Destination: Nepal
Group size: 1-12 people
Max-Altitude: 4,250m/13,600ft
Arrival on: Kathmandu, Nepal
Departure from: Kathmandu, Nepal
Meals: Breakfast in Kathmandu and Pokhara. All meals during the trek
Accommodation: Hotels in cities and teahouses during the trek
Trip Introduction
Situated just east of one of the most popular treks of Nepal, the Annapurna Base Camp trek, the Mardi Himal trek is a hidden gem. Few trekkers make their way to the Mardi Himal Base Camp spectacularly situated at the base of Mardi Himal and the impressive Machapuchhre.
The trail goes along small winding paths, through magical rhododendron forests until you climb out of the forest at an elevation around 3,300 m. The landscape changes quite abruptly into a rugged high mountain landscape, with amazing views of Mardi Himal, Machapuchre, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli.
From High Camp (3580 m; some maps incorrectly mention 3900 m) you can climb up to Mardi Himal Base Camp in about 3-4 hours, which offers spectacular close up views of the entire Annapurna Range.
There are simple guesthouses and homestays along the entire route.
Day to Day Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264ft)
A Walking the Himalaya representative will be there to pick us up from the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. We take a short drive from the airport to our hotel. In the evening, we have Nepalese cuisine at a welcome dinner with our team. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Included meals: Dinner
Day 02: Drive to Pokhara (827m/2,700ft): 6-7 hours
We can enjoy the beautifully terraced farms, little shops by the side of the road and the raging Trishuli River on our drive to Pokhara also referred to as the ‘City of Lakes.’ From the city, we get great views of the Himalayas including Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machhapuchhre, the five peaks of Annapurna. Pokhara is also a tourist destination, so we take some time out in the evening and enjoy it! Overnight in Pokhara.
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 03: Drive to Phedi and trek to Deurali (2100m/6,720ft): 30 minutes drive, 4-5 hours trek
After early morning breakfast, we start our adventure with a drive to Phedi and start trekking from there. We walk on stone steps, terraced fields and through villages and forests before reaching Dhampus where we have lunch. We continue our walk to Deurali which is a small village beautifully located on a ridge with good views of the Annapurna South, Mardi Himal, and Macchhapuchhare. Overnight in Deurali.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 04: Deurali to forest camp (2,520m/8064ft): 6-7 hours
Our trail passes through lush forest dotted with the red rhododendrons. The flowers are a common sight in Nepalese hills and it is no surprise that its Nepal’s national flower. Our trail is very quiet until we reach a clearing of the forest camp. We can take rest and explore the area which is also known locally as Kokar. Overnight in Forest Camp.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 05: Forest Camp to low camp (2970m/9504ft): 5-6 hours
We continue to walk through dense forests admiring Nepal’s rich biodiversity and reach the low camp. From here, the fantastic view of Mt. Machapuchhre (Mt. Fishtail) up the valley is mesmerizing. We can spend some time in the evening observing the local lifestyle. Overnight in low camp.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 06: Low camp to high camp (3540m/11,328ft): 3-4 hours
We trek uphill alongside a ridge towards Mardi Himal and Macchhapuchhre. The tree lines start getting thinner and the area mostly consists of shrubs with isolated rhododendron bushes along the trail. If lucky, we might even come across the Daphne pheasant (national bird of Nepal) on our way to high camp. We ascend up to the high camp, which the final destination of the day. From here the mountain views are stunning. Overnight in high camp.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 07: High camp to upper viewpoint (4250m/13600ft), return back to high camp: 2-3 hours
On our trek, to the upper viewpoint, we ascend and descend, and sometimes on a steep and narrow trail. Our trail passes through pastures and we hike along a narrow ridge before reaching the Upper Viewpoint. The view of the Himalayan vista from here is astonishing. We see Mardi Himal (5587m), Annapurna I (8091m), Annapurna South (7219m), Hiunchuli (6441m), Baraha Shikhar (Mt. Fang) (7647m), Tent Peak (5695m), Singhachuli (6501m), Machapuchhre (6993m) and others. We trek back to the high camp for an overnight stay.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 08: High camp to Sidhing Village (1700m/5440ft): 6-7 hours
We take a different route in the high camp that takes us to Sidhing instead of going back down to Mardi Himal. The different route lets us experience something different and makes our trek exciting. Siddhing offers a quiet stay for trekkers as it is tucked away from the busier trails. Overnight in Siddhing.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Day 09: Trek to Lumre, drive to Pokhara and fly to Kathmandu: 2-3 hours trek, 2 hours drive and 25 minutes flight
After an early breakfast, we walk towards Lumre finally reaching the road from where we begin our drive to Pokhara. After reaching the city, we continue our drive to its domestic airport and fly back to Kathmandu. Someone from Walking the Himalaya will pick us from the airport and drop us off at our hotel. We take a rest and freshen up. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner to celebrate the successful completion of our Mardi Himal Trek. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Included meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10: Final departure
Our friendly representative will drop you off at the airport. We are sure that you will be inspired to visit Nepal again after this trek. We hope that you choose us to plan your next trip to Nepal.
Included meals: Breakfast
Important Note
Your safety is of topmost concern while traveling with us. Please note that your leader has the right to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary; however, since this adventure entails traveling in remote mountainous regions, we cannot guarantee that we will not deviate from it. Weather conditions, health conditions of a group member, unexpected natural disasters, etc., can all contribute to changes in the itinerary. The leader will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required.
Included in the Cost
Airport pickups and drops in a private vehicle
3-star hotel accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara with breakfast
Teahouse accommodation during the trek
All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek
All ground transportation on a comfortable private vehicle as per the itinerary
Welcome and farewell dinners
An experienced, English-speaking and government-licensed trek leader
Domestic flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu
Porter service (2 trekkers: 1 porter)
Staff costs including their salary, insurance, equipment, food, and accommodation
Down jacket and sleeping bag (to be returned after trip completion)
Trekking bag/duffel bag and trekking map are yours to take
All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (ACAP, TIMS)
Medical kit (carried by your trek leader)
All government and local taxes
Not Included in the Cost
Nepalese visa fee
International airfare to and from Kathmandu
Excess baggage charges
Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara
Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara in case of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountain (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
Travel and rescue insurance
Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower, etc.)
Tips for guide(s), porter(s) and driver(s)