PM Balen Shah Puts the Makalu Base Camp Trek on the World Map

When the world's youngest head of government posts a trek to 200,000+ people, the trail it features stops being a secret. That is exactly what happened when Nepal's Prime Minister, Balendra "Balen" Shah, shared a film of the Makalu Base Camp Trek — the remote journey through eastern Nepal's Makalu Barun Valley to the foot of the world's fifth-highest mountain. For international trekkers who have "done" Everest and want the next, wilder thing, this is the post to pay attention to.

Why this trek is special

Makalu is the road less travelled. While thousands queue for Everest Base Camp each season, the Makalu Barun region — a national park of pristine rhododendron forest, deep gorges and rare wildlife — sees a tiny fraction of the traffic. The trek begins with a flight to Tumlingtar, then climbs through terraced villages and into the Barun Valley, a glacial sanctuary ringed by giants, ending at Base Camp with Makalu's vast face filling the sky. It is raw, committing, and unforgettable — true wilderness trekking of the kind that is getting rare anywhere on Earth.

An international trekker's dream

For seasoned walkers from the US, UK, Europe and beyond, Makalu answers a specific craving: somewhere genuinely remote, where the trail is yours and the mountains are colossal. It demands fitness and good acclimatisation, and the upper sections are basic — which is precisely why it stays so pristine. With the country's own leader now showcasing it to the world, expect more eyes on the Barun Valley. Go before the crowd does.

Source: @balenshah on Instagram; Travel Himalaya Nepal. Trek facts per the Prime Minister's published itinerary and our operations.