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Everything you need to know about Mardi Himal trek
Mardi Himal Trek is comparatively easy though it allows trekkers to have full adventure in the Annapurna Trekking Region of Nepal. Mardi Himal trek was officially opened in 2012, Mardi Himal trekking route was limited only for the tent based trekking so it was not popular among the trekkers this is the reason that it is one of the least visited and unspoiled trekking routes in the Annapurna region. However, in the recent years, the availability of the local tea houses and other facilities has risen the popularity among the trekkers.
Along the trail, we get to appreciate the solitary trails complete with valleys, interesting villages, terraced farms and walk through the pristine forests of rhododendron and oak. Leading up to Mardi Himal Base Camp located at 4500m, it provides amazing panoramic view of massive mountains including Annapurna, Hiunchuli and Mt. Machhapuchhre (fishtail). Mardi Himal is located just beneath Mt. Machhapuchhre, which is considered to be a sacred mountain that is unclimbed so far.
Therefore, Mardi Himal trek provides an amazing trekking experience with gradual altitude change upto 4500m(14765 ft) in a relatively shorter period of time.
Mardi Himal Trekking blog will give you all the required insights about the trek to Mardi Himal in Annapurna Region. From foods and accommodations to everything you can expect from the trek, this blog will provide you with all the information required to make your Mardi Himal trek successful.
What to expect from Mardi Himal Trek?
The Mardi Himal Trek is one of the less crowded and more tranquil trekking routes in the Annapurna region of Nepal, offering a perfect blend of adventure, natural beauty, and cultural experience. Here’s what you can expect from the Mardi Himal Trek:
1. Stunning Mountain Views
Throughout the trek, you’ll be rewarded with breathtaking views of some of the Annapurna region's most iconic peaks, including Mardi Himal, Machapuchare (Fishtail), Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli. The close-up views of these majestic mountains, especially from Mardi Himal Base Camp, are truly spectacular.
2. Off-the-Beaten-Path Experience
Unlike the more popular Annapurna Circuit or Everest Base Camp treks, the Mardi Himal Trek is less frequented by tourists. This means you’ll experience a quieter, more peaceful trek, with plenty of opportunities to connect with nature and enjoy the solitude of the mountains.
3. Varied Landscapes
The trek takes you through diverse landscapes, including lush rhododendron forests, alpine meadows, rugged high-altitude terrain, and traditional Gurung and Magar villages. The transition from dense forests to the alpine zone is particularly striking, offering a variety of scenic environments.
4. Authentic Cultural Encounters
As you pass through traditional villages, you’ll have the chance to experience the local culture and hospitality of the Gurung and Magar communities. Staying in tea houses run by local families allows for authentic cultural exchanges, and you’ll get to taste traditional Nepali cuisine along the way.
5. Challenging Yet Accessible Trekking
The Mardi Himal Trek is moderately challenging, making it suitable for trekkers with some experience. The trails are well-marked, but they can be steep and require a good level of fitness. However, the trek is accessible to many, and the rewards—both in terms of scenery and personal accomplishment—are immense.
6. Spectacular Sunrise and Sunset Views
One of the highlights of the Mardi Himal Trek is witnessing the sunrise and sunset over the Himalayas. High Camp and Mardi Himal Base Camp are excellent spots to watch the first light of day hitting the snow-capped peaks, creating a magical and unforgettable experience.
7. Close-Up View of Machapuchare (Fishtail)
Machapuchare, also known as Fishtail Mountain, is a sacred peak in Nepal and is revered by the local communities. On the Mardi Himal Trek, you’ll get one of the closest and most awe-inspiring views of this iconic mountain, which is off-limits to climbers.
8. Teahouse Accommodations
Accommodation along the Mardi Himal Trek consists of traditional teahouses, which provide basic but comfortable lodging and meals. The teahouses are often located in stunning settings, offering you the chance to relax and enjoy the mountain views after a day of trekking.
9. Flexible Itinerary
The trek is relatively short, typically taking about 7-10 days, making it a great option for those who want a taste of the Himalayas without committing to a longer trek. The itinerary is also flexible, allowing for acclimatization days or side trips if desired.
10. Unforgettable Memories
The combination of stunning mountain vistas, peaceful trails, rich cultural experiences, and the personal challenge of trekking in the Himalayas makes the Mardi Himal Trek an unforgettable adventure. It’s a journey that leaves trekkers with lasting memories of Nepal’s natural beauty and warm hospitality.
Best Time to do Mardi Himal Trek
The best season for the Mardi Himal trek must be spring (March, April, and May) and autumn (September, October and November). Autumn provides the best view of the majestic mountains and glaciers. Similarly, spring also provides us with the snow-capped mountains along with the green forests blooming with red rhododendron.
Besides these, Monsoon has its own importance. Because of the rainy season, trails are covered with leeches. However, waterfalls, rivers, greenery and flora and fauna best shines during this season. So, this season is also preferable for nature lovers and photographers.
During the Winter Season, trails are completely covered with snow and we can view the snowcapped mountains. However, the weather is very freezing and the trails are quite slippery.
How difficult is Mardi Himal Trek?
Shepherd Holidays rates Mardi Himal trek difficulty as ‘Moderate’ which lies somewhere between easy and moderate. Only on Day 4 and Day 8 you have to walk little more distance about 6 hours from Deurali to Forest Camp and High Camp to Sidhing Village respectively.
Food and Accommodation:
You can stay in any class of Hotel or Resorts in Kathmandu and Pokhara on Day 1, Day 2 and Day 9 of your Mardi Himal Trek-10 Days trip. During your stay in mountains, tea houses or lodges are available from Phedi to Sidhing Village. These tea houses and lodges provide us with the basic facilities such as a bed, blanket and pillow, well enough to spend the night. These rooms are not so big and luxurious, but still they will be clean and cozy. You will get sleeping bag and warm layers from Shepherd Holidays in order to keep you extra warm. Similarly, you can find good varieties of food items like Dal Bhat, pasta, fried rice, noodles, veggies, chapattis, bakery items, etc
How to reach Mardi Himal from Kathmandu (Mardi Himal Trek route):
Mardi Himal Trek starts by a scenic drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara by a tourist bus, you may fly by plane and you have another option to reach Pokhara by private car. It will take 6-7 hours by tourist bus and about 5 hours by a private car, and there is a just 25 minutes fly to land in Pokhara from Kathmandu. Pokhara is naturally and culturally beautiful where you can visit after coming back from Mardi Himal Trek.
Read more, Pokhara: All in One; Nature, Culture & Adventure!
For more details, here is a detail itinerary of Mardi Himal Trek
This trekking route following (Phedi-Deurali-Forest Camp-Low Camp-High Camp-Sidhing-Lumre) is suitable for the 10 days trekking however if you'd like to follow a different trekking trail on a shorter/longer day please feel free to ask.
Furthermore, here is a map of Mardi Himal Trek
Mardi Himal Trek Permit Cost
For Mardi Himal trek, you will need the following permits:
ACAP Permit – USD 20 per person
TIMS Card: USD 20 per person (For Free Individual Trekkers’)
TIMS Card: USD 10 per person (For Authorized Trekking Agency)
Note: Shepherd Holidays will manage all these required permits and fees before your trip.
If you want to book your trip for the Mardi Himal Trek Shepherd Holidays is gladly at your service. So, feel free to contact us for further details.
Mardi Himal Trek: Unconventional trek to Annapurna Region
Mardi Himal also known as the hidden gem in the Annapurna Himalayan range, lies in Kaski District with an elevation of 5587m from sea level just below mount Machhapuchhre (fishtail). It was least visited Himal in the previous time but now lots of trekkers are more interested and attracted towards it, as it is an easy, unspoiled, and memorable trek in Annapurna Circuit.
Very few trekkers were seen on this route since it was just tenting based trek in the past but the availability of tea houses and many more facilities in recent years has risen the popularity among trekkers.
This trek is for those who tend to be in the highest elevation in short days. The splendid beauty of the Himalayas, unique trail, changes in vegetation, endangered flora, and fauna makes the trek more beautiful. This trek is very easy and short but can be dangerous if you’re not yet intimate with hiking.
Walking through the pristine forests consisting of national flower rhododendron, oak, and beech, small and beautiful villages, traced farms, valleys, and viewpoints is breathtaking.
Key Highlights of Mardi Himal Trekking
- Breathtaking views of snowcapped mountains
- Extend to high elevation in a short time
- Witness the biodiversity
- Explore different ethnicity, village and different landscapes
How long does it take to reach Mardi Himal Base camp?
As it is a short trek so it’s just 7 days of the trek. The trek starts from Phedi and ends in Lumre. You’ll drive to Phedi from Pokhara by a local bus and then you’ll walk for 7 days. The hike will be of 4-5 hours per day.
Let’s see the sample itinerary, which makes it easy to understand.
1st day: Drive to Phedi from Pokhara, 30 mins of drive and then trek to Deurali.
2nd day: Trek to Forest Camp from Deurali
3rd day: Forest Camp to Low Camp
4th day: Low Camp to Heigh Camp
5th day: Heigh Camp to Mardi Himal Base Camp and return back to High Camp
6th day: Trek to Sidhing village from Heigh camp
7th day: Trek to Lumre from Sidhing and Drive to Pokhara.
Detailed Itinerary
1st day: Drive to Phedi from Pokhara and Trek to Deurali (2100m).
On this day, you’ll drive to Phedi from Pokhara just a 30 min drive. After reaching Phedi, you’ll hike to Deurali village. You’ll walk via stone steps, traced fields, small villages, and pristine forests before reaching Dhampus. You’ll have your lunch in Dhampus and then again continue walking until you reach Deurali. After reaching Deurali you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views of the majestic Himalayas including Annapurna South, Mardi Himal, and Mount Machhapuchre.
2nd day: Trek to Forest Camp from Deurali (2520m) 6-7hrs hike.
Forest camp is also known as Kokar locally. On this day you are going to hike in the beautiful lush forest where you can see varieties of flora and fauna including Nepal’s national flower rhododendron.
3rd day: Trek to Low camp from Forest camp (2970m) 5-6 hrs hike
On this day, you’ll trek via dense forest witnessing Nepal’s rich biodiversity. After reaching Low camp you can see the mesmerizing view of Mount Machhapuchhre (mt.Fishtail) . In the evening you can enjoy watching the local lifestyle.
4th day: Trek to High Camp from Low Camp (3540m) 4-5 hrs hike
You’ll ascend towards mt.Machhapuchre and Mardi himal. if you’re lucky this day you can see the national bird of Nepal called “The Danphe pheasant”.
5th day: Trek to Mardi Himal Base Camp(4500m) 2-3 hrs hike
You’ll descend and ascend sometimes steeps and narrow trails. After reaching to base camp you’ll see the eagle eye view of amazing mountains such as Mardi Himal(5587m) mt. Annapurna I (8091m) Annapurna South(7219m), mt.Hiunchuli(6411m), Baraha Shikhar(mt.Fang)(7447m), Tent Peak (5695m), Singhachuli(6501m), Mt.machhapuchre(6993m) and many other peaks.
You’ll trek back to high camp for an overnight stay.
6th day: Trek to Sidhing village(1700m) 6-7 hrs hike.
You’ll walk to Sidhing, a different route and a different place. Sidhing is a beautiful small village far from hustle and bustle of city life.
7th day: Trek to Lumre(1300m) and drive to Pokhara 2 hrs drive,2-3 hrs hike
After breakfast in Sidhing you’ll trek to Lumre and then drive to Pokhara Airport and you’ll fly to Kathmandu.
As a whole, your Mardi Himal Trek trip will be of 10 days. Packages can be changed according to your wish.
How difficult is Mardi Himal Trek?
In comparison to other treks in Nepal, Mardi Himal is a Moderate hike that doesn’t require any mountaineering experience. The distance from Pokhara to the Mardi Himal base camp is approximately 57km. As a whole, this trek is a simple, short, and easiest trek in Annapurna Circuit but the trek from High Camp to Mardi Himal base camp can be challenging for those who have problems with their knees. Walk from High camp to Base Camp is sometimes steep and the trail is also narrow, so we would like to recommend you have proper exercise and make habit of walking if possible before you’re coming to Nepal for the trek.
How about accommodation and food in Mardi Himal Trek?
As you already know trekking in the lap of the Himalayas means there is no availability of fancy cafes and restaurants but we can promise that you’ll not ever be going to forget the taste of Nepali authentic food of Sherpas and the services of tea houses. You can also see the menus of food in the hotels while trekking and can order what you want to have like Nepali cuisine, Tibetan dishes, Pizza, and many more. The hotel rooms will be clean and tidy, the dining room will be warm. The shower is available in Deurali and Siddhing but in rest of the places do not have showers, if you want, you can take a bucket shower.
How much does it cost for this trek?
The price of this trek may vary according to the group size, and mode of transportation and also depends on the duration of the days but this 10-day trip starts from 500 to 1500 USD. In comparison to other treks, it is cheaper and short.
