Makalu (Nepali: मकालु) is 8481 meter high mountain in Nepal which marks itself the fifth highest mountain in the world. It lies in Mahalangur Mountain range in Makalu Barun National park. On May 15, 1955, French Expedition members Lionel Terry and Jean Couzy ascended it for the first time from the north face with Sirdar Gyaltsen Norbu Sherpa as a guide.
Key features of Mount Makalu
- It is the fifth highest mountain of the world. It’s 8481 meter (27838 ft.) high
- It is 22 km away on the southeast of Mount Everest on the border between Nepal and China in Sankhuwasabha district.
- Its map coordinates are 27°53′23″N by 87°05′20″E.
- The root word of Makalu is the Sanskrit word Mahakala (Nepali: महाकाल). Makala is the name of the god of the gods Shiva which means ‘the Big Black’.
- Local people call it Kumbhakarna (Nepali: कुम्भकर्ण). Kunbhakarna is a Ramayana character and the brother of famous Lanka king Ravana.
- It is pyramidal in shape with four knife-edge ridges and steep gradients thus putting it in a list of world’s harder and technical mountains to ascent
- The final ascent on it is a technical rock/ice climbing.
- The route to this mountain goes along Neh Kharka and Sherson to Makalu Base Camp (MBC).
- The two subsidiary peaks of it are Makalu II aka Kangchungtse (7678 m) and Chomo Lonzo (7804 m).
- Makalu II lies 3 km north-northeast of main peak. Also the Chomo Lonzo lies 5 km north-northeast of main peak.
- The 7200 m long Saddle connects Chomo Lonzo with Kangchungtse. It towers above the Kangshung valley.
- Researchers visit this region for Yeti (The Snowman) expeditions.
- Makalu-Barun Valley is the beguiling and highlighted feature of trekking in this region. The glaciers and white rivers make it heavenly place to visit.
- The mountain and the Brun valley lie in Makalu Barun National Park.
- The local communities in this mountain area are Rai, Sherpa and Gurung people.
