Overview
Mardi Himal Trek
The Mardi Himal Trek is a peaceful short trek in the Annapurna region. Most hikers pick the Annapurna Base Camp Trek or Poon Hill instead. Mardi stays quiet. Less traffic, more space, bigger views. You’ll stand close to Mt. Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) and the Annapurna massif. No climbing permit needed for any of it.
Total trip: 10 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu. 5 days are hiking. You ride to Pokhara first. Bus takes 7 hours. Flight takes 25 minutes. From Pokhara, a car drops you at Phedi. That’s where the walk starts. Trail goes through rhododendron forests, past ridge hamlets, and along the Mardi Himal ridge to Base Camp at 4,500m.
You’ll pass Deurali (2,125m), Low Camp (3,100m), High Camp (3,700m), then base camp. Coming down is a different trail. You go through Siding village (1,750m). Small Nepali settlement. Far from tourist paths. Way up and way down look nothing alike. Difficulty sits at easy to moderate. Good for first-timers. Good for short schedules.
The package starts at USD 490 per person. Inside that price you get a licensed guide, a porter, three meals every day on the trek, teahouse lodging, every permit you need including ACAP and TIMS, and car transfers from Pokhara to the trailhead and back. Bus fare from Kathmandu to Pokhara is already included in the cost. For Flight, it will be additional based on flight fare at the time.
Trip Info
Why Choose Nepal Holiday Trip for Mardi Himal Trek
Who you trek with matters. Even more if Nepal is new to you. Nepal Holiday Trip is not a middleman. Not a random booking page. We’re a Kathmandu-based, government-licensed trekking outfit with direct links to guides, porters, and lodge operators in the Annapurna belt. Better rooms. Tastier food. Fast fixes if something goes sideways.
Your guide holds a valid license. Real field knowledge. Not someone pulled in last minute. They know every bend on the Mardi path. They know which lodge cooks the best dal bhat. They read weather shifts on the ridge. Porter shoulders up to 20 kg (one shared between two hikers). You carry a small daypack. That’s it.
USD 490 per person covers everything that matters. Permits (ACAP and TIMS). Three meals daily. Teahouse rooms. Guide and porter wages, their food, their insurance. Private car from Pokhara to Phedi and back. Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara bundled in. No hidden bills. The figure you see is what you pay.
We’ve been running treks across Nepal for years. Short ones like Mardi Himal and Poon Hill. Longer ones like the Everest High Passes Trek and Annapurna Circuit. Big group or solo. Quick trip or long haul. We shape it around you. Drop us a line today.
Mardi Himal Trek Difficulty
The Mardi Himal trek is rated as easy to moderately difficult trail. You must walk 5 to 6 hours daily to reach your destination. In the lower section, you’ll walk through the rhododendron forest, which is shaded, sheltered, Soft ground and have Gentle incline. After Low Camp (3,100m) everything changes. Ridge opens wide. No tree cover. Wind picks up. Path narrows along the Mardi Himal ridge toward High Camp (3,700m). Not technical. But altitude plus wind plus hours of uphill wear your legs out.
The toughest day of the whole trip is at day 6. You push from High Camp (3,700m) to Base Camp (4,500m). That’s 800 meters up in about 3 hours. Steep grassy slopes. Some rocky bits. Past 4,000m, the air holds 60% of normal oxygen. Breathing gets shorter. Steps feel heavy. Some folks get mild headaches. Appetite might vanish for a bit. None of it is risky if you pace yourself and drink water. But it’ll catch you off guard if you’ve never been this high. The schedule spaces altitude out: Deurali 2,125m, Low Camp 3,100m, High Camp 3,700m. Each on separate days. Your body gets time to settle.
Mardi Himal Trekking Equipment
Basically, for the Mardi Himal Trek, you do not need much trekking gear as you are going high up, like base camp or some passes.
- 60-liter trekking bag
- Rain cover day pack
- Hiking Boot
- Trekking pole
- Fleece or jacket
- Inner Shocks
- Sandals
- Hiking T-shirts
- Inner thermal.
- Hiking pants
- Waterproof pants
- Water bottle, sunglasses, sun cream, some pills for headaches, stomachaches, etc
Can Beginners Do Mardi Himal Trek?
Yes, a beginner can trek to Mardi Himal. It is one of the best treks in Nepal, which takes only 5 hiking days. You have a decent daily climb and is gradual. Your body gets time to catch up.
No past trekking experience needed. No special gear either. The path is well marked the whole way. Your guide handles the directions, the route calls, and any weather decisions. Your porter takes the heavy bag. You just carry a small pack with water, a snack, and a jacket.
That said, a bit of fitness goes a long way. If 3 to 4 hours of uphill walking on uneven ground feels doable at home, you’ll manage this trek. Never hiked more than a day before? Do a few practice walks in the weeks leading up to your flight. Even 2 or 3 weeks of daily walking changes how your legs feel on the trail.
Looking for something even shorter? The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is another solid pick in the same Annapurna zone. And if Mardi Himal makes you want more, you can link into the Annapurna Base Camp Trek from parts of this trail.
Food and Accommodation During the Mardi Himal Trek
You stay in teahouse lodges. Local families run them. Twin or double room. Bed, blankets, pillow. Simple but clean. Deurali has a few lodges with attached bathrooms. Low Camp and High Camp share toilet facilities.
The guesthouse at High Camp (3,700m) is the best-equipped among the upper lodges. Eight rooms and a separate dining hall with a heater inside. After a cold afternoon on the ridge, everyone packs into that dining room. A few places offer hot showers for a small charge, but past Low Camp don’t count on it.
Three meals daily. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Menus list dal bhat (lentils and rice), noodle soups, fried rice, pasta, pancakes, eggs. Tea, coffee, biscuits, fruit too. Cooked fresh. Fills you up more than you’d guess. Vegetarian or vegan? Tell your guide day one. Teahouses adjust.
Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara are outside the package. Both cities have tons of restaurants. Nepali, Indian, Italian, Chinese. You’ll find something.
Essential Trip Information
Different Routes to Reach Mardi Himal Trek
There are two starting points for the Mardi Himal trek. Both routes begin with a short ride from Pokhara.
Standard route: Phedi. Walk up through Dhampus, Pothana, and Deurali. Forest closes in. Ridge trail carries you to Low Camp, High Camp, and Base Camp. Our itinerary uses this path. Climb is gentle. Better for altitude adjustment. The forest between Deurali and Low Camp is the prettiest part of the whole walk.
Other option: Kande (Australian Camp). Skips Dhampus. Joins the Deurali trail directly. Saves a couple of hours. But you miss the Dhampus walk and the gradual warm-up Phedi gives.
On the return for both routes, our plan avoids backtracking. You descend through Siding village (1,750m) and walk to Lumre, where a vehicle collects you for Pokhara.
Best Season for Mardi Himal Trek
The best months for the Mardi Himal trek is between March to May (Spring) and September to November (Autumn). You’ll get Stable weather, blue skies, and the sharpest mountain views.
Spring fills the forest with rhododendron blooms. Deurali to Low Camp turns red and pink in March-April. Beautiful walk when the flowers are out. The temperature on the day at High Camp sits around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius, and during the nighttime it drops to minus 5 degrees.
Autumn pulls the biggest trekking crowds in thetrail. After monsoon clears in September. Skies go sharp. October and November give the crispest mountain views. Dry ground. Comfortable walking temps.
Also doable in August and December. August brings leeches in lower forest. Some rain. Upper ridge stays mostly dry, though. December-January means freezing nights at High Camp. Minus 10 to minus 15. But also clear skies. Almost no other trekkers.
Mardi Himal Trek Educational Package
The Mardi Himal Trek educational Package is much more famous day by day. Many teenagers want to reach Mountain Base Camp where they can tour the Ice and have fun in adventures. Most of the people who grew up in the city love to go to the mountains and feel nature. Special Mardi Himal Trek is not a reach of culture or any artificial things to see. It is only a high-altitude Himal trek close to the lake city of Pokhara. Normally, People do not face altitude sickness in the Mardi Himal Trekking.
Is it safe to do the Mardi Himal Trek?
First of all, while people are doing some adventure activities in Nepal, we must prioritize our client safety. We would like to suggest the Mardi Himal Trek for every group. Safety is most important to us; that’s why in this area we simply do not compromise to keep the cost of our trekking and hiking low. Many Nepali Trekking companies have been selected based on their technical capability, confirmed safety performance judgment, and ability to offer valuable and skillful directions. We have professional Trekking guides and porters to help you reach on destination and safely back to the city. Our guide is well-trained in mountain hiking, First Aid training, and flora and fauna.
Can I Do Mardi Himal in 5 Days From Pokhara?
Yes you can do mardi himal trek in 5 days from Pokhara.
| Day |
Route |
Hours |
| Day 1 |
Drive to Phedi, hike to Deurali (2,125m) |
4-5 hrs |
| Day 2 |
Deurali to Low Camp (3,100m) |
5-6 hrs |
| Day 3 |
Low Camp to High Camp (3,700m) |
4-5 hrs |
| Day 4 |
High Camp to Base Camp (4,500m), back to Low Camp |
6-7 hrs |
| Day 5 |
Low Camp to Siding to Lumre, drive to Pokhara |
5-6 hrs |
Fast walkers sometimes pack this into 4 days by merging the Deurali and Low Camp sections on Day 1. Creates a long first day at altitude though, and leaves your body less room to adjust. Five days is the right pace. Comfortable without dragging.
Keep in mind 5 days is the trekking part only. You still need travel days. Kathmandu to Pokhara eats 1 day by bus (or a few hours if you fly). Pokhara back to Kathmandu takes another day. Full trip from Kathmandu works out to about 8 to 10 days depending on transport choice and whether you add buffer days.