Makalu to Langtang Trek via Sherpani Col, Tashi Lapcha and Tilman Pass

Our team meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and takes you to your hotel. In the evening your trek leader comes to say hello and gives you a short briefing on the trek.

We need your passport for the permits, so this day is spent on paperwork and gear. Your guide checks your boots, crampons, harness and warm clothes, and helps you rent anything you are missing. In the afternoon we go through the route, the passes and the safety plan.

A short flight takes us east to Tumlingtar in the Arun valley. From there we drive along the ridge through Khandbari to Num, a village above the Arun river where our crew joins us.

We cross the Arun and drive up to Seduwa, then start walking through terraced fields and Rai villages to Tashigaon. This is the last village on the way to Makalu.

A long, steady climb through rhododendron and bamboo forest takes us up onto the ridge at Khongma Danda. It is a big height gain, so we walk slowly and drink a lot.

We cross two passes today, Shipton La (4,125 m) and Keke La (4,170 m), past small lakes. On a clear morning you can see Makalu, Chamlang and Kanchenjunga. We camp at Dobato (3,860 m).

A steep descent through forest brings us down to the Barun river. We follow it upstream, under high waterfalls, to the pastures of Yangle Kharka.

The valley opens up above the tree line. We walk through yak pastures with views of Peak 6 and Peak 7 to the summer grazing ground at Langmale Kharka.

A short walk up the moraine brings us to Makalu Base Camp, right under the huge south face of Makalu (8,485 m).

A day to rest before going higher. In the morning we walk up the moraine to about 5,200 m for the view of Makalu, Lhotse and Everest, and come back to sleep at base camp. In the afternoon your guide goes through crampons, harness and rope work.

We leave the trekking route and follow the moraine of the Barun glacier to Swiss Camp. From here on there are no trails, only our guides' route over rock and ice.

A climb over boulders and the edge of the glacier takes us to our high camp below Sherpani Col. We go to bed early for the crossing tomorrow.

We start before dawn and climb on snow and rock to Sherpani Col (6,180 m). On the far side our guides fix a rope and lower everyone down a steep snow and rock slope onto the Barun plateau, a wide glacier basin under Baruntse. We camp on the plateau at about 5,700 m.

We walk across the plateau and climb to West Col (6,190 m), the highest point of the trek. Our guides fix a rope for the descent into the upper Hongu valley, and we walk down to Baruntse Base Camp at about 5,400 m.

This is a spare day for bad weather on the cols. If we crossed on time, it is a rest day in the Hongu, one of the most remote valleys in Nepal.

We walk down the Hongu past the small glacial lakes of Panch Pokhari (the Hongu lakes, not the ones near Langtang) to camp at the foot of Amphu Laptsa.

The climb to Amphu Laptsa (5,845 m) is steep but short. The north side is a steep wall of ice and rock, and our guides lower you on a fixed rope, one at a time. Below, the trail goes down to the Imja valley under Island Peak and Lhotse, and we walk to Chhukung for our first lodge night in two weeks.

A long but easy walk downhill, past Dingboche, Pangboche and Tengboche monastery, to Namche Bazaar (3,440 m). It is a big day, but the trail is good and the air gets thicker with every step.

A full rest day. Take a hot shower, wash clothes, charge your devices and enjoy the bakeries. The crew restocks food and fuel for the next section.

We walk west up the Bhote Koshi valley to Thame (3,800 m), the old Sherpa village on the trade route to Tibet, and on to the pastures of Thyangbo.

We climb above the last pastures to Ngole, a rocky camp below the Tashi Lapcha.

A short, steep climb over loose rock brings us to a high camp under the pass. Your guide checks the route and the snow for the morning. Watch for falling stones on this section and keep close to your guide.

We start early, while the snow is hard, and climb to the Tashi Lapcha (5,755 m). From the top you look west over Rolwaling. Our guides fix rope on the steep descent onto the Drolambau glacier, and we walk roped up past crevasses to camp at the foot of the glacier, at about 5,000 m.

We leave the ice and walk along Tsho Rolpa, one of the biggest glacial lakes in Nepal, down to the summer village of Na.

We follow the Rolwaling river down to Beding (3,690 m), the main village of the valley, with its small monastery. After lunch we carry on down through forest to camp at Dongang, at about 2,900 m.

The trail drops through forest to Simigaon (2,000 m), a Tamang and Sherpa village above the Tamakoshi, and then steeply down to the road at Gonggar (1,440 m).

A long drive by jeep through the hills via Charikot takes us west to the Bhote Koshi valley, near the road to Tibet. This is our second resupply point. Hot shower and a bed tonight.

We start the last big section of the trek with a long climb out of the Bhote Koshi through villages and forest to Bagam.

A steady climb through rhododendron forest to the high pastures of Chogormogor Kharka, with views of the Jugal Himal.

Over a ridge and down a long way through forest to Tembathang, a small Hyolmo village in the Indrawati valley.

A long climb back up through forest and pastures to Nosyampati, also called Nema Chukpa Kharka.

A shorter day up to Panch Pokhari, five sacred lakes under the Jugal Himal. Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims come here every August for the full moon festival.

A rest day before we go high again. Walk around the lakes or up the ridge above camp for the view of the Jugal Himal and Dorje Lakpa.

We head north along the ridge to Tin Pokhari, three small lakes, and the last good water before the pass.

A rough walk over moraine and rock to our high camp on the south side of Tilman Pass. Water here can be snow melt only.

We cross the Tilman Pass (about 5,310 m), the last of the five passes. The climb is on rock and snow, and the north side can hold deep snow, so our guides go first and make the track. There are big views of Langtang Lirung, Gangchenpo and the Langtang glacier. We camp on the north side at about 4,600 m.

A short walk down the glacier to the pastures of Langshisa Kharka in the upper Langtang valley. This short day is also our spare time if the pass took longer.

An easy walk down the wide valley to Kyanjin Gompa, with its old monastery and cheese factory. Back to lodges, hot showers and fresh bread.

We follow the Langtang river down through Langtang village and into the forest to Lama Hotel.

The last day on foot, down through the forest to Syabrubesi on the road. In the evening we say thank you to the crew.

We drive back to Kathmandu through the hills. The rest of the day is yours. If a flight or pass was delayed, this day is also our buffer.

Our team takes you to the airport in time for your flight home.