This unique landscape shelters some of the last pristine mountain ecosystems on earth. Rare species of animals and plants flourish in diverse climates and habitats, relatively undisturbed by human kind. Over 3000 species of flowering plants, 440 species of birds, and 75 species of mammals, including the endangered clouded leopard, red panda and musk deer, have been recorded. This remarkable biodiversity is considered to be of global significance, and provides a living laboratory for international scientific research.The Barun Valley is part of a huge international protected area under an agreement between Nepal and China. The trek crosses several high passes as it climbs into the remote Barun Valley at the foot of Makalu, the world's fifth highest mountain, providing a splendid venue for more adventurous nature lovers.
