Makalu Base Camp
OSM hiking route to Makalu Base Camp, Nepal (20 km line). Not the Arun-valley variant and not Makalu the summit. Vertical figures sampled from Copernicus GLO-30. typicalDays 18 is the published 17–18 day window for the longer Num itinerary (typical, not a statute) — that window is not implied by this 20 km DataPoint.
Byline
- The Hiking World editorial · author
Desk byline for seed records. Named surveying editors replace this once a trail is verified.
Figures marked provisional are seed data and still need verification. Source and last-checked date sit under each cited value.
Altitude weather delta
High 4,867 m minus low 3,441 m is 1,426 m of relief on this record. A standard tropospheric lapse of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m implies about 9.3 °C cooler at the high point than the valley, all else equal.
That is a model (International Standard Atmosphere environmental lapse), not a forecast and not a trail-closure. Wind, snow, and storms stay in Hazards.
derived:lapse-rate · 2026-09-10 · provisionalISA 6.5 °C / 1,000 m · wikipedia.org · 2026-09-10
Editorial v1 · Provisional catalog
- SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade)
- Demanding mountain hiking. Exposed sections possible; hands may be needed for balance.
- YDS Class 2
- Class 2. Simple scrambling, occasional use of hands.
Where the walking ends
This record covers the walk to Makalu Base Camp (4,830 m). Beyond that, the continuation is mountaineering, which we do not map as a trail — it needs ropes and high-camp mountaineering on Makalu — not a trail.
Source: ntb.gov.np · checked 2026-09-17
We have not verified the technical section. Where hiking ends · Walk-up & trekker summits
Log in to view the elevation profile
Ingested from OpenStreetMap relation 19876100 (ODbL). The mapped line and 2D length are derived from that geometry. Ascent, descent, and high/low points are sampled from Copernicus GLO-30 (copernicus-dem:glo-30) and remain provisional. Water, permits, and hazards were not taken from OSM tags and must be verified.
OSM 2D length is 20 km (relation 19876100; OSM name=Makalu Basecamp, route=hiking, network=nwn). This is the named hiking line on the upper Barun toward base camp, not the Arun-valley variant 9387979 (not stitched) and not a summit line to Makalu 8,485 m — that is mountaineering, out of scope. The OSM start (~27.73°N, ~87.19°E) is not the Num road-head. Operator/AllTrails leads of about 120 km and about 150 km disagree with each other and with this 20 km DataPoint; both leads are Unverified cross-checks — the disagreement is shown, not silently picked. No park-authority kilometre was retrieved.
typicalDays 18 is the published typical 17–18 day window for the longer Num itinerary, not a DataPoint and not implied by this 20 km OSM line. A spring/autumn walking-season stamp was not taken from an official page this pass.
DEM high 4,867 m / low 3,441 m are Copernicus samples of this upper-Barun line (OSM camp_site Makalu Base Camp ele=4,830 m). The commonly cited ~4,870 m camp sits with that high. Cumulative DEM ascent 1,598 m is this 20 km line only — not a Num→BC walking gain. High point left as Copernicus.
Water was not mapped to named WaterSource points (no honest atFraction). Teahouses and camps exist on published descriptions; they were not positioned from an official named list this pass.
Water
No water sources recorded.
Permits & fees
- Permit
- Makalu-Barun National Park entry; RAP may apply (see notes)
Log in to view cost, booking, and issuer
Getting there
Sourced legs to the OSM line start (upper Barun) base start station — where this trail record begins. This is not a route planner: durations are approximate and marked provisional until an official transport page confirms them.
Road · Kathmandu (KTM) → Num / upper Barun approaches
Tribhuvan International Airport is the usual international air gateway (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribhuvan_International_Airport, checked 2026-09-11, CC BY-SA). Published approaches continue by road or via Tumlingtar toward Num; this OSM line starts on the upper Barun, not at Num. RAP is agency-issued in Kathmandu where the itinerary enters named restricted wards (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-11).
ntb.gov.np · 2026-09-11 · official · provisional
Makalu-Barun National Park entry applies (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/park-entry-fees, checked 2026-09-11). RAP may apply depending on wards — confirm with the agency. Amounts are on the trail permit record.
Plan from your location
Type a city, then pick a match. These links open external search tools — they do not fetch fares or timetables.
Trailheads
- OSM line start (upper Barun) car-free: unknown
- Makalu Base Camp (OSM line end) car-free: unknown
Log in to view trailhead transit detail
Hazards
- Extreme altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 4,867 m on this line (OSM camp ele 4,830 m). This is a serious high-altitude trek, not a casual hike. Surface as a safety fact.
- Restricted-area RAP may apply if the itinerary enters Sankhuwasabha Bhotkhola Rural Municipality wards 1–5 or Makalu Rural Municipality ward 4 (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-11). Issued through a registered agency, not self-issued. This desk does not assert that every Num→base-camp variant enters those wards.
- Remote east-Nepal corridor with limited rescue. Makalu-Barun National Park entry is required on the mapped line.
Questions
Do I need a permit for Makalu Base Camp?
A permit is required for Makalu Base Camp: Makalu-Barun National Park entry; RAP may apply (see notes). Cost, booking, and issuer stay behind the login gate on this page.
When is the best time to hike Makalu Base Camp?
On this record the best season is: Widely described spring / autumn; not a park statute.
How difficult is Makalu Base Camp?
Makalu Base Camp is graded SAC T3 (mapped — no official SAC grade) · YDS 2. A sourced hazard on this record: Extreme altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 4,867 m on this line (OSM camp ele 4,830 m). This is a serious high-altitude trek, not a casual hike. Surface as a safety fact.
How long is Makalu Base Camp?
The OSM 2-D length on this record is 20 km (provisional). Published figures may differ. See /guides/how-long-is-the-trail
How do I get to Makalu Base Camp?
The record’s base start is OSM line start (upper Barun). A primary gateway on the record is Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). Trailhead transit notes are not included in this public FAQ.
Related trails
- Ala-Kul Lake Trek · Same collection
- Alta Via 1 · Same collection
- Everest Base Camp Trek · Same collection
- Fishermen's Trail · Same collection
- GR20 · Same collection
- Inca Trail (Classic 4-day) · Same collection
Featured in
Related links
- OfficialNepal Tourism Board — trekking permits (RAP table)ntb.gov.np · 2026-09-11 · official · provisional
- OfficialNepal Tourism Board — park entry fees (Makalu-Barun)ntb.gov.np · 2026-09-11 · official · provisional