Booking open for 2024 and 2025 for all tour and trekking in nepal
Mardi Himal Trek
5/5 based on 100 reviews
Booking open for 2024 and 2025 for all tour and trekking in nepal
5/5 based on 100 reviews
Trip Duration
6 Days
Group Sizes
2 - 14 People
Difficulty
Easy
Max. Altitude
4200m
Activities
Meals
Mardi Himal Trek is one of the best treks in Nepal, offering cultural and natural beauty of the country in a very short period of time. We can witness all the major features, like the high Himalayan mountains, lush green hills, rich culture and traditions, small and peaceful villages, and picturesque views of Nepal.
The Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara takes the travelers to the Annapurna Sanctuary Area, which is closer to Mount Mardi, which is at an altitude of 5,587 m above sea level. Not just Mount Mardi, but many other high Himalayan mountains standing above the elevation of 8,000 m and below, like Annapurna I (8,091 m), Annapurna South (7,219 m), Machhapuchhre (6,993 m), Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Manaslu (8,163 m), Huinchuli (6,441 m), etc., can also be seen during this trek.
The trek duration takes up to 4 to 5 days to complete the Mardi Himal Trek but varies according to the chosen route. The trek is done around human settlement area, making it one of the safest treks in Nepal. We will observer and experience narrow trails, serene forests, colorful wildflowers, and stunning views of the mountains.
As there are different trekking routes in the Annapurna region, the Mardi Himal trek from Pokhara is also one of the hidden gem, newly opened in 2012, for explorers all around the world to explore and enjoy the untouched and untamed beauty of Nepal.
The trails of the Mardi Himal Trek go through the very colorful rhododendron forests, magnolia, birch, pinesand bamboo. The trails are well shaded, providing a peaceful walk through the forests, villages, and terraced fields. Hence, the Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara will be one of your favorite treks.
The trail of the Mardi Himal Trek starts from the hillock of Mount Annapurna region. We will enter the green forests that will lead to the grass meadows, with the stunning backdrop of the stunning mountains. Not just the forests and mountains, the trail of the trek goes through serene tiny villages, terraced fields, grazing animals, magnificent waterfalls, and smiling and welcoming people.
Therefore, the Mardi Himal Trek is one of the most beginner-friendly and beautiful treks in Nepal that shows the real beauty of Nepal without any filters. This trek is a combination of modern amenities and traditional lifestyles, as the trekkers will get all the basic modern facilities and can get to see and experience the traditional lifestyles of people.
We will begin our Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara, the city of lakes. We will pick us up from your hotel in a car or jeep and then drive to Phedi. It will be an hour-long drive from Pokhara.
On our way, we can find terraced farmlands, cattle grazing, lush green hills, and local types of people. After some more driving, we will reach ThuloKharka, which is also known as an Australian base camp, where we can see beautiful views of Annapurna and Machhapuchhre mountains.We will come across bridges and winding roads through hilly terrain.
After an hour of driving, we will reach Phedi, start our trek at an elevation of 1100 m, and move towards the beautiful village of Dhampus. It will take around 1.5 hours.
The beginning of the trail is uphill up to Pothana. The trails will be easy from Pothana to our destination of the day. It will take up to 2 hours from Pothana to reach Deurali.
We will gradually walk up to Deurali (2200 m) from Pothana. After reaching Deurali, we will explore this beautiful village in the lap of the mountains, and we will stay in a tea house for the first night.
On this day, we will start our trek from Deurali. We will find ourselves off the beaten trail to the Low Camp. We will encounter a dense forest of maple, oak, rhododendron, and hemlock along the way. The trail also includes amazing views of Mt. Huinchuli (6,441 m), Annapurna (8,091 m), and Lamjung Himal (6,983 m).
After walking for 4 hours in the peaceful jungle, we will reach Forest Camp, which is also called Kokar by the locals. We will pass through Kokar and continue to Low Camp. At the low camp, we will check in in a teahouse surrounded by forest. We will rest our nights here at Low Camp and prepare for the next day.
On the third day, we will trek to High Camp from Low Camp. This route offers us the Rhododendron Forest, which is awe-inspiring. We will climb uphill throughout this route until High Camp.
Before reaching High Camp, we will reach Middle Camp and Badal Danda, taking around 1.5–2 hours, where we can see stunning views of Mardi Himal, Hiuchuli (6,441 m), Machhapuchhre (6,993 m), and Annapurna South (7,219 m). Stay alert; we may encounter a colorful Danphe Pheasant.
Reaching High Camp, we can find pasture land. We can also see stunning views of Annapurna South, Machhapuchhre, and Hiunchuli from High Camp. Also, we will check in at our tea house, where we will spend our nights.
On this day, we will not miss out on the beautiful sunrise, where we can witness the sun gradually rising above the high Himalayan peaks, making the mountains magical.We will have breakfast, and we will ascend to Mardi Himal Base Camp. We will see the trails well maintained and steep, but not so challenging.
We can find Danphe (Pheasant) as well as Yak and Cow crossbreds called Dzokpo grazing up there. A number of herder’s huts can be found in our area. Depending on the season, we can also witness sheep and goats, along with Dzokpo, grazing on the pasture.
From here, we will have around three hours of trekking to reach the Base Camp of Mardi Himal, which stands at an altitude of 4500 m. From this base camp, we can look at the panaroma view of the south face of Annapurna, including other peaks like Machhapuchhre and Hiunchuli.
After seeing those stunning views, we will return to high camp. After resting and taking lunch at High Camp, we will descend to Middle Camp at an elevation of 3200 m for the night.
On our way, instead of going down from Low Camp to Kokar, we will take a different route from Low Camp, which goes to Kalimaati Village. Before going to Kalimaati, we will come across Siding Village, which is one of the traditional villages en-route.
Here, we can find local cuisine and culture more than in other modern trekking destinations in the Annapurna region. We will find different cultural experiences, also we can learn about the village lifestyle of Nepalese.
After crossing Siding village, we will reach Kalimaati village, located in the midlands of Nepal. Kalimaati village consists of mostly Brahmin and Ghale communities. We can learn about their local cultures and traditions and taste their local cuisine. We will stay here for the night and start the journey towards Lumrethe next day.
This is the last day of our trek and thus the final day to see beautiful views and scenes that the Annapurna region has to offer in proximity. We start this morning by leaving the camp at Kalimati after breakfast and move on towards Lumre. On the way to Lumre, we get to pass through several villages dominated by Brahmin, Ghale, and Gurung populations and behold terraced fields.
Even at the end of the trek, we will have the chance to watch stunning views of hills and valleys. We can find local culture and lifestyle and immerse ourselves in them, as well as in the beauty of the Mardi Himal Trek
After reaching Lumre, we will now rest and have a quick lunch here. Now we will take a comfortable way to go to Pokhara by driving in a car or a jeep. On the way to Pokhara, we will have glimpses of rural life, rivers, mountains, hills, etc., enjoying the cool breeze from the window seat of our vehicle.
We will finally reach Pokhara in the afternoon and experience the hustling and bustling crowd, lakes, and views of the Annapurna range from afar. We will end our trek here with lots of memories that will be cherished for life.
Or you can start a new trek with us and explore Nepal more.
The Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara doesn’t require any climbing or expedition skills. In fact, prior experience is also not required for this trek. Therefore, this trek can be done in any season or month of the year. The hotels, lodges, and tea houses are open throughout the year, making it a very easy and comfortable trek without any seasonal obstacles.
As you can go for this trekking at any time of the year, it is important that you know about the seasons and the special features of each season. Given below are the seasons and their descriptions:
Despite being a year-round trek, the spring season is known as the best season for the Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara. The spring season in Nepal falls from mid-February to May. The weather is more beautiful during this season which includes open skies and colorful forests.
The spring season is also famous for the colorful rhododendron blooms in the Himalayan forests. The hills are all colorful, with not just rhododendron but many other wild flowers and hues of green throughout the jungle.
The temperature in the lower elevations during the Mardi Himal trek will range from 10 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. The trek will be very exciting and scenic because, even in the spring, the paths will be covered in snow. The color combination of colorful flowers, green forests, and white snow is one of the main reasons to trek to Mardi.
Another season with amazing views is autumn. The autumn season in Nepal falls from September to mid-December. The temperature during this season doesn’t go above 15 degrees Celsius or below 8 degrees Celsius.
It can be counted as thegood season for the trek because there is a chance of light rainfall. The rainfall clears the dust and pollutants, making the views of the mountains even clearer and visible.
The season is also perfect for the Mardi Himal Trek because the temperature is moderate, not very hot or very cold.
Another season for the trek is from June to August, which is monsoon season. The weather is clear due to the rain. The misty green forest trails and ever-moving fog make the trek very memorable and fun. The trails of the Mardi Trek from Pokhara are less crowded during this season, making the trek peaceful. The colorful wild flowers throughout the trails are one of the highlights of this season.
While the views are mesmerizing during the monsoon, there are a few challenges as well. There are high chances of being bitten by leaches, but nothing like a bottle of sanitizer or a few grams of salt can help. It is recommended that you have shoes with good grip and other gears like raincoats as the trails may also be pretty slippery.
Another season for the Mardi Himal Trek is winter, starting from late November to February. There aren’t many people on the trails during this season, providing a peaceful and serene trek. You can experience heavy snowfall during this season.
The heavy snowfall is one of the highlights of this season, with its snowcapped mountains and live snowfall. Not just major highlights, but snowfall is also one of the major challenges during the Mardi Himal trek.
With proper preparation and gear, you can easily conquer the mountains and the snowfall during the winter. In fact, the snowcapped mountains and the live snowfall make the trek even more magical and worth all the challenges.
The 6-day Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara requires 6 days of trekking from village to village and from hills to hills underneath gigantic mountains. It is not a very high mountainous trek, and the elevation doesn’t cross 4,500 m.
Pokhara, the beginning point of the trek, is at the lowest elevation, which is 822 m. We will drive from Pokhara to Phedi and then start our trek. The actual trek, in the sense of walking, starts from Phedi, at an elevation of 1,130 m. The first night we will be spending during our trek is at Deurali, at an elevation of 3,200 m.
The highest elevation throughout the trek is at the Mardi Himal Base Camp. The elevation of the base camp above sea level is 4,500 m. There is a view tower at the high camp that provides a stunning view of the Mardi Himal.
The total distance you will be covering during the entire Mardi Himal trek from Pokhara is approximately 41 km, or 25 miles. It is not a very long trek, and the duration can be extended or shortened according to your choice of itinerary.
The Mardi Himal Trek is graded as an easy or moderate trek. It is because the highest elevation of the trek doesn’t go beyond 4,500 m. It is a village-to-village trek with lots of hotels, lodges, and tea houses, so there will not be any problem with food and accommodation throughout the trek. Therefore, it is an easy trek that can be easily done even by a beginner without any serious issues.
No any technical climbing is required for the Mardi Himal trek. You can easily walk on the well-marked trails, somewhere a little steep and somewhere downhill. The trails aren’t very demanding, making it a beginner-friendly trek.
The major risk or challenge during any trek in Nepal is altitude sickness because of the high altitude. But in the Mardi Himal Trek, there is a little risk of altitude sickness because this trek doesn’t require trekking at very high altitudes.
The symptoms of altitude sickness may include nausea, diarrhea,headache, loss of appetite and shortness of breath. If these symptoms appear in anyone, they should not move forward and take a rest; they should acclimate to the environment. If acclimatization doesn’t bring any positive change to the body, you should come down to a lower elevation and let your body get used to the air pressure.
The best method to prevent altitude sickness is by hydrating your body and moving very slowly towards the higher elevation. It is recommended to avoid intoxication and alcohol during the trek so that it doesn’t cause any problems.
The Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara is not a difficult and time-consuming trek. The maximum hours of walking during the trek are on day 2, when you will be trekking from Deurali to Low Camp, and on the second last day, when you will be trekking back to Kalimati from Middle Camp. You need to walk for around 7 hours each day.
You will have to walk 5 to 6 hours per day to complete this trek in 6 days apart from the second and second last days,
The minimum hours of trekking during the Mardi Himal Trek are on the first and last days, where you will be dropped off and picked up by vehicle at the starting and ending points of the trek. On these days, you will have to trek for only about 3 to 4 hours.
The trails of the Mardi Himal Trek go from village to village; most of the villages have lodges, hotels, and tea houses to cater to the needs of the trekkers. The villages have all the basic facilities to make the trekkersstay nice and comfortable.
The tea houses and lodges are very comfortable and cozy, containing shared rooms as well as private rooms. There are heaters in the common areas, like dining halls, so the atmosphere of these tea houses is very vibrant, with many people coming together in the common area and enjoying their time.
Most of the tea houses have washrooms on a shared basis as well. There will be eastern-style squat common washrooms for all the trekkers. A jug of water is used to clean up after the business, so it is recommended that you carry some toilet paper for yourself.
During our Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara, we will be spending our nights in tea houses. The rooms are distributed on a twin-sharing basis. The rooms will be nice, cozy, and comfortable so that you don’t face any problems sleeping at night.
Your body requires foods that provide extra stamina and strength during the trek. It is suggested that you consume foods with high protein and nutrition to push yourself throughout the trek.
All the tea houses, lodges, and hotels on the trails provide all kinds of food varieties, from Indian to Chinese to Nepali and western. There are variety of foods for lunch, breakfasts, and dinners, including hot and cold drinks.
The breakfast dishes that are available during the Mardi Himal Trek are oats, toasts, breads, porridges, omelets, etc., with the condiments of honey, jam, butter, etc.
The lunch options are noodles, pasta, sandwiches, pizzas, or the traditional Nepali dish i.e Dal Bhat consisting of rice, dal, vegetables, and pickles. These are the basic food items on the trail that can be eaten as lunch or dinner, as you wish.
There are different options for hot and cold beverages as well. You can also drink hot drinks like tea, milk, and coffee to warm yourself during the trek. You can consume cold drinks like Coke, Fanta, Dew, Sprite, etc. to refresh yourself during the trek.
During our Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara, you will be provided with 5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 5 dinners during the trek, as included in the package. Apart from these, you will have to pay on your own if you wish to eat anything.
Though not a very difficult trek, it is a smart idea to invest in trekking insurance. As this trek is done in the Himalayas, there are high factors of risk, like altitude sickness, accidents, and uncertain risks. If you got trekking insurance, it will cover the losses and help in emergencies and casualties.
To acquire a TIMS card you required insurance. So, trekking insurance is mandatory.
Travel insurance is not included in our Mardi Trek from Pokhara, so you will have to get it on your own.
The routes of the Mardi Himal Trek go through the Annapurna Sanctuary Area. You need a permit to access and explore the area. You are required to obtain two permits for your trek in this region.
The first permit is theTIMS Card, which is Trekkers’ Information Management System and the second is theAnnapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP).
The Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) costs USD 27 or NRP 3000. You can get the TIMS Card (Trekkers’ Information Management System) for USD 18 or NPR 2000. The amount of these permits differs according to the nationality of the trekkers.
These permits can be obtained from the Tourism Information Center located in Kathmandu and Pokhara. You can get the permits on your own, but the best would be to give your documents and money to a reliable travel agency or operator to acquire them.
The necessary documents for getting a TIMS card are:
The necessary documents for getting an ACAP are:
As the Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara is done from one village to another, the trails are well developed with the facilities of a mobile network and internet connection.
The mobile network works properly with good signals in the NTC and NCELL sims of Nepal. The SIM can be bought in major cities like Kathmandu or Pokhara which costs USD 1 to USD 3.
For internet connection, there are two options. The first option is to access mobile data from your SIM by buying data packages. As the network signals work well, the mobile data will also run nice and smoothly.
Another option is to use the Wi-Fi of the places you are spending your time or night. The tea houses, lodges, and hotels will have Wi-Fi that you can connect to, but you may have to pay to use the Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi usage charge will differ depending on which part of the trek you are on or how much elevation you are at.
Yes, even a beginner can do the Mardi Himal trek from Pokhara because this trek doesn’t pose any potential challenge or risk. It is a short trek at not very high elevation, making it a beginner-friendly trek.
A person who can walk for a few hours continuously with a backpack on their back can easily complete this trek without any problem. Therefore, it is a beginner-friendly trek with very few obstacles.
The electricity is not very constant at the higher elevations of Mardi Himal Trek, often there are power cutouts. People use solar energy for electricity generation and in their daily lives.
Due to the lack of electricity, they use solar power to cater to the to the electric needs of the trekkers, like charging their phones, cameras, etc. The tea houses and lodges will charge you from 100 USD to 300 USD for charging the devices, according to the devices.
The Mardi Himal Trek is comparatively an easy trek, and the trekker does need a bit of physical and mental fitness to complete this trek successfully. A beginner too can complete this trek but needs proper practice and guidance.
You can prepare yourself for the trek by going on hikes and preparing your body to walk continuously for days. Try hiking in a rugged landscape that resembles the trails of Mardi.
Another way to prepare yourself for the trek is by doing cardio exercises like treadmills and stair machines in the gym to control your breathing when trekking at high elevation.
You should prepare both your body and mind for the trek. Consume foods that give you strength and stamina to conquer the trails of the Mardi Himal Trek. Drink lots of water and make yourself physically ready with courageous psychology.
The only transportation we will be using during our Madi Himal Trek from Pokhara is a vehicle from Pokhara to Phedi at the beginning of the trek, and then a drive back to Pokhara from Lumre at the end of the trek.
The vehicles we will either be using private jeeps or cars for the drive, depending on the number of trekkers and their preferences.
Both the private cars and jeeps will be very comfortable for the travel, ensuring a smooth drive to make your journey beautiful.
Set your expectations and immerse yourself in the cultures and traditions of Nepal. Expect to walk on the rocky and rugged terrain once in a while during the trek and to walk for 5 to 6 hours a day.
You have to adjust your lifestyle for a few days while trekking, as the foods will be basic and homemade. Accommodations will be mountain tea houses and lodges with eastern squat-style toilets with no toilet paper but a bucket of water.
At the end, expect to be mesmerized by the natural beauty of Nepal, the warm hospitality of the Nepalese, and the cultural riches.
The Mardi Himal Trek is 4 to 7 days long, according to your preferred itinerary and budget range.
The Mardi Himal Trek is graded at a moderate level in the difficulty range.
Yes, the Mardi Himal Trek is beginner-friendly because of its low elevation and well-marked trails.
If you have less time and prefer a less crowded route, go for the Mardi Himal Trek, but if you want to experience the classic and difficult treks of Nepal, go for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek.
You can complete the trek without a guide, but you have to face different challenges like direction and language barriers.
Mardi Trek is famous for its stunning natural beauty, rich cultures and heritages, and amazing views of the great Himalayas.
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