The park and conservation area is situated in the
Sankhuwasabha and Solukhumbu districts, bordered by the Arun
River on the east, Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) National Park on the
west, the Nepal?Tibet border on the north and Saune Danda
(ridge) to the south. The Park covers 2,330 sq. kms.
This is the only protected area in Nepal with designation of a
Strict Nature Reserve. It has some of the richest and most
unique pockets of plants and animals in Nepal, elsewhere lost to
spreading human habitation. Stepping up the slopes are a series
of vegetation zones starting with tropical sal forest below
1,000 m. elevation: subtropical schima castanopsis forest at
1,000?2000 m. fir, birch, rhododendron forests in the
sub?alpine(3,000?4,000 m); and herbs, grasses and
rhododendron/juniper shrubs in the alpine pas trues (4,000?5,000
m). There are 47 varieties of orchids, 67 species of bamboos, 15
oaks including Arkhoulo, 86 species of fodder trees and 48
species of primrose. Over 400 species of birds have been sighted
in the Makalu?Barun area, including two species never before
seen in Nepal the spotted wrenbabbler and the olive ground
warbler. Wildlife includes the endangered red panda, musk deer,
Himalayan black bear, clouded leopard and possibly snow leopard,
in addition to more substantial populations of ghoral, thar,
wild boar, barking deer, Himalayan marmot and weasel, common
langur monkey and the serow. The Arun river system contains 84
varieties of fish.
Access:
To reach Makalu Barun National Park & Conservation Area, take
the daily flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, Phaplu, Lamidanda,
Bhojpur and Tumlingtar. Visitors choice to fly any one air link
airports then trek. |