Mardi Himal Trek is one of the major trekking destinations in Pokhara, Nepal. It is located at an altitude of 3550 meters above sea level. It lies in the Annapurna Village Development Committee of the Kaski district. Mardi Himal Trek is a newly established trekking destination in Pokhara.
From the Mardi Himal High Camp, you can have a panoramic view of Mt. Annapurna to the north and a magnificent view of Mt. Machhapuchhre to the east. Whereas, Pokhara valley can be seen far away on the southern horizon. However, for a clear view of Mardi Himal, you need to reach the upper viewpoint, which is approximately a 2-hour hike from the Mardi Himal high camp.
There are about 17 guest houses in the Mardi Himal High Camp, which are run by the local villagers of the Annapurna Village Development Committee. The guest houses offer you a package at NPR 1500 per person in which you can have a traditional Nepali meal of Dal Bhat at night and a breakfast with one boiled egg and buckwheat flour roti with a curry.
Moreover, all the guest houses in Mardi Himal High Camp are well-managed with good water facilities. The staff members are also humble and very helpful. There is a very low network of Ncell mobile service, so you need an NTC mobile service for communication. However, you can borrow a mobile phone from one of the staff members if you need to contact someone. Additionally, there is a helipad at Mardi Himal High Camp.
Now, before diving into the brief details about the trek, here’s a summarized chart about the Mardi Himal Trek that will help you to get a quick overview at a glance.
Details | Information |
---|---|
Altitude | 3550 meters above sea level |
District | Annapurna Village Development Committee, Kaski district |
Route | Kathmandu to Pokhara (30-min Flight) -> Pokhara to Kande/Dhampus (1 hr Ride) -> Kande/Dhampus to Pritam Deurali (4 hr 30 min Hike) -> Pritam Deurali to Forest Camp (5 hr Hike) -> Forest Camp to Rest Camp (1 hr Hike) -> Rest Camp to Low Camp (2 hr Hike) -> Low Camp to Badal Dada (2 hr Hike) -> Badal Dada to Mardi Himal (3 hr Hike) |
Duration | Typically a 3 to 4-day trek from Pokhara city |
Accommodation | Guest houses run by local villagers, offering packages at NPR 1500 per person with meals |
Mobile Service | Limited Ncell mobile service, recommended to have an NTC mobile service for communication |
Transportation Options | Local bus, jeep rental (expensive), group recommendation |
Cost | Approximately NPR 8000 for the entire journey |
Mardi Himal Trek Route
Kathmandu ———– Pokhara (30-min Flight)
Pokhara———– Kande/ Dhampus (1hr Ride)
Kande/ Dhampus ———– Pritam Deurali (4hr 30min Hike)
Pritam Deurali ———- Forest Camp (5hr Hike)
Forest Camp ———- Rest Camp – 2600m (1hr Hike)
Rest Camp ———– Low Camp – 2990m (2hr Hike)
Low Camp ———— Badal Dada – 3210m (2hr Hike)
Badal Dada ———– Mardi Himal – 3550m (3hr Hike)
Pokhara to Pritam Deurali
In general, Mardi Himal Trek is a 3 to 4-day trek from Pokhara city. There are several ways to reach the Mardi High Camp from Pokhara. It will be a 4-day trek if you choose to start your trek from Kande or Dhampus.
You can take a local bus or a jeep to reach any of these destinations from Hari Chowk, which will take you there in nearly 1 hour. The distance from either Kande or Dhampus to Pritam Deurali is approximately 4 and a half hours. You can stay in Pritam Deurali for the night.
Or, you can rent a jeep from Harichok, which will take you to Pritam Deurali within 2 hours. However, the jeep fare is around NPR 5000, which is quite expensive, so it is highly recommended for a group. You can have your lunch in Pritam Deurali. You can have Nepali Dal Bhat at NPR 500.
There are two guest houses in Pritam Deurali, from where you can have a mind-blowing view of Mt. Annapurna and the nearby villages.
Pritam Deurali to Rest Camp
The next destination will be Forest Camp. It is a long way through the dense forest from Pritam Deurali to Forest Camp. It will take around 5 hours to reach the Forest Camp. There are several guest houses in Forest Camp, however, you cannot have a great view from there.
It is kind of surrounded by the forest, so, I recommend you stay in the Rest Camp. The Rest Camp is only a few miles away from the Forest Camp. You need to hike for 1 and a half hours to reach the Rest Camp. From there, you can have a magnificent view of Mt. Machhapuchre and the Pokhara Valley.
The Hotel Rest Camp and Restaurant is the only hotel in the Rest Camp. It is located at an altitude of 2600 meters above sea level. You can spend the night over there with a package at NPR 1200, which includes dinner and breakfast. The hotel has a hot water facility in the bathroom as well.
Moreover, you can have a beautiful view of city lights far away at night, and enchanting scenery of sunrise in the morning from the Rest Camp.
Rest Camp to Low Camp
The next destination from the Rest Camp is Low Camp. You can reach Low Camp within 2 hours. It is situated at an altitude of 2990 meters above sea level. You can have a beautiful view of the rhododendron forest from the Low Camp. There are several guest houses in Low Camp, where you can relax for a while.
Low Camp to Badal Dada
The next destination from the Low Camp is Badal Dada, which is situated at an altitude of 3210 meters above sea level. It takes around 2 hours to reach Badal Dada. You need to hike through the dense rhododendron forest to reach the Badal Dada from the Low Camp, which is the most difficult route of the Mardi trek.
Therefore, if you are weak, then you might get altitude sickness after reaching the Badal Dada. However, there are several guest houses in Badal Dada, so it might not be a problem. You can take a rest and have your lunch in Badal Dada.
The view from Badal Dada is breathtaking. You can get 360 views of the landscapes from there. Most visitors prefer to stay in Badal Dada as well. Mardi Himal High Camp can be reached in about 3 hours from Badal Dada.
Badal Dada to Mardi Himal
After spending a night in Mardi Himal High Camp, you can either return or continue your trek up to Mardi Himal Base Camp. The Base Camp is situated at an altitude of 4500 meters. It will take approximately 4 to 5 hours to reach the Base Camp from the Mardi Himal High Camp.
Route to Pokhara
Mardi Himal ———- Low Camp (2hr 30-min Hike)
Low Camp ———– Sidding (4hr Hike)
Sidding ———- Pokhara (3hr Ride)
You can return to Low Camp within 2 and a half hours from Mardi Himal High Camp. You can have your lunch there and have some amazing views of Mt. Machhapuchhre. From the Low Camp, you can reach Siding village within 4 hours. You can get a local jeep from Siding Village, which will take you to Pokhara in nearly 3 hours. The local jeep fare costs around NPR 800.
Conclusion
However, many people prefer to start their trek from Siding village as well. The route will be from Siding to Low Camp, then Low Camp to Badal Dada, and finally Badal Dada to Mardi Himal High Camp. This route can also be completed within 3 days. However, the route from Siding to Low Camp will be quite difficult if you do not have the habit of hiking.
Nevertheless, wandering around the enchanting vistas of the Annapurna region will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Indeed, the Mardi Himal Trek is the most popular and convenient in Nepal. The entire cost of the journey will be roughly NPR 8000. Furthermore, the best season for the Mardi Himal Trek is from August to September.
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