The World Peace Pagoda is a popular viewpoint but arguably the best viewpoint in Pokhara is the Sarangkot Hill Viewpoint. These days there is a cable car that will take you all the way to the viewpoint. However, if you are looking for a challenge or for some preparation for your big trek, why not hike up?

In this blog post, I will share everything you need to know about hiking up to Sarangkot Hill Viewpoint in Pokhara.

BEST TREKKING COMPANY IN NEPAL

Interested in trekking in Nepal or doing the Everest Base Camp Trek?
I recommend booking your trek with Himalayan Masters, which is the company I use for all of my treks in Nepal. Use my code JACKSON5 when you book to receive a 5% DISCOUNT.

Book with Himalayan Masters

SARANGKOT HILL HIKE DETAILS

• Hike Distance: The total distance of my hike was 8.3 kilometers.
• Hike Duration: The hike will take you about 3 hours because of the steep terrain
• Hike Difficulty: This trail is pretty difficult due to the steep nature of the route. The path goes through the forest for the most part and is relatively well-defined but the steep stairs and exposure to the sun will be tough for many hikers. Think of it as a good warm-up for your trek.
• Hike Incline: Total incline for the hike was 809 meters
• My Strava Map Upload: Hiking to Sarangkot Hill

What are my favorite pieces of hiking gear?

There are four pieces of gear that I simply never forget when I go on a hike. These are four items that I using right now and this list gets updated every year! Here are my hiking essentials.

• Arcteryx BETA AR Rain Jacket: This is my go-to rain jacket. It’s super light, folds down into a tiny ball, and protects brilliantly in a storm. This one never leaves my backpack.
• Salomon X Ultra 3 Mid GTX Hiking Boots: For the best ankle support, waterproofing, and durable exterior I’m a fan of tough but light hiking boots like these Salomons for my adventures.
• Black Diamond Head Torch: I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve arrived back from a hike unexpectedly late. I always keep this lightweight but strong headtorch in my bag for the unexpected.
• Darn Tough Socks: These are the most comfortable hiking socks I’ve ever worn and last for years. They also have a lifetime warranty and you just send them in with a hole and they replace it no questions asked.

SARANGKOT HILL HIKE TRAILHEAD

There seemed to be a few options for the trailhead to the Sarangkot Hill trailhead. The main trailhead came about 10-20 minutes into the hike once I’d passed through most of the lower houses. It was only then that I found a clear sign. I think the best place to start is at the Cable Car Station as the signed trailhead in the forest starts just after that.

I began in Sedi Village and then turned up 5/18 street and wound my way up to the cable car station.

TRY THE 3 BEST TREKS IN NEPAL

Manaslu Circuit: My personal favorite 2-week trek through Tibetan villages and stunning scenery. Less crowded and more authentic.

Annapurna Circuit: The most beautiful & scenic 2-week trek in Nepal although can be crowded at times.

Everest Base Camp Trek: The most iconic 2-week route reaching the famous (EBC) Everest Base Camp at 5,300m.

Book with Himalayan Masters

MY EXPERIENCE HIKING UP TO SARANGKOT HILL VIEWPOINT

At 1,610m in elevation, Sarangkot Hill gives a panoramic view of Pokhara and a number of Himalayan Peaks such as the iconic Fishtail Peak (Machhapuchhare). In recent years, the installation of a cable car has made this viewpoint explode in popularity among visitors. The sunrise and sunset views are phenomenal and due cause an influx of tourists.

For those looking to enjoy the views from Sarangkot Hill Viewpoint but not keen on a big hike, the Annapurna Cable Car is your best option. The cable car ride takes just 10 minutes and is actually quite modern, similar to European standards. The current price as of 2022 is just 700 NPR for a round-trip ticket, which equates to bout $5 USD. That’s quite a good value considering the modern nature of the infrastructure.

I decided I wanted a bit of a challenge and to get my legs going again after returning from my Annapurna Circuit Trek. The hike isn’t too popular but I did come across a few other motivated tourists on the forest track.

Usually, when a cable car is involved, it means there is a steep ascent. This path is no different. The trail up to Sarangkot Hill winds along, underneath the cable car with 800m of incline. It’s no easy hike.

I began by walking from the Lakeside area in Pokhara to the small village region of Sedi. Here I found the 5/18 street and followed that up some backroads until eventually reaching an official trail sign for Sarangkot Hill.

Once I reached the sign, the trail became a narrow path through the forest. Occasional openings allowed views of the lake, the cable car, and Pokhara town down below. It was hot, humid, steep, and tough going through this section of relentless incline. I managed to catch a few glimpses of the World Peace Pagoda in the distance.

About halfway through the hike up to Sarangkot Hill are a number of small viewing areas. Little plateaus with seats or small sheds are the perfect spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. Most are accessible by car (as is Sarangkot Hill).

The final stretch up to Sarangkot Hill becomes quite civilized with school kids wandering home, little villages, and massive mountains poking their way out of the clouds in the backdrop. There seemed to be a number of different routes up to the top so do be wary of that if you choose to follow my exact route. Mine was a nice route but there may be a better one!

Once I reached the Sarangkot Hill Viewpoint, it had been eight kilometers and counting from when I began in Lakeside. It had taken a bit longer than expected and been quite a hot and steep ascent. I had to pay a small fee to enter the viewpoint area, which was under heavy construction at the time.

The viewpoint itself wasn’t overly crowded with many locals assuming positions in hidden, areas that didn’t require payment. At the summit, there’s a small tower and an information board displaying all of the peaks you can see on a clear day. Sarangkot Hill Viewpoint is best known for sunrise but I decided to go up for sunset and the conditions were dreamy.

A little further on, there is a bar and restaurant tower, a small entertainment area for kids, and lots of new viewpoints popping up each week. With the growing popularity of this viewpoint among tourists, the infrastructure is coming in fast to try and provide food, drinks, entertainment, and nice seating and viewing areas for tourists.

I took the last cable car down for $3 USD to avoid walking home in the dark and to save my energy. I had just completed the Annapurna Circuit days earlier after all!

HAVE YOU READ MY OTHER NEPAL BLOGS?

I’ve been lucky enough to have many awesome adventures in Nepal, which you can check out below where I’ve listed some of my favorite blog poss from Nepal.

• The Most Iconic route: Everest Base Camp Trek
• The Most Scenic Route: Annapurna Circuit Trek
• My Favorite Trek in Nepal: Manaslu Circuit Trek
• An Easy Nepal Trek: Langtang Valley Trek
• A great beginner peak: Island Peak Climb (6,165m)
• My Favorite Climb in Nepal: Climbing Ama Dablam (6,812m)
• My first 8000er: Climbing Manaslu (8,163m)
• My toughest climb in Nepal: Climbing Makalu (8,463m)
• Where to stay: 16 Best Places to Stay in Kathmandu

TOP 3 PLACES TO STAY IN KATHMANDU

• Ultimate Luxury: The Dwarika’s Hotel – Luxury, Spa-service, Pool
• Best Value: Aloft Kathmandu Thamel – Swimming Pool, Gym & Great Restuarant
• Budget Choice: Hotel Jampa is easily the top cheap hotel in Kathmandu

View on Booking.com

BEST TREKKING COMPANY IN NEPAL

Interested in trekking in Nepal or doing the Everest Base Camp Trek?
I recommend booking your trek with Himalayan Masters, which is the company I use for all of my treks in Nepal. Use my code JACKSON5 when you book to receive a 5% DISCOUNT.

Book with Himalayan Masters

In this guide, I will share with you my experience on multiple routes throughout the Himalayas to help prepare you for your trekking experience. Overall I would rate the Annapurna Circuit as the most scenic trek in Nepal from the first day to the last.

We looked at 7000m and 8000m peaks from the first to the last day, had amazing tea house locations, and were blown away by the scenery every single day. However, there are some negatives that modernization and commercialism have brought to the Annapurna Trekking Circuit with roads, infrastructure, and pollution. I’ll cover all aspects of this route to give you an honest insight into what to expect and why you may want to choose this route for your trip.

In this blog post, I will cover everything you need to know about the logistics of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. I’ve also created guides for the following treks and climbs in Nepal if you are interested to check those out as well.

• Manaslu Circuit Trek
• Everest Base Camp Trek
• Makalu Base Camp Trek
• Langtang Valley Trek
• Island Peak Climb
• Yala Peak Climb
• Ama Dablam Climb
• Manaslu Climb
• Makalu Climb

TRY THE 3 BEST TREKS IN NEPAL

Manaslu Circuit: My personal favorite 2-week trek through Tibetan villages and stunning scenery. Less crowded and more authentic.

Annapurna Circuit: The most beautiful & scenic 2-week trek in Nepal although can be crowded at times.

Everest Base Camp Trek: The most iconic 2-week route reaching the famous (EBC) Everest Base Camp at 5,300m.

Book with Himalayan Masters

A GUIDE TO THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

In this guide, you will find all of the valuable information you need to plan your trek as well as my personal experience on the entire trek including the detour to Tilicho Lake

ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK DETAILS

• Distance: 130km or 80 miles
• Days required: 10-13 days
• Total Incline: 8000 meters
• Total Decline: 7000 meters
• The highest point on the trek: The two highest points on the trek are Tilicho Lake (4,919m) and the Thorong La Pass (5,416m).
• Difficulty: The difficulty of the Annapurna Circuit Trek depends a lot on how many days you have. If you break it up over 12-14 days, it will be similar to the difficulty of EBC. However, we took only one acclimatization/rest day in Manang and the itinerary was quite tough for us given we squeezed into Tilicho Lake. Many days were about 20km of distance with 1000m of incline.
• Permits: You will need a TIMS card and Park Entrance Permit, both can be purchased when entering the park.
• Guide: A guide is not required on this trek. However, the guide manages all of the logistics, distances, directions, and tea houses for your group. I used maps.me to navigate from tea house to tea house and found the paths easy to follow. If it’s your first time trekking in Nepal, I would suggest having a guide.
• Accommodation: Guest Houses, also known as Tea Houses, are available along the way where you will sleep in a comfortable bed and have access to showers (at extra charge) and restaurant facilities. It was very comfortable accommodation and great after a long day of hiking.

KEY POINTS ABOUT THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

• This circuit is less crowded than Everest Base Camp Trek but still quite busy. Especially around Tilicho Base Camp as many locals just come to trek to the Lake and don’t do the full circuit.
• There are teahouses in each village along the way so each night you get a great sleep in a bed with blankets, have access to showers, eat great meals in a restaurant, and can charge your electronics and cameras.
• The trailhead can be reached by car so there is no need to pay for expensive domestic flights.
• The road reached all the way to Khangsar, which means it isn’t quite as remote, peaceful and natural as you may be expected until the latter stages of the hike. There are side trails most hikers take for better views and to avoid the cars but nonetheless, it can be demoralizing to see a car full of tourists drive past as you eat their dust.

TOP 3 PLACES TO STAY IN KATHMANDU

• Ultimate Luxury: The Dwarika’s Hotel – Luxury, Spa-service, Pool
• Best Value: Aloft Kathmandu Thamel – Swimming Pool, Gym & Great Restuarant
• Budget Choice: Hotel Jampa is easily the top cheap hotel in Kathmandu

View on Booking.com

BOOKING A GUIDE FOR THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

The Annapurna Circuit Trek doesn’t require a guide but it’s great to have a guide managing the logistics such as directions, tea houses, distances, medical issues, and the overall organization. I’d say 80% of trekkers go with a guide. I did the trek with Himalayan Masters which is one of the top trekking companies when it comes to the Annapurna Circuit Trek.

The trek costs around $1400 USD with Himalayan Masters as of 2022 and includes all transfers, accommodation, meals, drinks, permits, and even the hotel stay before and after the trek at a high-quality hotel. I honestly had a great time on this trek and I can wholeheartedly recommend Himalayan Masters.

You can use my discount code ‘JACKSON5‘ for 5% off the total price of your trek with Himalayan Masters which is a pretty handy saving.

Email: info@himalayan-masters.com

ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK PACKING LIST

I packed pretty light and managed to wash most of my clothes each afternoon/night for the first half of the trip. In the latter stages of the trip, it was pretty cold so we weren’t sweating as much and we wore our warm gear basically nonstop while at the teahouses. There was no real need for multiple outfits.

This is just a guide and it worked quite well for me with no complaints from my set-up. You won’t need a sleeping bag as there are blankets in each guesthouse and when it got cold I just wore my down jacket to bed. This meant I didn’t have to carry a sleeping bag for the entire trek.

• 1 pair of pants that maybe convert to shorts
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 Warm or thicker pair of hiking pants
• 1 Long sleeve quick-dry shirt
• 1 Long-sleeve thermal shirt
• 2 Short-sleeve t-shirts
• 1 Thermal long underwear
• 4 pairs of quick-dry underwear
• 1 Lightweight down jacket
• 1 Heavy-duty summit down jacket
• 1 Beanie
• 1 Cap
• Sunglasses
• 1 Neck Buff
• Gloves
• Hiking boots
• Headtorch
• 1 pair of warm summit socks
• 2-3 pairs of regular socks
• Sunscreen
• Trekking poles
• Water filter
• Powerbank

All of this should fit into a backpack no bigger than 50L and should be less than 14kg.

WIFI/ELECTRICITY AVAILABILITY ON THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

• Wifi: Costs anywhere from $0 to $4 to use wifi at the guesthouses. Buy an NTC Sim before you go. It worked in some spots but after Pisang, the service dropped and it was mostly WiFi until we got across the pass to Muktinath.
• Electricity: You will have to pay anywhere from $0 at low elevations to $5 to charge your power banks, cameras, and phones. I found that most rooms had free electricity powerpoints in the room. The key is to get a big power bank. Pay to charge it then charge everything from your power bank. My power bank lets me charge my phone and four camera batteries before it dies. Most of the places we stayed let us charge our gear for free but when it is busy they usually charge a fee as many teahouses run off gas or solar.

ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK ITINERARY

The below itinerary was the exact journey I did but I would suggest adding in an extra day or two to account for rest days or being able to break up the day when you get up to Tilicho Base Camp. This was quite a strenuous activity. I also recommend not hiking to Dharapani from Besishar as the road is full of trucks and vehicles. Similarly, once you reach Muktinath, I suggest driving to Jomsom as it is quite built up from there with main, paved roads.

• Day 1: Drive Kathmandu to Dharapani (1,960m)
• Day 2: Trek to Chame (2,710m) Duration: 5-6 hours trek
• Day 4: Trek to Pisang (3,300m) Duration: 5-6 hours trek
• Day 5: Trek to Manang (3,500m) Duration: 6-7 hours
• Day 6: Acclimatization Day at Manang
• Day 7: Trek to Tilicho Base Camp (4000m) Duration 6-8 hours
• Day 8: Trek to Tilicho Lake & Trek to Shreekharka (4080m) Duration 10 hours
• Day 9: Trek to Thorong Phedi (4600m) Duration 6-7 hours
• Day 10: Trek to Thorong La & Trek down to Muktinath
• Day 11: Drive to Jomsom
• Day 12: Fly to Pokhara

INSURANCE FOR THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

Nepal can be a dangerous place for trekking or hiking because the high altitude can lead to many illnesses, weakness in trekkers, and misjudgments. There is also a risk on trails for falls, avalanches, or other mishaps. Your regular travel insurance probably won’t cover you at high altitudes and won’t cover a helicopter evacuation. There is a solution though.

Need extra protection?

Regular travel insurance is great but won’t cover you for high altitude hikes or for helicopter evacuation. Each year, I purchase a Global Rescue Subscription.

For less than $500 per year or $100 per expedition, you can purchase a Global Rescue subscription and be covered no matter how extreme the hike or how high the climb is.

DRINKING WATER ON THE ANNAPURNA VALLEY TREK

I use the Grayl Ultralight Water Purifier and it is a game-changer for hiking in Nepal, making this super easy and cheap. The Grayl Ultralight Water Purifier removes 99.9999% of viruses of disease-causing bacteria. The best thing about it is it only takes 15 seconds and one press to purify water from any fresh water source. You don’t need to buy bottled water at every tea house contributes to large amounts of plastic waste and costing you $4+ per day.

Along the Annapurna Circuit Trek, we filled up tea houses, rivers, and local village taps. Unlike aqua purification tablets which require you to wait 30 minutes before drinking, you can have rehydrated yourself immediately with the Grayl Ultralight Water Purifier.

GrayL Water Purifier

• Never pay for water on the trek
• Save 3-4 plastic water bottles a day
• Turns any water into drinking water

Buy on Amazon

BEST TIME AND SEASON FOR THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

The peak season for the Annapurna Circuit Trek is March to April and October to November. The time to avoid this trek is during the rainy season from June to August. Having said that, I often found that off-season or shoulder seasons have been my best (uncrowded) trekking experiences in Nepal

During the winter from December to February, this region gets very cold and there will be snow cover in the higher parts of the trek. Many of the guesthouses actually close up for the winter and re-open in late February to March.

I hiked the Annapurna Circuit Trek in late October/early November and we had 12 days of constant sun. Not a single day with clouds and no chance of rain. Lucky us.

HOW TO GET TO THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

There are two main ways to reach Dharapani, which is the small town at the starting point of the trek. Despite the distance from Kathmandu to Besishar only being 125km, the journey takes a long time due to the traffic and quality of the road.

Jeep: We went by private Jeep organized by our tour company Himalayan Masters. It costs about $180 to hire the vehicle out for the drive so can be split between your group. It’s not cheap but much less brutal than the lengthy bus journey.

Public Bus: The bus costs about $12 USD and can take anywhere from 7-12 hours depending on the traffic and if there are any roadworks or landslides recently. The bus station in Kathmandu is called ‘New Bus Station‘.

MY EXPERIENCE ON THE ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT TREK

Throughout this section of this guide, I will share my experience with each part of this trek and give my thoughts on the increased level of infrastructure and road access throughout the Annapurna Circuit Trek.

TREKKING FROM DHARAPANI TO MANANG

After surviving the bumpy ride along the cliff-side roads to Dharapani, we spent the night in a small teahouse before beginning our trek the next morning. Dharapani is actually where the Manaslu Circuit Trek finishes, so I had been in this small river-side town on several occasions previously. The trail for the Annpurna Circuit doesn’t overlap with that route at all and actually follows a road for the opening parts of the journey.

The first few days of the Annapurna Circuit Trek, are not the most peaceful or remote. Trekkers will find themselves being overtaken by Jeeps full of tourists driving deeper into the circuit or being dropped closer for a quick summit attempt at Tilicho Lake. I always hate when cars can drive past me while I’m working hard trekking but it’s unfortunately just part of this route now.

Despite trekking on a road for a fair portion of the first day, there are many side trails that quickly immerse you into the natural surroundings. We found ourselves on steep stairs in the forest and walking through small villages as we wound our way on and off of the road throughout the days. The highlights when it came to views early on in the trek was that from the very first morning, we had views of Manaslu (8,163m). This qas quite nostalgic for me and actually pretty incredible to have Manaslu as a constant backdrop given that I’d stood atop the mighty mountain a year earlier.

Chame was our first stop for the night and was probably my least favorite town of the lot. This is often to be expected when you are just getting started on the trail. The second night in Upper Pisang, we had a direct view from the tea house looking towards Annpurna II. They call it the unlucky mountain as it just misses out on being one of the 14 revered 8000ers. At 7,937m, it is an imposing peak, providing an unbelievable view right from the doorstep of the tea house.

Manang was the first town that felt quite remote and had a bit of atmosphere. In Manang there were several bakeries, religious sites, sacred lakes and monasteries. We spent two nights in Manang, as do many trekkers, and used the ‘rest’ day to head up to Chonggen Viewpoint for more incredible views over Manang and the surrounding mountains.

The scenery alongside the trail had become incredible by day three. While cars can still access to Manang, there was much less traffic and that rural, remote feeling had replace the chaotic, touristic vibe from the early moments of the trek.

TREKKING TO TILICHO LAKE

After a rest day in Manang, it was time to put in a few ‘big effort’ days as we head some serious distance and elevation gain ahead of us. Many groups head from Manang to Yakharka and continue on to the pass. However, it is possible to make a two-day or preferably three-day detour with a mission of hiking up to Tilicho Lake.

The lake is marketed as the highest lake in the world although given some research, you will find that there are about twenty different lakes that are higher than it such as Lake Titicaca. Others claim it is the highest glacial lake in the world but just across the border at 6,216 meters above sea level is the Changtse Pool in Tibet.

Despite being a bit over-hyped and falsely advertised to pull in more tourism, the lake is an incredible natural site. You might curse me for the extra few days of effort to get there but I think it’s well worth making the detour for a few reasons.

The trek into Tilicho Base Camp was one of the best sections of the entire trail. The vegetation faded away and the terrain began to evolve into an outer-space, moon-like scene. Huge slops of gravel were segregated by rock archways and sharp ridgelines. It was like no other part of the trail.

Once you reach Tilicho Base Camp, you’ll find that it isn’t a town and is an opportunistic collection of tea houses set up to meet the demand of those on a mission to reach the high-altitude lake. Hundreds of trekkers wake early to attempt to climb 900m of vertical gain to almost 5000m for a viewpoint at the rim of the lake. It’s pretty steep and a consistent set of switchbacks make the path a tough route, especially after just a few days at high altitude.

After a few hours, trekkers reach the lakeside to find a small teahouse serving coffee and tea. Taking a seat on the stone wall, it’s truly incredible to look out across the vivid blue water completely surrounded by snowy peaks and ridges.

The tough part about trekking to Tilicho Lake is that it is a 12-kilometer round trip journey with 900 meters of incline to get to the lake and back to base camp. Most itineraries dictate that you will quickly eat lunch and then walk another few hours to Shreekharka. It could be a suggestion to stay another night at Tilicho Base Camp to ease the difficult of the trek itinerary.

TREKKING ACROSS THORONG LA PASS

The long day up and down from Tilicho Lake and then from Tilicho Base Camp really took it out of us. However, the show must go on and we made a big effort to push all the way through from Shreekharka to Thorong Phedi. This is the base camp for the Thorong La Pass, which is the penultimate point and highest elevation of the trip.

The views continued to be immense on the journey to Thorong Phedi, but a third straight day with a vertical kilometer of incline and 20km of distance took its toll. We arrived late to Thorong Phedi, just before the sunset as you can see in the first image below.

The tea house at Thorong Phedi was buzzing, packed to the rafters. Many groups set off as early as 2:30 am on their quest to cross the path. We decided to bring up the rear and set off an hour before sunrise at around 5 am after a quick breakfast in the tea house.

The journey across the path begins with about 500m of elevation gain while ascending up relentless switchbacks. You can see the switchbacks from the tea house in the image below. After about 1.5 hours, trekkers reach the ‘high camp’, which is actually where many people stay on their approach to Thorong La Pass. It will make the pass day shorter but the prior day longer. It’s all about preference.

After the high camp, the scenery turns from rock to snow. We are now in a white, winter wonderland as we cross the 5000m mark on our journey across the pass. Up a seemingly never-ending slope, we wind our way around each corner.

Secretly, we are hoping to see the prayer flags of Thorong La but they never come. What we do find is a tea house serving overpriced but highly necessary instant coffee and tea. Here we recharge for half an hour before making our final push to the pass.

About an hour further and we make it up to the pass after about six hours of trekking. My dad and his mates are gassed but glad to be at the highest point of the trip. We hang out, take a few photos and even witness a huge avalanche from the seracs on the right side. Luckily it dispersed down to the side of the mountain and not toward us.

The journey down from Thorong La Pass should be straightforward and is only about eight kilometers. However, with icy conditions and slippery rocks, it was slow-going. It is highly recommended to bring micro spikes for this descent and for the descent from Tilicho Lake. Even though you will only use them twice, they are worth bringing along.

Late in the afternoon, we roll into Muktinath after crossing over into the Mustang region from the Annapurna Sanctuary side. It’s beautiful scenery but we are all just glad to make it to the hotel. It was a pretty tough ‘summit’ day all things being said.

Many trekkers will walk one more day to Jomsom before flying to Pokhara. However, we decided to take a Jeep for about $15 per head. It’s only an hour’s jeep ride to Jomsom.

I’d advise taking the Jeep as the trek looked like it went alongside the road in hot, exposed, dry terrain for twenty kilometers. It’s a brutal and unnecessary section of trail to walk but some purists may like to complete the old ‘original’ circuit. If that is you, make sure you walk all the way to Pokhara, and don’t cheat with any planes from Jomsom!

We spent the night in Jomsom and celebrated with a couple of beers. The next morning, we watched as the light planes flew into the airport. It’s a unique landing strip with an amazing backdrop of mountains on all sides. The planes take off and do a full U-turn immediately before flying up and out of the valley with views of Dhaulagiri (8,167m) on the right.

After a few nights in Pokhara, we flew back to Kathmandu to wrap up an incredible journey on the Annapurna Circuit with Himalayan Masters.

I hope you enjoyed this guide to the Annapurna Circuit Trek in Nepal and have a great experience yourself! To finish up, here is a photo from the epic Jomson airport. Not a bad way to end the trip.

TOP 3 PLACES TO STAY IN KATHMANDU

• Ultimate Luxury: The Dwarika’s Hotel – Luxury, Spa-service, Pool
• Best Value: Aloft Kathmandu Thamel – Swimming Pool, Gym & Great Restuarant
• Budget Choice: Hotel Jampa is easily the top cheap hotel in Kathmandu

View on Booking.com

HAVE YOU READ MY OTHER NEPAL BLOGS?

I’ve been lucky enough to have many awesome adventures in Nepal, which you can check out below where I’ve listed some of my favorite blog poss from Nepal.

• The Most Iconic route: Everest Base Camp Trek
• The Most Scenic Route: Annapurna Circuit Trek
• My Favorite Trek in Nepal: Manaslu Circuit Trek
• An Easy Nepal Trek: Langtang Valley Trek
• A great beginner peak: Island Peak Climb (6,165m)
• My Favorite Climb in Nepal: Climbing Ama Dablam (6,812m)
• My first 8000er: Climbing Manaslu (8,163m)
• My toughest climb in Nepal: Climbing Makalu (8,463m)
• Where to stay: 16 Best Places to Stay in Kathmandu

I used the week to get all of the Makalu blog posts and videos published. I also threw up all the photos and videos from Makalu on my social media. I planned out the next trip to the Philippines and did some much-needed admin work. I also had several visits to the dentist and Kathmandu Pain Center to finish off my teeth and help out my poor hips.

The highlight of the week was catching up with Jorden and Mark after they returned from their group trip to Annapurna Base Camp. I hadn’t seen these guys for years partly due to our constant travels and also the pandemic. A few nights out for dinner and some good catch-ups were overdue. Dinner at Boudha was a great backdrop for dinner and drinks.

Another week at Aloft finally came to a close as we headed out to the Philippines for the next 1.5 months. It’s nice to be heading somewhere away from big mountains for a while to refresh and enjoy a change of scenery.

I had to leave the expedition in a heli-evacuation after 20 days, having slept at Camp 2 (6,600m) with the left side of my face numb. I couldn’t sleep and had constant headaches. I had no choice but to leave the expedition.

I landed back in Kathmandu and had MRI, X-ray, and multiple other scans. It turns out the pressure from altitude had exposed necrosis/infection in my gum from a previous motorbike crash 10 years ago.

I had surgery immediately and was taking a handful of drugs day and night. I was doubtful, but not ready to give up on my Makalu Expedition.

3 days later I flew back to Lukla (2,860m) and waited 9 long days for a helicopter back to the advanced base camp (5,700m). With just one solid weather window left, I didn’t have a good chance for another rotation before the summit push.

So on the 18th, I set off with Tashi Sherpa to Camp 2. On the 19th we climbed nine hours to reach Camp 3 (7500m). After a one-hour sleep at Camp 3, we set off on our summit push at 8 pm. Up the relentlessly steep slopes of Makalu, I battled mentally but knew I would never turn back.

Tired but defiant, we reached the empty summit just after sunrise to take in all of the incredible Himalayas. Behind me (end of the video) you can see Everest and Lhotse from our perch of 8,463m on top of the mighty Makalu Mountain 🏔

CLIMBING MOUNT MAKALU

I trekked into Makalu Advanced Base Camp and then successfully sumitted the peak in May of 2022. In this blog post, I will cover everything you need to know about the logistics of climbing Makalu Mountain. I’ll also share with you my stories and photos from the climb. This will give you an idea of what to expect and a great insight into the scenery you will find at each camp en route to the summit.

Before sharing my experience of the climb in the second section of this blog post, I will detail all of the information you need to know in this complete guide about climbing Manaslu Mountain.

MAKALU MOUNTAIN DETAILS

• Days required: 35-50 days
• Height of Makalu Summit: 8,463m
• Cost: $20,000
• Season to climb Manaslu: May
• Difficulty: Makalu is known as one of the more taxing 8000m peaks among the fourteen. While not extremely technical, the mountain is relentlessly steep. The advanced base camp is one of the highest in the world at 5,700m. This makes it tough to recover between rotations. As my second 8000er, I can only compare Makalu to Manaslu and it was much, much tougher. It’s important to note that I summitted with Sherpa assistance and with the use of oxygen. If you remove either or both of those factors, this climb will become significantly harder. Our summit push was base camp to base camp in 51 hours and we had favorable weather and conditions.
• Recommended prior climbs: While there are many climbs you can do to warm up for Makalu, some common options are Island Peak (6,189), Baruntse Peak (7,129m), Spantik Peak (7,030) and Himlung Himal (7,126m). In addition to these acclimatization peaks, I would recommend climbing at least one or two ‘easier’ 8000m peaks before attempting Makalu.

TRY THE 3 BEST TREKS IN NEPAL

Manaslu Circuit: My personal favorite 2-week trek through Tibetan villages and stunning scenery. Less crowded and more authentic.

Annapurna Circuit: The most beautiful & scenic 2-week trek in Nepal although can be crowded at times.

Everest Base Camp Trek: The most iconic 2-week route reaching the famous (EBC) Everest Base Camp at 5,300m.

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GETTING TO AND FROM MAKALU BASECAMP

There are several different options for how to arrive and depart from Makalu Advanced Base Camp (5,700m). I’ve actually used both options listed below.

1. Helicopter: These days many mountaineers can afford to fly into Advanced Base Camp via helicopter. The flight runs from Lukla. Most tour operators will organize this helicopter option as part of the package. Many in our group trekked in to acclimatize, but then flew out the day after their summit.
2. Trekking in from Num: One of the most scenic ways to reach base camp is to trek on the established Makalu Base Camp Trek. This route guides you to the lower base camp and takes about 9-10 days. I did this trek with my group and wrote a comprehensive guide to Trekking to Makalu Base Camp. It’s much more remote than Everest Base Camp Trek or Langtang Valley Trek but very scenic and a chance to observe rural, mountain life in Nepal.

TOP 3 PLACES TO STAY IN KATHMANDU

• Ultimate Luxury: The Dwarika’s Hotel – Luxury, Spa-service, Pool
• Best Value: Aloft Kathmandu Thamel – Swimming Pool, Gym & Great Restuarant
• Budget Choice: Hotel Jampa is easily the top cheap hotel in Kathmandu

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IS CLIMBING MAKALU MOUNTAIN DANGEROUS?

Whenever you climb to heights above 8000m, you are in the death zone. Lower oxygen, harsh weather conditions, unpredictable mountains, and tired bodies can often make for tragic circumstances.

During our expedition in 2022, there were no deaths but several serious injuries. According to statistics up until 2020, from 234 ascents there were 26 deaths making Makalu the 7th deadliest mountain with roughly a 10% death rate. This figure has dramatically improved in recent years with better conditions, equipment, and logistics provided to climbers.

WHICH COMPANY I CLIMBED WITH FOR MAKALU

I climbed Makalu with Seven Summit Treks, which is the top Nepali climbing company in the country. They offer expeditions to all of the 8000m peaks and many other climbs, treks, and logistical services. This was my fifth expedition in Nepal and Pakistan and definitely the best and most well-organized.

Seven Summit Treks were very detailed and had everything sorted. Their basecamp setup at Makalu was by far the most extensive with a dome tent for the mess hall, great food at mealtimes, and snacks always available.

MOUNT MAKALU HEIGHT

Mount Makalu is the fifth highest peak in the world at 8,463m or 27765.75ft. Below I’ve listed the different heights of each camp to give you an idea of what to expect.

• Lower Base Camp: 4,700m
• Advanced Base Camp: 5,700m
• Camp 1: 6,200m
• Camp 2: 6,600m
• Camp 3: 7,500m
• Camp 4: 7,600m
• Summit: 8,463m

MY EXPERIENCE CLIMBING MOUNT MAKALU

Makalu is known as one of the tougher 8000-meter climbs in the world but also one of the safest. It has relatively low avalanche risk and fewer crevasses than many of the other big mountains throughout the Himalayas and the Karakoram. It may have been a false sense of security, but it felt like the biggest challenge with this climb was going to be against my own body and the stress of the death zone. Time would tell.

GETTING TO THE TRAILHEAD

Our journey began in Kathmandu. We took a flight to Tumlingtar airport to begin our expedition. Unlike most climbs that transit via Lukla, the Makalu climb is much more remote. From Tumlingtar, a 6-hour jeep ride along muddy roads led us to the small village of Num. Here we rested for the night before beginning our trek to base camp the next day.

I’ve written an entire guide to the Makalu Base Camp Trek. In that article, you will find a day-by-day breakdown of the hike through to Makalu Base Camp. With more than 100 photos and descriptions of the route, it’s a handy guide to give you an idea of what to expect.

TREKKING TO THE BASE CAMP

The trek is quite an adventure. There’s usually just one tea-house in each village and very few shops or snack stores along the way. You could say it is much more ‘authentic’ than trekking in the Khumbu where you will find bakeries, bars, internet cafes, and plentiful restaurants along the route to Everest Base Camp. Along this undulating route, life is simple and most families are working the land.

The journey into base camp took us about 10 days, including a few rest/acclimatization days. The trek begins at an elevation of 1500m but actually drops down to 700m immediately. The Makalu Advanced Base Camp sits at 5700m so in altitude change you are grabbing more than 5000m. The actual incline is almost double that with lots of undulation along this trail so expect to work some hills.

LOWER MAKALU BASE CAMP

We arrived at Lower/Real Makalu Base Camp (4700m) and stayed for a few nights to rest and acclimatize. From this base camp, you can hike up to a ridge above the camp for an epic view of Everest and Lhotse down the far end of the glacier. The views of Makalu summit are also perfect on most mornings.

At the lower base camp, there’s a tea-house and some cabins but most outfitters bring their own tents as the capacity is limited. This will be the last time you sit around a yak-poop-powered heater and have a ‘stable’ home.

TREKKING TO UPPER MAKALU BASE CAMP

From Lower Base Camp to Upper Base Camp it’s a hard day of trekking. With 1000m of vertical gain reaching a height of 5,700m, it is quite a challenging day. To compound the elevation gain, the terrain is almost entirely comprised of unstable rocks and gravel.

The path is unclear, rockfall prone, and often finds itself blown through by dust storms. It seems to go on forever with a lot of the incline coming late in the day to reach the base camp. Prepare for a tough day and pack at least two liters of water to combat the lack of shade on this route.

MAKALU UPPER BASE CAMP

After 12 days of trekking, we finally reached our home base. Makalu Upper Base Camp, at an altitude of 5,700m would be our climbing pad for the next 30 days as we tried to make an ascent of Mount Makalu. Seven Summits Treks had set up an awesome little village with two rows of sleeping tents and a large, dome dining tent. It seemed like a relatively safe base camp with views of the glaciers and the summit (on clear days).

Now, the plan depends on how the climbers in the group feel and the weather conditions for rotations and the summit push. However, first things first. I’ll give you a little description of what to expect at base camp with Seven Summits Treks. Each person has a large, insulated, private tent, which is big enough to house your two duffels of gear and a thick mattress.

The toilet is basically a small tent with a bucket that is beneath the rocks and is emptied regularly. It’s basic but it works.

Each day we had breakfast, lunch and dinner served in a warm dome tent. The quality of the food was great overall and had a good mixture of western dishes and Nepali classics. Throughout the day, snacks and drinks were always ready and available to keep you nourished.

MAKALU PUJA CEREMONY

After a couple of acclimatization days at base camp, our bodies began adjusting to living at 5,700m. It was time for the Puja ceremony. The Puja Ceremony is a tradition where the mountains are honored and we pray for safe passage. Local Sherpa people consider these mighty peaks to be Gods, and so the Puja ceremony is held not only to ask for safe passage but forgiveness for climbing up to these holy places. 

THE CLIMB

In this section of the blog post, I will explain what to expect in each section of the climb, and provide ample photos of each part of the route. Most of our group was climbing with oxygen and planned to sleep at Camp 2 for acclimatization and touch a little higher. Many opted for just one rotation before a summit push but others went for two.

SIDE NOTE: I actually had a bit of a crazy experience on this expedition and was evacuated by helicopter halfway through and flown back to base camp for my summit push 12 days later. I’ll add that personal story below at the end of the blog post if you are interested.

MAKALU UPPER BASE CAMP TO CAMP 1

This is a tricky little section as it appears to be quite short but it actually takes about four hours for many average-paced climbers. Camp 1 used to be on a lower plateau but an ‘Upper’ Camp 1 is now the standard position. It involves about an extra hour and now includes a steep climb underneath a massive cornice.

From 5,700m at Upper Base Camp, you will reach 6,300m at the ‘real’ Camp 1. The journey begins out of Upper Base Camp across the frozen lake. By the end of the expedition, several members were falling in here up to their knees so watch out for that fun!

Once across the lake, you follow the rocky path along the edge of the glacier. It’s a beautiful scene looking back across the glacier towards the camp, which slowly fades away into the distance.

After about forty minutes, you reach a steep rocky wall that requires the use of ropes for most people. You won’t need to clip in here but just use the ropes as safety as you clamber up the cliff face for twenty meters. One of our members fell here on the descent and cracked their skull open, nearly dying. It may look easy and dry but can still pose a danger.

Once atop the cliff wall, you now walk for another 25 minutes up the ridge to reach the crampon point. Here Seven Summit Treks had installed a tent where we could store our 8000m boots, harness, and crampons. There were a few heavenly snacks and drinks tucked away in there for summit day descents also!

Just after crampon point is a small lake, where more members of our team actually fell hip deep into the water. Don’t take these frozen lakes lightly. You now step onto the snow for the first time and make your way up the left-hand side of the glacier, hugging the rocky cliffside all the way up to the Lower Camp One plateau. This section can be brutally hot and exposed.

A wide-open space signals Lower Camp One, but nowadays you still need to head up the steep ice underneath the cornice to reach the official Camp One. This is the only time you will use your jumar on the way to Camp One and only for several pitches.

At the top of the climb, you will walk just another fifty meters to reach the tents. It sits on the edge of a huge plateau and we actually slept here one night, although most go directly to Camp Two as it is only another 1.5-2 hours to reach the next camp at 6,600m.

CAMP 1 TO CAMP 2

This is by far the shortest and easiest camp-to-camp journey on the whole route. It takes about 1.5 hours to reach Camp 2 from Camp 1.

You’ll find a couple of steep snowy slopes that can require the use of a jumar but otherwise, you are just clipped in for a few sections to be safe from drop-offs and crevasses. It’s about 300m of incline to the second camp, which sits at 6,600m. Most people skip Camp 1 and head straight from advanced base camp to Camp 2 on their rotations and during their summit push.

CAMP 2 TO CAMP 3

Aside from the summit push, this is the toughest part of the climb. It’s also very likely that you will climb this section without oxygen even if you are attempting to climb with oxygen. This makes it even more challenging as you will ascend from 6,600m to 7,500m to reach Camp 3 in very thin air. Those decisions are up to you, but no oxygen at 7,500m climbing steep slopes is starting to get intense.

The journey begins out of Camp 2 with a relentlessly steep slope up towards the rocky incline. Fixed ropes will lead you to the start of the rock and ice section. Once there, the terrain becomes quite challenging with a mixture of hard ice, rocks, and snow.

The route twists and turns and you could say this section requires some technical know-how. From maneuvering through the rocky terrain to selecting the correct ropes, it is physically and mentally draining to ascend through this part of the route.

Several times on the route from Camp 2 to Camp 3 you will reach a plateau, only to be thrown back into the same steep, rocky incline. For quick climbers, you can expect a 6-7 hour journey and for slower climbers, it will take closer to 9-10 hours.

Camp 3 sits on the Makalu La, which is the ridge you often look up to from an advanced base camp. Once you reach the ridge, the campsite is just a few minutes away in a small clearing.

CAMP 3 TO SUMMIT (SUMMIT PUSH)

There are many ways to do the summit push of Makalu and it all depends on the weather, your ability, and conditions. We decided to sleep for two hours once we reached Camp 3 and then set off at 8 pm on our summit push. It seems that very few people use Camp 4 as it is only a simple, one-hour traverse from Camp 3.

The journey from Camp 3 to the summit will take fast experienced climbers anywhere from 6-8 hours. For slower and more inexperienced climbers you could expect closer to 9-10 hours but of course, these are just estimates. On the day I summited it was just myself and my Sherpa and one other group of two, who were quite experienced climbers. It took me nine hours to reach the summit while they made it up there an hour earlier.

The route begins with the relatively flat traverse to Camp 4. Once we passed Camp 4, we navigate a blue ice section before the steep climbing begins. The incline on this day never seems to end and there were few plateaus or flat areas to rest. It was very steep all morning.

The route weaves in and out of the ridges with no rock or technical work until the final French Couloir. There were minimal crevasse fields and we had fixed ropes throughout the route to navigate any ominous areas. Basically, until the sun began to rise at the French Couloir, it was a slow slog up the steep, snowy slopes.

At the French Couloir, you need to switch on and direct your focus to the technical terrain. It’s a short climbing section with ten or more pitches on the ropes. The interesting part here is that you are tired and trying to focus on technical movements all while at 8,300 meters. This is a challenging part of the route but not vertical at any point and handholds are plentiful.

Once passing the French Couloir, the view opens up and you have reached the summit ridge. Everest and Lhotse appear and you have panoramic views. Once reaching this point it seems that you have ‘made it’.

However, when you look to the right, you may think you are looking at the final summit but it is the false summit. The true summit is hidden on the other side. Once you reach the summit ridge, you still have about 15-20 minutes of traversing to reach the actual summit.

The traverse along the summit ridge is at times very narrow. Quite literally it is a single step cut into the cliffside. With a rope for safety to clip in, it may feel safe but this is still a big drop. Many stories of people only reaching the false summit due to no fixed ropes had circulated before our climb.

Thankfully for our team, the Sherpa rope fixing team had fixed all the way to the false summit and then continued to the true summit, making it a much easier task for our team.

About an hour after sunrise, Tashi Sherpa and I arrived at the true summit to enjoy the experience with no crowd, in complete peace. The photo above is from Pema’s summit push with her group, which is why there is a crowd. We had seen the lights on Everest earlier and knew there were climbers on top of the world looking back at us also. We had made it to the top of the fifth highest peak in the world.

The journey down is quite long and we actually descended all the way back to base camp by 3 pm that day. It was a 51-hr summit push from base camp to base camp and one of the biggest mental and physical challenges of my life. Incredibly tough but incredibly rewarding.

MY EXPERIENCE TO REACH THE SUMMIT OF MAKALU

The summit of Makalu (8,463m) 🙏🏽 I almost didn’t make it but here I am. I had to leave the expedition in a heli-evacuation after 20 days, having slept at Camp 2 (6,600m) with the left side of my face numb. I couldn’t sleep and had constant headaches. I had no choice but to leave the expedition.

I landed back in Kathmandu and had MRI, X-ray, and multiple other scans. It turns out the pressure from altitude had exposed necrosis/infection in my gum from a previous motorbike crash 10 years ago.

I had surgery immediately and was taking a handful of drugs day and night. I was doubtful, but not ready to give up on my Makalu Expedition.

3 days later I flew back to Lukla (2,860m) and waited 9 long days for a helicopter back to the advanced base camp (5,700m). With just one solid weather window left, I didn’t have a good chance for another rotation before the summit push.

So on the 18th, I set off with Tashi Sherpa to Camp 2. On the 19th we climbed nine hours to reach Camp 3 (7500m). After a one-hour sleep at Camp 3, we set off on our summit push at 8 pm. Up the relentlessly steep slopes of Makalu, I battled mentally but knew I would never turn back.

Tired but defiant, we reached the empty summit just after sunrise to take in all of the incredible Himalayas. Behind me (end of the video) you can see Everest and Lhotse from our perch of 8,463m on top of the mighty Makalu Mountain 🏔

HAVE YOU READ MY OTHER NEPAL BLOGS?

I’ve been lucky enough to have many awesome adventures in Nepal, which you can check out below where I’ve listed some of my favorite blog poss from Nepal.

• The Most Iconic route: Everest Base Camp Trek
• The Most Scenic Route: Annapurna Circuit Trek
• My Favorite Trek in Nepal: Manaslu Circuit Trek
• An Easy Nepal Trek: Langtang Valley Trek
• A great beginner peak: Island Peak Climb (6,165m)
• My Favorite Climb in Nepal: Climbing Ama Dablam (6,812m)
• My first 8000er: Climbing Manaslu (8,163m)
• My toughest climb in Nepal: Climbing Makalu (8,463m)
• Where to stay: 16 Best Places to Stay in Kathmandu

After three days of being scanned, tested, and operated on in Kathmandu, I headed on a short flight to Lukla. A four-hour delay at Kathmandu airport would signal the start of an unlucky spell. When I arrived in Lukla, I was basically on standby to return heli-flight to Makalu Advanced Base Camp. The very next day, there was an opportunity that fell through. A client left the expedition and took a helicopter out but the helicopter didn’t depart from Lukla in the end due to weather and he caught a helicopter from the Makalu side.

So, I waited in Lukla and waited. Unfortunately, I was at the mercy of the helicopter schedules. They were nonexistent for this period. That is just part of the situation as it was my issue had left the expedition and I was grateful for the company even to try and send me back, basically hitchhiking in an already chartered helicopter flight. However, with almost no communication and a number of false alarm promises of a ‘flight tomorrow’, I found myself disappointed daily. In the end, I packed up and checked out of my tea lodge a total of three times only to return with my tail between my legs to stay another night.

To make matters worse, I wasn’t even sure how my head and gum infection would handle the higher altitude. I still had a mild headache in Kathmandu and Lukla. So, how would it deal with 5800m at the advanced base camp or even in the death zone? I was full of doubt and wondered if I should just call it a day on this adventure. I’m terrible at bailing on an idea, commitment, or expedition. That can be dangerous. I really hope I’m not hanging on to this one and pushing it too far. I guess I will try to reach the advanced base camp and then try a rotation to Camp 2 and see how I go.

The other elements contributing to my lower-than-par state of mind are the lingering hamstring tendinopathy that has caused me a lot of pain on the Makalu Base Camp Trek. This makes it hard for me to plan anything beyond this adventure as I don’t know what it can handle. I’m tired of being injured all the time and feel like I live a life of constant rehabilitation.

Basically, my current situation is out of my control as I wait and wait. In addition, my future situation also feels out of my control as an injury dictates what I can and can’t do. The final nail in the coffin is financial markets crashing as I watch quite a few investments significantly decrease. At the end of the day, my situation is not dire, not so dramatic, and not all that much to complain about in the big scheme of things.

It’s always important to stop and remind one’s self of the scale of a problem or a situation. However, when I’m completely honest, it’s been a tough week mentally. Luckily my natural instinct is to never quit anything unless it is one hundred percent necessary or required. So here, we are waiting on an opportunity.

The highlight of the week is that I’ve basically become a resident of Lukla and made a couple of cute friends. Namely, the young boy at the tea house here where I’m staying. Each day he comes down and hangs out with me until he gets in trouble.

I used my Global Rescue membership to charter the helicopter without the expense and surprisingly, one of their staff was in the helicopter. He checked my vitals and accompanied me all the way back to Kathmandu in the second helicopter and then made sure I was okay at the hospital as they did checks. It was a pretty impressive service, albeit one that I never wanted to test out.

Once in Kathmandu, I was basically on my own. I did an MRI, CBTC, OPG, and X-ray. These tests were requested by the doctor, ENT specialist, and dentist. After all of these tests, it turns out I had sinusitis and two infections in my gum. The infections stemmed from my motorcycle crash a decade ago. The long story cut short is that I had two root canals. However, they couldn’t finish them due to the infection so they were left open to be completed upon return. A painful experience when they can’t use an anesthetic due to the infection.

I only had three full days in Kathmandu and walked more kilometers than when trekking or climbing as I made the medical rounds. It wasn’t relaxing at all and I left feeling battered. The plan was to fly back to Lukla and try and ‘hitchhike’ back to Makalu Base Camp with someone who was going there (with Seven Summit Treks) already and had space.

I almost had a flight the second day but it didn’t quite pan out. I ended up waiting for five long nights in Lukla. It’s an interesting little town but I was bored, to say the least, and wanted to get back to my mission. In the end, it was probably good for me to spend a few extra nights down at 3000m rather than rush back up to 5,800m.

My head is still feeling blurry and the infections still have some pain. It will be interesting to see how I go when I get back up there. I’m not afraid to fail so I may aswell try!

The next morning, I felt slightly better but sleeping at 6300m hadn’t helped my underlying conditions at all. We made the short journey to camp two. It’s actually a relatively easy journey to reach the second camp on Makalu but it felt very difficult to me on this day. Each step was an effort to reach the 6,600m Camp 2. With just a few steps remaining, I threw up outside Camp 2. I felt worse than the night before.

No fluid or food I ate could be kept down, not even water. I threw up another four times at Camp 2. An extremely windy night didn’t help my headache and illness but I survived nonetheless thanks to some care from Pema the nurse.

The next morning, without having any food or water inside my system, we made the journey back down to base camp. I was dizzy and lightheaded. Walking down the slopes, I was constantly out of breath. We made it back down to base camp (5,800m) and I could eat and drink again.

A day later, I had strong pain in my teeth and gum and it got worse and worse. During the night, it got so bad that my face started to go numb on the left side. I decided between the headache and the infection that this was getting too painful, which is saying something for me. I called in my Global Rescue helicopter service and they agreed to pick me up in the morning to take me to Kathmandu. There I would get the treatment I needed and if possible, return to Makalu. What a bloody debacle.

The strange thing is that I found reaching Camp 2 so easy other than the headache and illness. Let’s see if I can get back out there.

Throughout all of this, I still managed to shoot and even flew the drone while dizzy as all hell at Camp 2. Here are some of my favorite shots from the rotation.

Base camp is quite an extensive setup. We have 7ft tall tents to sleep in with a fake grass hallway on the outside. Most of our time is spent in the dome dining tent where we have snacks, coffee, hot water, and charging ports. All of our meals are served here and it’s the general hang-out spot.

Makalu towers above us and is often visible when the clouds don’t provide cover. We can also see all the way up to Camp 2, which sits at 6,600m.

This week we rest, do a little acclimatization hike up through the glacier to camp 1 and have our Puja ceremony to ask for safe passage up the mountain.

I wrote an extensive guide to the Makalu Base Camp Trek, which you can check out here. If you want to see all the photos and check out all of the details you can read that article. In this little Weekly, I’ll share a few little experiences from the trek in so as to differ from that piece.

The first few days of the trek were beautiful but it was difficult for me to enjoy with sharp pin in my hip and hamstring. With a steep vertical kilometer on the first day, it was an abrupt reality check for my struggling body. I tried my best to stay positive but I honestly doubted my ability to make it to base camp at this rate. Throw in the need to keep up and shoot with an able-bodied client and it was a bit of a recipe for disaster.

I battled through the first few days with Pema becoming my remedial massage therapist. What was new!? Drugs, massage and a few lucky rest days allowed me to complete the trek in. I had to alter my gait and was putting a lot of pressure on my knees and quads to climb up the endless stairs.

Aside from the injury battles, the trek was quite relaxing. Compared to other popular treks in Nepal, this region was quite rural and there was simply one teahouse in each town and not a big setup like in the Khumbu. Some of the teahouses had very basic facilities and it was a BYO mattress at the teahouse in Tasigaun. Electrcity and Wifi were non-existent after the first day or two.

After just over a week, we made it to lower base camp and my injury hadn’t gotten any worse. I was glad to have made it through another scare without having to quit on a trip. My luck continued.

These are a few of my favorite frames from the week. However, for all of the photos you can check out the the full blog post that I linked to earlier.

We are part of a 50-day expedition to climb Makalu, which is the 5th highest mountain in the world. It will be a few hundred meters higher than last year’s climb of Manaslu. It’s known to be quite safe with little avalanche risk and is one of the ‘safer’ 8000’ers so hopefully, that ends up being the case.

It’s been 22 days now in Aloft Hotel in Thamel so I’m definitely ready to get out and start the expedition. This year has been quite strange with the pandemic, injuries, and periods of limbo between trips. Time feels different these days.

My body is not in great shape although it is in very good gym shape. I’ve been putting in 100 pullup sessions again for the first time in years. However, I’m also rehabilitating hamstring tendinopathy which isn’t allowing me to walk or sit without pain. This may sound like an end to my expedition but carrying an injury has become the norm for me and is starting to frustrate me immensely. I actually just had a prolotherapy injection into the hip, so hopefully that will give me some relief but I am expecting to suffer on the trek and just survive my way to base camp. It’s not the perfect recipe for a 10-day trek while shooting for two clients and somehow trying to enjoy the experience. Time will tell.