Makalu, at 8,485 meters, is the fifth highest mountain in the world. It is in the Mahalangur Himalayas, 19 km southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and the Tibet Autonomous Region, China. Makalu is an isolated peak with a shape of a four-sided pyramid. The trekking tour to the base camp of Makalu started with a scenic flight to the airport in Tumlingtar followed by a jeep ride to Num village. In the beginning, we trekked through sub-tropical farmlands with terraced cultivation, rhododendron forests and picturesque villages in the deeper Barun Valley. After crossing Shipton La Pass (4210m), we reached the higher Barun Valley, where we then continued our trekking in the alpine landscape with yak pastures and glaciers until we reached Langmale Kharka (4650m). The hike to a viewpoint at 5250 m gave us a fantastic view of Makalu and the surrounding mountains. This day also marked the turning point of the trek, and we hiked back to Tumlingtar on beautiful mountain trails.
