1. Night bus from Kathmandu .....
2 . .............via Daran and Dhankuta to Hille.
3. Hille to Mongmaya:
Traverse hillsides to the village of Pakhribas.
Descend through terraces.
Camp on grassy flats beside the Mongmaya Khola.
A level walk alongside the Arun River through paddy fields and small settlements crossing sidestreams and passing a rocky escarpment. Camp on grassy flats on the northern bank of the Piluwa Khola.
5. Piluwa Khola - Tumlingtar - Kumalgaon
An undulating walk alongside the Arun River.
Cross the Hinwan Khola on a long suspension bridge.
Climb onto plateau and continue on level trail to Tumlingtar. Turn off to right/ east and continue for about 1 hour to camp on terraces before the village of Kumalgaon.
6. Kumalgaon - Khanbari
A short walk uphill into the large town of Khanbari. Police checkpoint. Camp in grounds of Himalaya Secondary School or on terraces on far side of town. ( ½ day )
7. Khanbari - Chirchira
Continue through outskirts of Khanbari and climb hillside to Bhotebas.
Proceed up to col and contour round and down through forest.
Camp in small settlement of Chirchira.
8. Chirchra - Num
Continue along or below ridge. Views down to valleys.
Proceed into and through jungle.
Emerge into open, terraced hillsides. Views down to Arun River. Descend to Num situated on a promontory surrounded by rugged mountains cleft by deep valleys.
Camp on grassy flats near village.
9. Num - Sedua
Descend steeply through terraces and jungle to the Arun River.
Cross gorge on suspension bridge.
Re-ascend to village of Sedua. Police checkpoint and National Park office/ checkpoint.
Camp at Park office or on terraces above.
10. Sedua - Tashigaon
Climb up then contour along hillside through rice paddies to col.
Continue along open hillside with view down to valley.
Proceed into and through forest to the Sherpa village of Tashigaon. ( c2000m)
Park store for purchase of kerosene or rental of stoves and blankets.
11. Tashigaon - Kongma
Climb steeply through forest with views down to valley.
Cross stream and continue up through jungle with occasional clearings to col.
Contour round then climb to ridgetop.
Camp on the small mossy flats of Kongma Kharke. ( c3500m )
12. Kongma - Shipton La - Mumbuk
Continue up ridge to hilltop.
View up Iswa Khola Valley to Chamlang.
Proceed up and along ridge.
Contour round below ridge to lochan and re-ascend to Shipton La. ( c4500m )
Descend to another lochan and climb up to Tutu La.
Steep descent through rhododendrons.
Camp on small terraces amid tall pine trees at Mumbuk. ( c3400m )
13. Mumbuk - Barun Valley - Tadakse Kharka
A steep descent down a gully through rhododendron forest to the Barun Khola.
Continue along riverside across landslips to grassy flats.
Enter alpine valley with views of snow peaks ahead.
Cross river to Yangri Kharka and proceed through pine forests.
Camp at Tadakse ( Ripuck ) Kharka beneath high, sheer rock precipices.
14. Tadakse Kharka - Jark Kharka - Shershon
Cross stream and ascend through pine forest to open scrub beyond the tree-line.
Continue to stone huts at Jark Kharka and on to col.
View ahead into glaciated valley flanked by himalayan peaks:
Descend to riverside alongside lateral moraine.
Continue over level ground to the grassy campsite at Shershon. ( c4500m )
15. Shershon - Makalu Base Camp
Climb the stone covered hillside to the East of Shershon onto a broad plateau for a superb view of the surrounding peaks:- Makalu, Peaks 3,4,5,6 and 7. Continue across plateau for a view down to the Barun Pokhari and up the Barun Glacier to Lhotse and Everest.
From Shershon proceed up valley before crossing Barun Khola to reach the site of expedition base camps on gravel flats or on a grassy terrace. ( c4800m ) ( ½ day ).
16. Rest Day/ exploration.
17. Makalu BC - Barun Glacier - Advance BC
Head up valley on path beyond base camp to Hilary Base Camp.
Continue on cairned route over boulder fields/ moraine.
View ahead to Lhotse and Everest.
Descend moraine wall following small cairns onto floor of glacier. Cross to far side and continue up northern side of glacier beneath high moraine wall - danger of rockfall.
Make a rising traverse across the foot of the Chago Glacier.
Ascend to Advance Base Camp amid a boulder field.
18. Ridge above ABC
Climb above ABC over boulders and rough scree onto ridge.
Continue up ridge on large, angular granite blocks to rock pinnacles. ( c6100m ) View across to the "Twins" on West Ridge of Makula, up to Makalu II and across glacier to Mt.Baruntse.
19. ABC - Shershon
Return from ABC to BC and continue down to Shershon
20. Shershon - Nehe Kharka
Return from Shershon to Jark Kharka.
Continue down to Barun Khola.
Cross river and encamp at Nehe Kharka.
21. Nehe Kharka - Mumbuk
Return down Barun Valley.
Re-ascend to Mumbuk.
22. Mumbuk - Kongma
Re-cross Shipton La and descend to Kongma Kharka.
23. Kongma - Tashigaon
Continue down to Tashigaon ( ½ day )
24 - 27. Tashigaon - Khanbari
28. Rest day
A) Return via Tumlingtar to Hille as per approach route
B) Return via Chainpur to the roadhead at Besantapur
29. Khanbari - Lingling
Descend from Khanbari through lanes, farms, forest and rice paddies to the Sabha Khola.
Continue down to a tributary. and follow upstream for a short distance. Climb through forest and terraces to Lingling Camp in grounds of school beyond village.
30. Lingling - Chainpur
Continue up into forest.
Contour round then descend through terraces to the Hinwan Khola. Climb through forests and terraces to the large town of Chainpur strung out along the crest of a ridge.
Camp in large, flat grassy field beneath the police station.
View of Makalu.
31. Chainpur - above Mamling
Descend through terraces and across open slopes to the Piluwa Khola.
Continue to the Maya Khola.
Climb hillside through the villages of Humling and Mamling.
Camp on terraces above Mamling.
View back to Makalu.
32. Above Mamling - Basantapur
Climb up to ridgetop.
Continue along or below ridge.
Fine views of Makalu Himal.
Ascend to col and descend to the roadhead at Besantapur.
Local bus to Hille.
Night bus back to Kathmandu.