Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world and is located 22 km (14 mi) east of Mount Everest. Makalu is an isolated peak whose shape is a four-sided pyramid. Rising just north of the higher summit, separated by a narrow saddle, is Chomo Lonzo (7,818m/25,650') a subsidiary peak of Makalu.

Makalu was first climbed on May 15, 1955 by Lionel Terray and Jean Couzy of a French expedition led by Jean Franco, after the team's first attempt failed in 1954. Franco and two other climbers summitted the next day. The French team climbed Makalu by the north face and NE ridge.

The first attempt on Makalu was made by an American team in the spring of 1954. They attempted to reach the top via the SE ridge but were turned back at 7,100 metres by a constant barrage of storms. The first ascent by the SE ridge was made by two climbers from a Japanese expedition on May 23, 1970.

Makalu is considered as one of the most difficult mountains in the world to climb. The mountain is notorious for it's steep pitches and knife-edged ridges that are completely open to the elements.

• 1954 First attempts of ascents: American mountaineers leaded by W. Seyra climbed up to 7100 m via the Southern ridge. Britain mountaineers reached 6 500 m in the direction to the North col. French mountaineers reached North-East summit of Makalu 7600 m.
• 1955 May 15 Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray summitted Makalu via the North col.
• 1961 Britain expedition reached 8350 m via the North col.
• 1970 Japanese mountaineers Ch. Takanaka and I. Otsaki climbed South-East ridge of Makalu.
• 1971 West ridge was climbed. Members of French expedition Yannick Seigneur and B. Millet summited the top (leader of the expedition - R. Paragot).
• 1973 Makalu, South face was climbed. (Czech expedition, leaded by Ivan Galfi).
• 1976 Makalu, South-West face was climbed via the buttress (Czech expedition, leaded by Ivan Galfi). The climbers reached the top: M. Krissak , K. Shubert and Spaniard J. Kamprubi.
• 1977 An expedition from February to May of 1977 was the first attempt to climb the West Face. The expedition was organized out of Boulder, Colorado and members included Jeff Long as leader, James H. Willis, Mike Lowe, Lanny Johnson, Richard Collins, and Edwin Drummond among others. The team was defeated by rockfall, avalanche and altitude sickness after establishing the highest camp of about 23,000 feet where the hanging glacier meets the final vertical rock face. This expedition was the first to pack out all of its trash after the attempt. Thanks to the team physician sierranvin for this information.
• 1980 The first US team to summit was in 1980. The team was made up of Jim States, John Roskelley, Kim Momb and Chris Kopczynski. They summited 2 members of the team and put 2 members within 150 feet. They summited without the use of oxygen or Sherpa support via the West Pillar Route.
• 1981 (Spring) Second attempt to climb the Makalu, West Face. Two men team of Polish climber Wojtek Kurtyka and English climber Alex MacIntyre reached 6 800 m.
• 1981 (autumn) Third attempt - West Face: Jerzy Kukuczka, Wojtek Kurtyka and English climber Alex MacIntyre got acclimatization climbing the north col. (8000 m), went on West face and reached 7600 m.
• 1981 (autumn) After the unsuccessful attempt to climb West face Kukuczka successfully soloed North-West buttress.
• 1982 The fourth attempt of climb the West face. Swiss expedition of R. Nattarice tried to climb West ridge (up to 7400 m), then they went to West face and climbed up to 7700 m toward the North buttress. Andrzej Czok a member of Polish expedition lead by Adam Bilczewskin climbed the West Face.
• 1986 Krzysztof Wielicki and Marcel Ruedi climbed the new variation of normal route. Ruedi died during the descent.
• 1990 For the first time a woman climbed the West ridge as a member of American expedition, via one of the most difficult routes up to 8000 m. Kitty Kalon-Griss and Jott Chat reached the summit on 18th of May.
• 1991 A two men team (E. Loretan and D. Troillet) climbed the West ridge. They left the base camp (5300 m) on 1st of October, had a bivi in the Spain camp at the altitude of 7400 m and on October 2nd reached the summit.
• 1992 Fifth attempt of climbing the Makalu, West face. A Britain expedition leaded by N. Masson. They reached 7000 m.
• 1993 Sixth attempt - Makalu, West face. A famous rockclimber Catherine Destivelle and E. Decamp and American mountaineer D. Low tried to ascend first via the North-West buttress then after the unsuccessful attempt went on the West face.
• 1996 Seventh attempt - Makalu, West face. Mountain team from Novokuznetsk city after their ascending Makalu via the classical route.
• 1997 The West face was successfully summited! The Russian expedition to the West Face of Makalu, leaded by Sergey Efimov climbed the top on 21st of May via the most difficult route. The last part of the route went on Parago ridge. Climbed to the top: Alexei Bolotov, Yuri Ermachek, Dmitri Pavlenko, Igor Bugachevski and Nikolai Jiline. For this ascent they were awarded the "Gold ice-axe".
• 2001 Sherpa Lhakpa Dorje became the first climber in history to summit Makalu twice.