Tumlingtar to Tashi Gaon: the approach to Makalu
Written by our trekking team
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, Apr 2026.
The short version
The Makalu trek starts with a 40-minute flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar (472m) in the Arun valley, then three walking days to Tashi Gaon (2,100m). You go by jeep track and footpath to Num, drop steeply to the Arun River and climb to Seduwa, where the Makalu-Barun National Park checkpoint logs your permits, then walk through forest to Tashi Gaon. These are teahouse nights. Tashi Gaon is the last village, and from the next morning the camp crew takes over.
The approach at a glance
| Day | Stage | Altitude | Change | Night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Fly Kathmandu to Tumlingtar | 472m | 40-min flight | Guesthouse |
| 3 | Tumlingtar to Num | 1,560m | ▲ 1,088m | Teahouse |
| 4 | Num to Seduwa | 1,500m | ▼ 500m, ▲ 440m | Teahouse |
| 5 | Seduwa to Tashi Gaon | 2,100m | ▲ 600m | Teahouse |
These four days take you from the warm lowlands to the edge of the high country. They're the only part of the trip where the scenery is mostly farms, villages and forest, and they're a good, gentle way to get your legs going before the big climbs.
Day 2: the flight to Tumlingtar
Day 1 is in Kathmandu: we go through the Restricted Area Permit and national park paperwork already filed for you, and the camp gear list, which is the longest of any route we run. Then on Day 2 a 40-minute flight carries you over the Mahabharat range and down into the Arun valley.
Tumlingtar sits at 472m, lower than Kathmandu. It's warm, and it's where your camp crew and supplies meet the group. Flying in cuts days off the walk compared with the overland ways in, which is a big part of why the trip fits into 18 days.
Day 3: up to Num
The walk starts on a jeep track and then footpath along the Arun River, climbing gradually to Num at 1,560m. That's a gain of 1,088m, but it's spread over the whole day and the gradient is mostly kind.
Num is the last road-connected village before the national park boundary. By now you may notice how few other trekkers there are.
Day 4: across the Arun to Seduwa
Day 4 is the first steep one. From Num the trail drops 500m, steeply, to a suspension bridge over the Arun River, and then climbs 440m, just as steeply, up to Seduwa at 1,500m. It's about 8km and 5 to 6 hours, and you finish lower than you started.
Poles help a lot on the descent. Take it slowly and enjoy the bridge.
The checkpoint. Seduwa is home to the Makalu-Barun National Park checkpoint, and your Restricted Area Permit is logged here. Your guide handles it. You just need your passport handy. If you're curious about how the permits fit together, our permits explainer covers it.
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, Apr 2026.
Day 5: Seduwa to Tashi Gaon
The trail passes through Gyansila and into forest, climbing 600m in about 10km and 5 hours to Tashi Gaon at 2,100m. In spring the forest on this stretch is full of rhododendron.
Tashi Gaon is the last village on the route. It's your last teahouse night until Day 16, when you come back through on the way out. The next morning the crew takes over, and Day 6 climbs 1,460m to camp at Khongma Danda, one of the steepest days we run anywhere. What camping on Makalu is like picks up from there.
Making the most of the approach
- Walk these days slowly, even though they feel easy. It sets a habit you'll want above 3,500m.
- Use the teahouse nights to sort your duffel. By Tashi Gaon, you want camp layers, headlamp and water purification where you can find them.
- Drink plenty. The lowlands are warm, and it's easy to start the high days behind.
- Keep your passport somewhere quick to reach for Seduwa.
The same way out
You come back this way at the end. Day 17 is a long one: Tashi Gaon through Seduwa and Num to the road-head, then a jeep to Tumlingtar, covering three days of the walk in, and Day 18 is the morning flight to Kathmandu. Onward international flights usually leave the same day or the next.
The rest of the route is in our Makalu Base Camp Trek guide, and every day is listed on the Makalu itinerary.
Frequently asked
How do you get to the start of the Makalu trek?
By a 40-minute flight from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar (472m) on Day 2. The walking starts the next morning, toward Num.
Where are the permits checked on the Makalu trek?
Your Restricted Area Permit is logged at Seduwa, home to the Makalu-Barun National Park checkpoint, on Day 4.
Are there teahouses on the Makalu approach?
Yes. From Tumlingtar to Tashi Gaon you sleep in a guesthouse and teahouses. Camping starts above Tashi Gaon.
How hard is the walk to Tashi Gaon?
Moderate. The hardest part is Day 4, a steep 500m drop to the Arun River and a steep 440m climb to Seduwa, about 8km and 5 to 6 hours.
What is Tashi Gaon?
The last village on the route, at 2,100m. It's the last teahouse night before the camping stretch, and you come back through it on Day 16.