Makalu trekking is one of the falmous destination for the trekker or adventure seekers. High in the heart of the eastern Himalaya, seven valleys radiate from mount. Makalu, the world's thirth highest peak. These valleys, particularly the Barun valley, treasure some of the last remaining pristine forests and alpine meadows of Nepal. From the bottom of the Arun valley, at just 435 m above sea level, the Himalaya rise to the snow-capped tip of Makalu- 8.463 m--within a 40 km dista nce.Within this wide range of altitudes and climates, the Makalu-Barun area contains some of the richest and most diverse pockets of plants and animals in Nepal, elsewhere lost to spreading human habitation.Nestled in the lower reaches of these valleys are communities of Rai, Sherpa, and Shingsawa (Bhotia) farmers.
Though economically poor and isolated, they retain a rich cultural heritage. They hold the key to the preservation of the unique biological and cultural treasures of the Makalu Barun area. The Makalu-Barun National Park and Conservation Area was established in 1992 as Nepal's eighth national park and the first to include an adjacent inhabited conservation area as a buffer. A new park management approach encourages local people to become actively involved in protecting the forests and natural resources upon which their lives depend, and in conserving their own rich cultural heritage.
Covering 2.330 sq km, Makalu-Barun is a vital component of the greater Mount Everest ecosystem which includes Nepal's 1.148 sq km Sagarmatha.
For the naturalist, there are spectacular displays of wildflowers and exotic plants. More than 3.000 species of flowering plants, with hundreds of orchid varieties, 48. primroses, and 25 of Nepal's 30 rhododendrons splash the hillsides with color. The forests shelter abundant wildlife, including the endangered red panda and musk deer as well as the ghoral, Himalayan tahr and leopard. Ornithologists have identified 400 bird species, at least 16 of which are extremely rare. The trek grade is like moderate or adventures. |
