Col. We will make our camp beneath the ice cliffs at the terminus of these two glaciers after 4-5 hours of vigorous climb.

The big day! Leaving the camp before dawn, we climb on the icy snout of the Sherpani Glacier, two separate Col's give access to the cirque, we will choose the most appropriate of these routes, according to the prevailing conditions, our climb follows on steep snow covered slopes, with the back-up of the fixed ropes which we had set up on the previous day. From the Col we will rope up to cross the glacier to the rocky crest of the West Col. This stunning cirque is framed by the sweep of Baruntse's icy ridges to the north, the vast cliffs of Makalu, the wall of Chamlang to the south and the shapely spire of Ama Dablam ahead of us to the west. We will be having our packed lunch on the world's highest picnic spots, in the meantime our guides will scout the safe route down the West Col. After a break a descent from the Col on fixed lines leads us to the Hongu Glacier, and end our long hard day with a gradual walk down to our camp on the Barunste Base Camp.

After success the main pass in the trip, today the relax  day and having saving more energy for Ahamphu Lapcha Pass. Beautiful surrounding mountain and ponds make us to melting our tiredness very soon.

Today we start our trek after breakfast to the Amphu Labtsa Base Camp. Here our guides will go up to the Amphu Labtsa and will fix ropes on some difficult section for the safe descent towards Imja Valley.

Another big day, an early start from the camp for 2-3 hrs treks leads us to the top of the pass and overlooking stunning views of the impressive south face of Lhotse and Lhotse shar and the summit of Island or Imajatse Peaks which looks as if it could almost be even lower than our vantage point. As soon the kitchen staffs and porters arrive at the pass, they will be lowered the 150 meters to the relatively less steep ground below the pass. Similarly, loads have to be carefully lowered, after checking every member in the group we slowly and carefully descend with the help of ropes and ice axe if required, then reaching the safe side from the pass by early afternoon everybody should be off the snow. Once in the safe ground away from the snow and ice area, an hour or more walk will take us to the ablation valley by the side of the Imja Glacier, now being within the Imja-tse valley walking will be more or less easier most of the way to the trekkers civilization at Chhukung a temporary settlement with 5-6 teahouse and lodges. Overnight Camp at Chhukung after 8-9 hrs of hard adventurous trek

After the hard couple of days over the two high hidden pass in between the massif peaks, our route from here leads to a pleasant walk on the downhill slope to Dingboche then Pangboche village. After two hours of easy walk brings us at Dingboche village. Dingboche is a beautiful patchwork of field enclosed by stone walls, protecting the crops of barley, buckwheat and potatoes from the cold winds and grazing animals. Dingboche has about more than ten teahouses and it is also the gateway to Chhukung and farther beyond for the most challenging traverses towards Makalu area and Hinko Valley. From Dingboche a gentle walk leads towards the Imjatse River with excellent views of Ama Dablam, Kangtenga and Tawoche peaks the trail leads to a small wooden bridge, from the bridge an easy walk to Pangboche village. Staying at over night here or option for heading to Tyangbuche.

After having breakfast at hotel we move to Tyangbuche for visit to the newly built monastery after the old one was burned to the ground in the late 80's, our trek begins with a descend for an hour to Phungi Tenka, here we cross the long suspension bridge over the Imjatse River by now the trail is more busier with trekkers, porters and pack animals than the previous days. From the bridge an hour and half climb brings us to a small place of Shana-sa offering grand view of Ama Dablam and Thamserku. Perhaps we might stop for lunch in this village. After a break here, if people are interested to visit the upper sleepy village of Khumjung and Khunde they may do so, as the walk to Namche from here is just 2 hrs away on the easy winding trail with constant view of the snow capped peaks of Kwangde, Thamserku, Ama Dablam, Nuptse, Lhotse and Everest. Splitting the trail from here to Namche and Khumjung the later village will take about an hour uphill walk and then about 2-3 hrs to reach Namche for the overnight halt. On reaching Namche Bazaar it will be more or less back to civilization with excellent restaurant, shops, lodges and even Cyber cafe.

Being on the main trail to Everest, the walk from Namche onwards will be an easier all the way to Lukla, the path leads downhill all the way to the confluence of Bhotekoshi and Imjatse which makes the Dudh Koshi. From here we cross the long suspension bridge with a short climb into the pine woods, reaching again back to the river bed, the gentle trail follows the river downstream passing through many farm fields and villages then coming at the entrance of Sagarmatha National Park in Monjo village. After Monjo another 2 hours of good walk leads to Phakding near the river Dudh Koshi. Final leg of this great trek will be another good walk to Lukla, you can walk at your own leisurely pace, enjoying the lush green scenery around. Apart from few short uphill the only long climb will be just before Lukla which ake approximately 45 minutes from a place called Cheplung or from the old big oak tree. On reaching Lukla, prepare for the last day great dinner and celebration with the fellow Sherpa crew, porters and trekking members

The flight time to Kathmandu, are schedule for morning normally, because of the wind in the afternoon, sometime the flight time can be delayed due to bad weather and other reason beyond our command. Anyway we will fly back to Kathmandu and your guide will transfer to hotel. You may have time to relax after long journey and take back your breath and rest at your hotel

This pleasant day you may have full day at leisure and either relax at hotel or explore the Thamel. You have time to buy gifts and souveniers to your friends and families.

Another Big Day, fly back to home after complete your Himalayas journey with Nature Trail Trekking Company. Its time for say good bye Nepal and see you again for next trip. Thanks for joining with us.