Mardi Himal Trek is one of the best trekking trails in the Annapurna Region. This trek offers an excellent hiking experience for those looking for an off-the-beaten-track not very far from Pokhara. While on Mardi Himal Trek, you will find fewer trekkers and feel a closeness to nature. Moreover, it offers spectacular views of the mountains, including Himchuli, Machhapuchhre, Annapurna, and Mardi itself.
As you walk on the trail, you will feel enjoyment amongst the verdant forests, terraced farms, spectacular rivers, ethnic villages, and legendary mountains. You will also stay in teahouses and homestays while enjoying local food items. This trip is excellent for beginners to moderately experienced hikers depending on their physical condition. Also, the best months for the trek are March, April, May, September, October, November, and December.
Mardi Himal Trek Highlights
- Maximum Altitude of 4500 meters
- Moderate level trekking expedition
- Witness Magnificent Views of Mt. Machhapuchhre and the Annapurna Range
- Enjoy Nepali Culture in homestays and teahouses of traditional villages
- Trek through beautiful rhododendron-filled forests in the spring season
If you are looking for a comparatively shorter trek on a lesser-known trail, then Mardi Himal Trek is for you.
Itinerary
Our adventure begins by first driving to reach a place called Phedi, where we start our trekking. From there, we ascend through stone steps while traversing villages, forests, and terraced fields. We have our lunch in Dhampus and continue walking until we reach Deurali. Deurali is a nice and quiet little village that offers some great views of the mountains. We will spend our first night in Deurali.
We ascend further through dense forests emboldened with red rhododendrons (in spring season). The flower is also the national flower of Nepal as it is rampant in the hilly region of the country. Although it is difficult to find the views of mountains, the quaint forest environment is quite relaxing. We first arrive at the forest camp and continue walking across more dense forests that showcase the rich biodiversity of Nepal. About 5 to 6 hours of the hike will bring us to Low Camp. From Low Camp, we will witness an up-close view of Machhapuchhre. We will spend the night in Low Camp.
Our ascent continues as we climb uphill to reach a ridge. We will walk along the ridge towards Mardi Himal. Notably, the ridge mainly comprises small shrubs and not many trees as it experiences frequent snowfall in the winter. Gradual ascent along the hill takes us to high camp, where we spend the night.
The location of the upper viewpoint is further above, and so we climb up the ridge. Our trail can be steep and narrow as we traverse pastures to reach the Upper viewpoint followed by Mardi Himal Base Camp. At the height of 4500 meters, the Base Camp offers astonishing views of Mardi Himal, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre, and the Annapurna range. After enjoying the view, we trace our way back to high camp. We will cover a portion of our way back by descending to Mid-Camp or Badal Danda and spending the night there. Alternatively, we can also reach Low-Camp on the same day.
On our final day, we will take a different route and follow a steep descent down the hill. After about 6 hours of walking, we will arrive at the village which is also a traditional Nepalese settlement. We will get on a Jeep in Sidhing which will take us back to Pokhara in about 3 hours. Once we reach Pokhara, our Mardi Himal Trek will come to an end.
