Valley or region
Barun Valley
A glacier-carved valley in Makalu Barun National Park, leading through forest and high pasture to the foot of Makalu.
Koshi Provinceसङ्खुवासभा
Sankhuwasabha District
From the deep Arun valley to the summit of Makalu, the district for the Makalu Barun National Park and the wild Barun Valley trek.
- Province
- Koshi
- Headquarters
- Khandbari
- Area
- about 3,483 km²
- Places on Firfirey
- 3
About Sankhuwasabha
Sankhuwasabha is a large district in the north of Koshi Province, bordering Tibet (China) to the north. The Arun River cuts through it from north to south, and the land climbs from low, warm valley floors around Tumlingtar to Makalu, one of the world's highest peaks. Solukhumbu lies to the west, Taplejung and Terhathum to the east, and Bhojpur and Dhankuta to the south.
Rai, Sherpa, Lhomi, Gurung, Newar and Brahmin-Chhetri communities live here, and cardamom, rice and millet are grown on the lower slopes. Much of the north lies in the Makalu Barun National Park, known for rhododendron forests and rich wildlife. Trekkers come for the route to Makalu Base Camp through the Barun Valley, while the old bazaar of Chainpur and the headquarters Khandbari are worth a stop.
Places in Sankhuwasabha
Getting there
Tumlingtar airport in the Arun valley has flights from Kathmandu and Biratnagar and is the usual starting point, a short drive below Khandbari. By road, the Koshi Highway runs north from Dharan via Dhankuta and Hile towards Khandbari, a long day's drive or more.
Best time to visit
Autumn (October to November) is the best time for clear mountain views and trekking, with spring (April to May) good for rhododendrons; the monsoon brings heavy rain and leeches, and winter snow closes the high passes on the Makalu route.
Treks in Sankhuwasabha
A network of high and mid-hill routes about 1,700 km long that crosses Nepal from Kanchenjunga in the east to Humla and the far west, usually walked in sections, or as a through-trek of about four to five months.
- Days
- 160 days
- Maximum altitude
- 6,160 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
Editorial draft: the district overview is being checked. Headquarters and Nepali names: nepal-places dataset (MIT). Area and map position computed from the district boundaries of the Government of Nepal, Survey Department, via OCHA.