The best times to trek to Makalu Base Camp are in autumn (September–November) and spring (March–May). During these seasons, the weather features clear skies and cool temperatures. Spring offers warm and sunny conditions, with occasional high-altitude snowfall. You might encounter snow and ice on high passes, but the clear skies provide stunning mountain views. As summer approaches, temperatures rise, and the landscape becomes lush and vibrant with blooming wildflowers and rhododendrons, adding a myriad of colors to the scenery.

Along the route, there are basic homestay tea lodges with twin beds, hard coats, and blankets. For cold nights, a sleeping bag, pillow, and lining are recommended. Most camps, including Makalu Base Camp, have three tea houses. Each lodge can accommodate six to eight people daily, so larger groups may need to split up or camp. Rooms are simple, with communal toilets and bathrooms. Booking in advance is advisable to secure your spot. Toilets are Nepali style, and hot water for showers can be arranged for an extra cost. Guests eat and stay in the same tea house, as dining in one and sleeping in another is considered inappropriate. Tea houses offer simple meals like 'Dal Bhat,' fried rice, chow mein, and eggs. Menus are limited, so it’s best to ask the tea house owner about food options. If you have specific dietary needs, bring your own frozen or dried foods.

A Trekkers' Information Management Systems (TIMS) card is required for trekking in Makalu Base Camp. For the first four weeks, an additional entry fee of USD 20 per person per week is charged by Makalu Rural Municipality. After four weeks, the fee increases to USD 25 per person per week. The TIMS card can be purchased in Kathmandu, and the admission fee is collected at the entrance of Makalu Barun National Park. Permits can also be collected on the trail from our guides.

Trekking to Makalu Base Camp is a challenging journey. Its geographic isolation, unpredictable climate, high-altitude passes, and limited facilities make it a less frequented but naturally magnificent destination. The altitude ranges from 430 meters to over 4870 meters, with trails that can ascend or descend up to 1500 meters a day. Trekkers often need to hike for up to eight hours daily. After Tashigaon, there are no shelters or food settlements between camps, and the few lodges and tea houses offer limited convenience. Therefore, carrying sufficient food and water for the trail is essential.

Telecommunication services on the Makalu Base Camp trek are limited. Connectivity is strong and reliable at lower altitudes but becomes rarer and weaker as you ascend. GSM and CDMA networks from NTC and Ncell are available with Internet access, though Wi-Fi is not an option. This is a wilderness trek, so embrace a few days without Internet connectivity. Below 3,000 m, cell phone service is partial, while satellite phones become available at higher altitudes. In case of emergencies, guides are equipped with satellite phones, ensuring you are just a call away from emergency response. The lack of telephone connectivity should not be a concern.

What is the required physical fitness and risk of altitude sickness on this trek?

WiFi is increasingly available at guesthouses throughout the trek but comes with a charge depending on what altitude you are at, and gives patchy coverage. You can use local SIM cards, either NCELL or NTC, when trekking, but NTC has better phone signal and data connection on the Manaslu Circuit trek. Charging batteries are freely available for the first couple of days, but this doesn’t last long. After you ascend to a higher elevation, it will cost you NPR 200 and more to charge your electronics, depending on the device you want to charge.