This hidden Himalayan valley “Shiva Dhara'' A large stone cliff which has a hole in its face and through which a 500 feet tall waterfall cascades Considered as the most sacred tap of Lord Shiva. According to ancient tales, it was Lord Shiva and Parbati’s playground, where they played and bathed during Spring. It is one of the most famous hidden pilgrimage sites situated  at the base of the fifth highest mountain in the world, Makalu  (8481 m / 27,825 ft). Nestled in the Sankhuwasabha district, The Shiva Dhara “Barun Valley '' Well known as The Seven Shangri-La As mystical and spectacularly beautiful evergreen places where no one gets old. The trail is full of contrasting landscapes and still under the shade for most outdoor travelers and lovers visiting Nepal. Because of this, you will have much of the trail all to yourself as you walk for days on end through the pristine landscape and you will be fortunate enough to be among the first few to reach and explore the isolated villages and experience raw wilderness deep into the Makalu-Barun National Park. Shiva Dhara is covered in snow throughout most of the year. Pilgrims trek to the site to bathe in the holy waters on a full moon every year.

Our adventure starts with a 35 minutes flight or Via driving to Tumlingtar, a remote airstrip sitting above Arun Khola. Then drive north to Khandbari, The district administrative town of Sankhuwasabha (DAS) and stay overnight in a local lodge or hotel. Our drive continues further north to Num from where we start our walk. 

NOTE: For the safety of our clients before starting or day before heading towards Shiva Dhara we will provide some knowledge of usages of climbing gear safety clips which will be a plus point and useful at the final few hours of technical cliffs you will be climbing through;).

History of Barun Valley: It is believed that this pristine land on earth was inhabited by the Mewahang, Kulung, Yamfu, Kirat and Rai communities in ancient times. You can still find Kirat and Rai communities around the area. You can also find about the Barun Valley in the ancient religious Buddhist book Seven Shangri-la (Nghe-Beyul Khimpalung). It describes Barun Valley as mystical and spectacularly beautiful evergreen places where no one gets old.

Makalu Barun National Park: Established as an eastern extension of Sagarmatha National Park in 1991. It covers an area of 1500 sq km. In addition, the buffer zone of 830 sq km was extended in 1999. The elevation range of this protected area starts from 435 m to above 8000 m. For this reason, Makalu Barun National Park is the world’s only protected area that comprises tropical forests as well as snow-capped mountains. The fifth highest mountain of the world, Mt Makalu (8,463 m) also lies in this protected area. Likewise, Mera Peak (6654 m), Baruntse (7,129 m) and Chamlang (7,319 m) are some of the peaks in the Makalu Region. The national park is also a part of the Sacred Himalayan Landscape.

Climate: Makalu-Barun area falls in the eastern Himalayan climatic regime where monsoon starts early (June) and stays longer than in west Nepal (until late September). The climate is generally described as monsoon type, where more than 70% of the precipitation occurs between June and September. Pre-monsoon rain is common during the months of April and May, an important factor in biomes production. No reliable records of climatic data represent the entire area- Great variations in temperature and precipitation can be expected due to extreme differences in altitude, slope and aspect within the area.

Flora and Fauna: Recognized for its tremendous diversity of plants, animals and people, the area contains roughly 3,000 flower plants, including 25 species of Rhododendron, 47 types of Orchids, 19 species of bamboos, 15 varieties of oaks, 86 kinds of fodder trees, 56 rare and endangered plants foster in 27 types of forests. The protected area is a habitat for an array of fauna. There are 43 species of Reptiles, 315 species of Butterfly, and 16 species of Amphibians. The Ponds, Rivers, and Lakes within the park inhabit 78 species of Fish. In addition 88 species of Mammals and 433 species of Birds have been recorded in this naturally rich and diverse protected area. Snow Leopard, Red Panda, Musk Deer, Wild Boar, and they are among the wildlife found here. Certain species are found here and nowhere else in the world, hence its designation by some scientists as a “Living lLaboratory” for scientific research.

How to get there: There are regular flights from Kathmandu to Tumlingtar or Biratnagar to Tumlingtar. It Can also be reached from Biratnagar/Dharan. It is a 6/7 hrs drive to Hile and a 3 day trek to Tumlingtar from there. You can also reach the Inkhu valley of Makalu Barun from Lukla and Phalpu. 

Best Time to Trek: Each season has its perks but reaching Shiva Dhara or trekking through Barun Valley is possible throughout the year, but Spring (March to May) is a bit more colorful and the Rhododendrons are bloomans. Autumn (September to November) Skies are generally clearer and due to the festival season it adds extra color of joy and provides more flavor of religious traditions and local lifestyle. The Barun Valley Trek requires moderate fitness or acclimatization to avoid acute mountain sickness.