Makalu - Barun Valley The National Park Of Makalu

Makalu-Barun Valley - A glacier valley starting from the foot of the Makalu.

Makalu-Barun Valley is a himalayan glacier valley situated at the base of Mt. Makalu in the Sankhuwasabha district Nepal. This valley lies entirely inside the Makalu Barun National Park.

Barun Valley provides stunning contrasts, where high waterfalls cascade into deep gorges, craggy rocks rise from lush green forests, and colorful flowers bloom beneath white snow peaks. This unique landscape shelters some of the last pristine mountain ecosystems on earth. Rare species of animals and plants flourish in diverse climates and habitats, relatively undisturbed by human kind.

The first attempt of the Ski in the Himalayas expedition traveled along this valley to reach to the Makalu Base Camp.

Makalu Barun National Park is the eighth national park in the Himalayas of Nepal and was established in 1992 as eastern extension of the Sagarmatha National Park. Covering an area of 1500 km2 in the districts of Solukhumbu and Sankhuwasabha it is the world’s only protected area with an elevation gain of more than 8,000 metres (26,000 ft) enclosing tropical forest as well as snow-capped peaks.

The northern border of the national park coincides with the international border to the Tibet Autonomous Region. Adjacent to the southern and southeastern border is the bufferzone Makalu Barun Conservation Area covering an area of 830 km2.

Red Panda

The rugged summits of Makalu, with 8,463 m (27,766 ft) the fifth highest mountain of the world, Chamalang (7,319 m (24,012 ft)), Baruntse (7,129 m (23,389 ft)) and Mera (6,654 m (21,831 ft)) are included in the national park. The protected area extends to about 66 km (41 mi) from west to east and to about 44 km (27 mi) from north to south. From the Arun river valley in the southeast, located at 344–377 m (1,129–1,237 ft) above sea level, elevation gains about 8,025 m (26,329 ft) to the peak of Makalu.

Barun Valley