Nepal · Annapurna Region
15 Days Incredible Mardi Himal Trek
Trip Highlights
Trip Overview
Overview
Mardi Himal Trekking is a wilderness and a remote area trekking in Annapurna Region trekking in Nepal offered by Himalayan Social Journey. The rugged terrain and off the beaten trail takes us to the Base Camp of Mardi Himal which offers us breathtaking views of Mardi Himal, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail), and Annapurna Massif. This less crowded trekking trail in Annapurna Region is the first preference of the naturalists and wilderness lovers.
The hidden gem in Annapurna region trekking, Mardi Himal trekking is hiking through magical rhododendron experiencing country ethnic groups and their way of life. The picturesque settlement of ethnic groups, winding trails, cascading natural waterfalls, vegetations, terraced fields are major highlights of this trekking. This trekking tends to be more beautiful during March and April since the entire hills are blanketed with flowering rhododendron. The views are so stunning.
Journey
Mardi Himal Trekking commences from Pokhara after our flight or drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Our first trek is to the Forest Camp. From there, we hike all the way up to the Badal Danda through lush rhododendron and beautiful terraced fields and settlements. It is also a popular vantage point to witness beautiful Machhapuchhre and the entire Annapurna range. The trail then ascends up to the High Camp of magnificent Mardi Himal. Our 5-6 hours climb takes us to Mardi Himal Base Camp from where we can witness mighty Mardi Himal, alluring Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Himchuli, and many other snow-fed peaks in the skyline.
Highlights of the Trek
- Moderate trek in the majestic Himalaya Annapurna's foothill
- Stunning View Mount Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges
- Trek through Rhododendron and Oak Forest
- Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu and Pokhara Valley
- Share the inspiring knowledge with Nepalese people and Buddhist Monks
- Makes a terrific gift to the adventure-seeking person in your life
- Experienced local guide bestows knowledge on Nepali culture and traditions
- Meditate and participate in yoga classes.
- Visit different world heritage sites
- Scenery beauty of Annapurna
- Jungle safari in Chitwan National Park
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport and transfer to Hotel. Orientation in the evening at around 5 PM. In the evening welcome dinner at Hotel.
After breakfast guided sightseeing tour in Kathmandu (Swoyambhu, Boudhanath, Patan Durbar Square, and Patan Durbar Square) by private vehicle.
Kathmandu to approx. 3 hours’ drive by tourist bus to rafting starting point Charaudi 85 KM and raft for about 3-4 hours.
After breakfast drive to Pokhara for 6-7 hours by tourist bus and drive to Pothana (2100M) approx. 2 hrs by private vehicle (Jeep / Bus).
This day provides a steep climb through the Rhododendron, birch, oak, maple, hemlock, and daphnia for most of the day, all of which are the high glaciers at a distance from one of the highest Himalaya peaks-South-Annapurna. Occasionally we will get glimpses of the rich wildlife; many of us live in this thick forest, including leopards, goats, monkeys, and many bird species. If you go up to the Low Camp from the hills, then with its top in form of a fishtail, the holy Machepucherare rises before you, its lower sides covered by the Mardi-Himal ridge now evident as a mountain different from the Fishtail range.
Trek to Badal Danda approx. 5 hrs. The view of Mt Fishtail and Mardi Himal appears far better. You would be walking mostly from the grasslands. The vision of lower Himalayan layers and the soft valley toward the south takes you back to a bright blue sky.
We will start on the Mardi Himal top, leaving the Badal Danda, for 4-5 hours walking. We walk incredibly high to Mardi's edge with a magnificent view of the Mardi Himal and the Machapuchhre. After 1.5 hours we can get to the Middle Camp via Rhododendron timberlands. The tree lines tend to be narrower and the field is mostly made up of shrubs with restricted pathway rhododendron. We also see "Daphne" (National bird of Nepal) on our way to a camp if you are lucky enough. We're heading up to the high house, the last target of the day.
We walk towards the High Camp at the beginning of the day early in the morning, after getting breakfast, to our main destination-the Mardi Base Camp-at last. The Mardi Base Camp takes about 5 hours. At the base camp, we will enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the tropical flora and fauna and snowy mountains. We are going to spend some time visiting the glamorous Himalayas and the mountainous mountains.
We will spend some time there exploring the gleaming Himalayas and snowy landscape. After spending some great time enjoying the beautiful scenes of Himalayas and capturing some beautiful memories and trek to Siding Village / Kalimati approx. 5 hrs (1,885 m). A very steep and dangerous drop takes 4 hours on the road. The rough trail takes you to the beautiful traditional Siding village where you spend the night.
Drive to Pokhara via Jeep.
After breakfast Sightseeing tour in Pokhara or boating in Phewa lake for an hour and hiking to Peace Pagoda.
After breakfast and drive to Chitwan approx. 4 hours by tourist bus, transfer to hotel, Welcome drinks, Evening walk, and Tharu cultural show.
After breakfast, Elephant Safari, Canoeing, Visit Elephant breeding center, Elephant bath, Tharu dance, dinner.
Early Morning Bird watching and drive back to Kathmandu 4-5 hour’s drive or flight. (Flight is optional). Evening Farewell Dinner.
After breakfast, transfer to airport for your departure. Or extend your stay. (B)
What's Included
Weather & Best Time
Average temperatures are indicative for Annapurna Region (~3,000–4,000 m). Actual conditions vary with altitude and year.
Recommended Equipment
Available Departures
Frequently Asked Questions
Do not forget to bring two pp sized photo for the trek.
We need photos for your trekking permit, TIMS and for others official purposes and we assure that we will keep it safe.
Other activities in addition to the trek
If you would like to book extra activities such as Paragliding (90pp), Bunjy jump (70pp), Mountain flight (USD 185pp), Heli Tour (USD 800pp –based on 5 pax) Bhaktapur Sightseeing many more programs. You can book by contacting us at [email protected] For longer excursions such as Bhutan, Tibet, India, and any other treks also, we can help but please contact us immediately at [email protected] We do many more thing on your request at reasonable price.
Ensuring your safety
Travel insurance & rescue when travelling to a remote destination like Nepal is strongly advised. It should provide adequate protection for the full duration of the tour. Your insurance policy must cover all the activities that you will be undertaking during your stay in Nepal such as helicopter rescue, cancellation, air ambulance, injury, death, lost baggage, theft, liability, medical treatment, and cover repatriation and personal expenses. If a client becomes ill, all hospital expenses, doctors’ fees, and repatriation costs are the client’s responsibility. For the reliable travel insurance, we have the suggestion of some of the best insurance companies: QBE Insurance or Europe assistance or World Nomads or Travel Direct- TID . We have an agreement with Helicopter Company to do the payment of Helicopter evacuation after we collect the payment with you once you have been rescued. And the reimbursement responsibility from your insurance company will go up to you. Be sure your policy specifically covers helicopter evacuation and does not exclude mountaineering or alpinism.
Getting to and from Mardi Himal
Mardi Himal Trekking commences from Pokhara after our flight or drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Our first trek is to the Forest Camp. From there, we hike all the way up to the Badal Danda through lush rhododendron and beautiful terraced fields and settlements. It is also a popular vantage point to witness beautiful Machhapuchhre and the entire Annapurna range. The trail then ascends up to the High Camp of magnificent Mardi Himal. Our 5-6 hours climb takes us to Mardi Himal Base Camp from where we can witness mighty Mardi Himal, alluring Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, Gangapurna, Himchuli, and many other snow-fed peaks in the skyline.
Trekking difficulty of this trek
A moderate trek requires you to walk for 5-6 hours a day. Walking at higher levels is physically more demanding, but the rhythm of the walk will vary in compensation. If your health is good, you will complete a moderate trek successfully, with moderate physical fitness and strong determination. Training, particularly the jogging and climbing of stairs, are advised to boost your strength and health several weeks before your arrival. Previous hiking would be an asset, but technical know-how is not necessary.
Lodging and Food
Mardi Himal Trek is a hiking experience in the teahouse. There are named camps along the route that maintains several tea houses. Teahouses in the mountains are basic dwellings. Although the path is tea houses, it is also a camping adventure that you can do. On the trail there are only a few tea-houses.
Food on the road to Mardi Himal, like many other trekking experiences in Nepal, has little choice. Although several choices can be found to pick your food, the menu is very short and very similar anywhere. Anywhere. This is also a simple similarity everywhere in the Nepalese mountains.
Choose Dal Bhat, momo, noodles, bread etc. for a walk in the mountains with energy.
Telecommunication and charging while on trek
Light and power sockets are also available for charging batteries on a payable basis. Villages without electricity normally use a solar energy for charging lights and batteries.
NTC and Ncell operate in the Mardi Himal Trek in terms of telecommunications infrastructure. However, the functions may not be available in the entire trail, particularly at higher altitudes.
It is important to mention that in all areas of the country, telecommunications coverage will not be reliable. You may be required to wander around in some remote villages to find decent network coverage.
Thanks to poor network coverage, mobile Internet networks are not always secure and reliable. But if the networks are good, NTC and Ncell will use the 3 G services.a
Some tea houses do offer Wi-Fi, although they can charge you a few extra bucks.
Drinking water during the trek
Planning to have at least two liters of water when trekking every day is a smart way to start. Filling up water is quick. Taps in, out or in guesthouses mean that there are plenty of places to fill your bottles and/or your water bladders.This could be where you stay, a lunch stop, or a shared public tap used by locals. Use an efficient sterilization method to make sure your water is safe and not contaminated in anyway. Bottled water is available to buy throughout the trek, but we would advise against this for a number of reasons.You do not need them if you use sterilization method. Environment concerns are there and also buying water is expensive up in the mountains.
Obtaining Trekking Permits
While trekking to Mardi Himal Base Camp, you will require two different permits — TIMS Card (Trekking Information Management System) and the ACAP permit (Annapurna Conservation Area Project). You do not need any other special authorization to enter this area.
HSJ will arrange the TIMS and Permits for all its clients.
Single Supplementary
There will be two people accommodated in each room for the duration of the tour. If you prefer private accommodation, you'll find the option for "single supplement" of USD 250. Important: Please note that during the trek days there are some lodges which may not have sufficient rooms to provide private accommodation. So, even if you purchase single supplement you will end up sharing a room for some days of the trek.
There is however option of sharing room with another solo traveler if you want to avoid supplementary charge. This however depends upon the willingness and comfort of another solo traveler if available.
Carrying Extra money
It’s difficult to give an exact amount of money that you should bring. Costs will vary according to how much you want to spend for shopping and where and what meals (lunch & dinner) you want to eat. Trekkers find that around $15 (for lunch & dinner) a day is reasonable for the trekking days. Only Nepali currency is accepted while on the trek.
As for the tips, A general rule of thumb for tipping is USD 25 for the guide per traveller and USD 25 for porter between two travellers if you are fully satisfied with their service. So we suggest you allocate a minimum of USD 50 for Tipping. This is just a guideline and you may tip whatever / how much you think is appropriate for the services rendered which made your trek a memorable one
Luggage Limit per Person
For the trek, we'll have one porter for two people as per group size. The porter will carry 12-15 kg per person luggage during the trek. You need to carry your daypack to keep your personal belongings such as wallet, camera, water bottle, dry snack, headlight, gadgets etc. Safety and security of our porters are prioritized as much as of our guides and customers.
Best time for the trek
The ideal time to go trekking in Annapurna region is from September to November. In general, the weather is dry and clear, with warm sunny days and excellent visibility. Spring during March-April-May is also considered the best time for this trek. At this time of year, there is a reduced incidence of weather-related natural disasters, making the trekking climate much safer. Moreover, given that it's the best season, it's also the busiest. If you like less populated trails with better visibility, December, January and February are also good time for the trek with some basic precautions looking out for cold weather.
Trekking Equipments
List of Equipments you will need for trek
Clothing
- Trekking boots
- Short-sleeved Trekking shirts
- Trekking pants and jackets
- Thermals underwear
- Long-sleeved Trekking shirts
- Insulating down jackets
- Woolen cap
- Trekking Gloves
- Raincoats
First Aid
- Diamox tablets
- Sanitary pads / Tampons
- Anti-nausea Medicines
- Band-aids
- Mosquito and insect repellents
Toiletries
- Soap
- Toilet Paper
- Shampoo
- Sunscreen
- Moisturizer
- Hand sanitizer
- Face Mask ( Disposable and surgical)
Accessories
- Sunglasses
- Sleeping bag (HSJ will provide sleeping bags and duffel bags which have to be returned)
- Cameras
- Batteries
- Water Bottle
- Solar Chargers
- Hot water Thermos
Important Documents
- Passport
- Travel Permits
Guide and leader for the trek
Our local Nepali team is one of the most experienced and respected trekking outfits in Nepal. The team is fully licensed and affiliated with the Trekking agency's Association of Nepal (TAAN), Nepal Mountaineering Association, Nepal Tourism Board, Government of Nepal, Sustainable Tourism Network, Himalayan Rescue Association, and Kathmandu Environmental Educational Project. With experience, well trained, friendly guides, and courteous porters you are assured of your complete safety and wonderfully memorable experiences.
Traveler Reviews
"Best way to experience Nepal"
We did the 14 days Nepal budget tour and we could not be more happy with our choice. In only 2 weeks we visited Kathmandu, Chitwan national park, Pokhara and did a 5 day trek in the Annapurna region. The organization was flawless (like a swiss clock). We felt safe and welcomed in every place. Our guides Harka (Chitwan) and Ganesh (Pokhara and trek) + Bishal (our porter) did an outstanding job. We recommend them and the whole trip 100%. It was much better than we could have imagined. In the end, we recommand everyone to visit the beautiful places from Nepal and meet its warm and welcoming people.
"💯"
It was an wonderful experience with himalayan social journey,mingmar and Rupesh are our guide and they did so well. Everyday it was on time ,well planned and executed trek👍
"Amazing Everest Base Camp Trek!!"
Had an absolute amazing time. The Himalayas were beautiful, had blue skies and views everyday. Himalayan Social Journey and our guides Mingmar Sherpa and Rupesh went beyond our expectations. Definety helped us reach Everest Base Camp without any issues. Would definitely do another trek with them and would not use anyone else.
"Awesome Experience!!!"
Mingmar sherpa dai was our trek lead along-with Tenzing dai, Janak and Siddharth. All of them really helped us during entire the trek. Whether it is stay, food or assistance for any additional request. I would highly recommend them as trek leads if you are planning for the trek in and around Nepal. Specially EBC.
"Best Experience"
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing Trishuli rafting experience! I did this rafting in October 2024. Himalayan Social Journey made it safe, fun, and unforgettable. Thrilling rapids and stunning scenery combined for the perfect adventure. Highly recommend!
"Best Experience Of My Life!"
It was my first trekking experience in Nepal and Himalayan Social Journey made the entire experience memorable. They are very professional and will help you at every point. A special word of thanks to Sushma, who helped a lot throughout and was my go-to person. My guide Dinesh was a gem and so was the porter, Ramkrishna. Dinesh saved my life a few times (literally) and he is so efficient and helpful that it is hard to put in words. Want togo back to Nepal through HSJ, there is a lot more to do. If you are planning any activity in Nepal you may blindly book with HSJ and be assured of an experience of a lifetime. These guys are more than a tour planner, they are your friend. philosopher, guide all in one!
