Makalu Base Camp Trek 2026: Nepal's Great Wilderness Walk (Permits, Days & Cost)
Everest sees tens of thousands of trekkers a year. Its 8,485m neighbour Makalu — the world's fifth-highest mountain — sees a few hundred. Here is the full guide to Nepal's wildest teahouse trek.
Key facts
- Duration: 18–22 days; ~150–170 km round trip.
- High point: Makalu Base Camp, ~4,870m, under the world’s 5th-highest peak (8,485m).
- Permits: Makalu Barun National Park NPR 3,000 + TIMS NPR 2,000.
- Guided cost: roughly US$1,700–2,500 per person; less in a group.
- Grade: demanding and remote — for fit, experienced trekkers.
If Everest Base Camp is Nepal’s most famous walk, Makalu is its best-kept secret. Mount Makalu is the fifth-highest mountain on Earth at 8,485m, yet its base camp trek sees a tiny fraction of Everest’s crowds — a few hundred trekkers a year against tens of thousands next door. What you trade in comfort and company, you gain in raw wilderness: the pristine Barun Valley, untouched Rai and Sherpa villages, and an amphitheatre of 6,000ers and 7,000ers almost entirely to yourself. This is the guide.
The route
The trek begins with a flight to Tumlingtar (518m), then climbs steadily north along the Arun River — one of the oldest river valleys on Earth — through Khandbari, Num (1,560m) and Seduwa (1,500m). From there you enter Makalu Barun National Park, cross the Shipton La (4,127m), and drop into the upper Barun Valley, following it to base camp under Makalu’s enormous south face. It is a long, remote in-and-out: teahouses exist but are basic and spaced out, and above Seduwa you are genuinely off-grid.
Permits and costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Makalu Barun National Park permit | NPR 3,000 |
| TIMS card | NPR 2,000 |
| Tumlingtar flight (each way) | ~US$110–160 |
| Guided package (18–22 days, all-in) | ~US$1,700–2,500 |
Unlike Manaslu or Upper Mustang, the classic Makalu Base Camp route is not a restricted area, so no pricey special permit is needed for the standard trek — just the national park permit and TIMS. Because it is remote and long, a fully-supported guided package (guide, porter, permits, flights, lodges and meals) is the sensible way to do it; group departures bring the per-person cost down toward US$1,600.
How hard is it, really?
Who this trek is for
Makalu is a demanding trek, not a beginner one. The days are long, the trail is rough and sometimes poorly maintained, the ascent and descent through the Barun are relentless, and you are far from any road or hospital if something goes wrong. But the altitude is more forgiving than Everest — you top out around 4,870m, not 5,545m. If you are fit, have done a teahouse trek before, and want genuine wilderness over a well-trodden trail, this is one of the most rewarding walks in the country.
When to go
The windows are the same as most of Nepal: autumn (October–November) for the clearest skies and stable weather, and spring (April–May) for rhododendron forests and warmer nights. Avoid the June–September monsoon — the Arun valley gets heavy rain, leeches and cloud — and deep winter, when the high passes are cold and snowbound. Because Makalu is so remote, build in buffer days for weather delays on the Tumlingtar flight.
Ready for Nepal’s wildest teahouse trek? See the full 18-day Makalu Base Camp Trek with day-by-day itinerary and departures. Prefer the famous one first? Compare it with the 14-day Everest Base Camp trek, or read how hard Annapurna Base Camp really is to gauge your fitness.
Sources: Makalu Barun National Park permit schedule and Nepal operator trek data 2026. Figures indicative; confirm current permit fees and package rates before booking.
Cover photo: Namal Siriwardana via Pexels (Pexels License).
Source: Makalu Barun NP permit schedule & operator data 2026
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