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Makalu · Trekking partners

Find a trekking partner for Makalu

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Makalu is a trekking region of Nepal, with routes of 16 days that climb to 4,830 m. Foreign trekkers can find a partner for treks here on FindTrekkingPartner by posting a trip with their dates, budget and pace. Matches stay private until both trekkers agree, and the service is free. At mid-range rates a licensed guide costs about USD 131 per person over 16 days when four trekkers share, against USD 525 for one trekker alone. The best seasons are Mar–May, Oct–Nov. A licensed guide is required in practice here: the Nepal Tourism Board April 2023 rule is reported by 2026 operators to be enforced at checkpoints in national parks and conservation areas, with Langtang the strictest and Annapurna checking too (checked 19 October 2026). Hire a guide through a registered agency and confirm with them. Last verified: October 19, 2026. Sources: Nepal Tourism Board, DNPWC, Department of Immigration.

Sources:Department of Immigration, NepalNepal Tourism BoardDepartment of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation

16 days · up to 4,830 m · from Kathmandu. Share a licensed guide and split the costs with trekkers on your dates.

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Makalu
Days
16
Highest point
4,830 m
Starts from
Kathmandu
Minimum group
No minimum
Licensed guide
Required for foreigners
Best seasons
Mar–May · Oct–Nov

Open trips for Makalu

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How much do you save with partners?
Makalu Base Camp Trek, 16 days, mid-range. Change the route or your group size.

You save per person, with a group of 4

NPR 82,280≈ $614

That's 31% less than going solo: guide, porters, transport, permits and a 10% buffer, same as the cost calculator.

Per person, group of 4

NPR 179,552

Shared with the group (÷ 4)

  • Licensed guideNPR 70,400
  • 2 porters × NPR 44,000NPR 88,000

NPR 158,400 ÷ 4 people = NPR 39,600 eachNPR 39,600

Your own costs

  • Room and foodNPR 65,600
  • Transport (return, per person)NPR 46,900
  • PermitsNPR 11,129
  • 10% bufferNPR 16,323

= Total per personNPR 179,552

  • Licensed guideNPR 70,400 → NPR 17,600
  • 2 porters × NPR 44,000NPR 44,000 → NPR 22,000

Estimate from our region cost data (mid-range). Prices vary — the platform handles no money.

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Best months to find a partner

Usual trekking seasons for this route. Months with a link open the departures board at that month.

Cost per person when 2, 3 or 4 share a guide on Makalu

Guide cost per person for 16 days at the mid-range daily rate of USD 33. Estimates from our cost data; agencies set their own prices.

Group sizeGuide per personSaving vs aloneGuide, room and food per person
1 trekker (alone)USD 525—USD 1,015
2 trekkersUSD 263USD 263USD 752
3 trekkersUSD 175USD 350USD 665
4 trekkersUSD 131USD 394USD 621

Guide share plus teahouse room and food at the low mid-range rate; excludes permits, flights, porters, gear and tips.

Cost data last verified October 19, 2026.

Written by FindTrekkingPartner teamReviewed by FindTrekkingPartner teamHow we reviewFindTrekkingPartner

Split the guide cost

Partner tips for Makalu

  • A licensed guide is required in practice on this route (Nepal Tourism Board rule of April 2023, enforced at checkpoints), so budget for one and share the cost. Decide as a group before you buy permits.
  • Match on the start day before anything else: on Makalu a one-day difference at the start changes every lodge booking and acclimatisation stop.
  • Agree the pace for the longest days and the highest nights, not for the easy start. Ask partners how they handled their last trek above 3,000 m.
  • Put the guide fee, porter share and tip split in writing before you book. The three-line template in our guide takes five minutes.
  • Decide now what happens if someone turns back: who keeps the guide, and how costs are split for the days walked.
The route at a glance
Highest point: 4,830 m
  1. Day 1Kathmandu → Tumlingtar400 m
  2. Day 2Tumlingtar → Seduwa1,610 m
  3. Day 3Seduwa → Tashigaon2,120 m
  4. Day 16Tumlingtar → Kathmandu1,400 m
See the full day-by-day itinerary

Makalu: questions trekkers ask

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Yes, the rule applies in Makalu: a licensed guide through a registered agency is part of the permit (Department of Immigration). National parks and conservation areas: the Nepal Tourism Board rule of April 2023 requires a licensed guide. Local practice differs: 2026 operator reports say checkpoints check for a guide in Annapurna and Langtang, while Khumbu (Everest) uses a municipal trek card instead. Follow the rule: trek with a licensed guide through a registered agency in every region. Most solo trekkers hire a guide and then pay for it alone; with partners you split that cost.

With 4 trekkers the licensed guide works out at about NPR 17,600 each instead of NPR 70,400 alone (estimate, mid-range, 16 days). Jeeps and porters split the same way.

Best seasons: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Open trips show the month and duration — sign in to see exact dates and hosts.

Yes. No fees, no commissions, no ads. We don't sell tours or handle money — you pay your guide or agency directly.

Profiles show experience, verified email/phone and treks confirmed by past groups. Contacts are shared only when you choose, you can report or block anyone, and we recommend meeting in public first.

Guides for this trek

Red and white rhododendron flowers among branches in the Makalu areaCover photo: Indra Rai, CC BY-SA 4.0
rhododendronspringlaliguras
Rhododendron season in Nepal, where and when
When and where to see rhododendrons on Nepal treks: bloom begins low in March and peaks in April, with the best forests at Ghorepani, Ghandruk, below Namche, in Makalu and Rara, and how to plan around crowds.
7 min read
Close-up of the pyramid summit and west pillar of Makalu under a clear blue skyCover photo: Craig Taylor, CC BY-SA 2.0
makalupermitsnational-park
Makalu Barun National Park permit guide
What paperwork the Makalu trek needs: the park entry permit, TIMS, the guide position, the 2026 controlled-areas report, the checkpost at Seduwa and where to confirm the fee.
6 min read
A flat grassy valley floor beneath misty cliffs at Yangri Kharka in the Barun valley with a small hut at rightCover photo: Roman Yahodka, CC BY-SA 4.0
makaluitineraryshipton-la
Makalu Base Camp itinerary day by day
A 16-day Makalu Base Camp itinerary from Tumlingtar and Seduwa over the Shipton La to base camp, with distances, climbs, sleeping altitudes and the steep Khongma Danda day.
7 min read

Figures are estimates and change by season and agency. Always confirm permits, fees and rules with your registered trekking agency, the Nepal Tourism Board and the Department of Immigration.

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