Mardi Himal Trek
Mardi Himal Trek has gained a lot of attention lately. The trail to Mardi Himal Trek was unknown to many travel lovers until 2012 when it was officially opened for trekkers. Still many of them are unaware of this trekking route. The trail gets relatively fewer visitors due to its off-beaten nature. There are very few teahouses on this route with very basic facilities. However, the trek has been emerging due to the charm of people for unexplored and pristine routes.
Mardi Himal Trek is an overwhelming experience that allows you to immerse deep into the lushness of hills, valleys, forests, etc. with picturesque views of mountains on sight. You will find yourself walking up through high ridges with clear and constant views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himal on the west and Macchapucchre and Manaslu Himal on the east. Mardi Himal lies underneath Mt. Macchapucchre and is a gem that has been hidden from the world for a long. It offers some dazzling views of high mountains in the Annapurna region. It is considered the best vantage point to relish the views of mountains like Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Manaslu, and Mt. Macchapucchre.
Like all other treks to the Annapurna region, Mardi Himal Trek starts with a drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara city. From Pokhara, you traverse through some villages and enjoy beautiful forests walk with alluring views of mountains on sight. The trail leads you to the Mardi Himal viewpoint via Pothana – Kokar – Low camp and then high camp. Then you drop down to Siding village and then to Pokhara via Lumiere. Mardi Himal as a whole is a beautiful combo of the forest walk, mountain views, diverse cultural insight, and pristine environment.
Mardi Himal Trek is comparatively an easy trek. You can enjoy the camping trek and the fun of off beaten natured route. As the route gets fewer visitors, you can avoid the crowds and walk freely deep into nature. Mardi Himal trek you can get basic teahouses and lodges on the route to cater to your need for food and accommodation. Sometimes even these basic comforts can revive you from your day-to-day comforts.
The first day marks your arrival day in Kathmandu. Clear all the visa requirements and customs clearance if any at the arrival section of the airport. As you come out, you will find a representative from World Alpine Treks waiting for you holding a board with your name. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Kathmandu. The representative will inform you shortly about the plans ahead.
Today, you'll start your journey to the Mardi Himal Trek by flying to Pokhara, a beautiful city in the central region of Nepal. From Pokhara, you'll start a 30-40 minute drive to Phedi, which is the starting point of the trek. The first day of trekking is relatively short and takes 3-4 hours. After reaching Deurali, you can enjoy sparkling views of mountains like Annapurna Himal, Dhaulagiri Himal, Macchapucchre Himal, and other mountains in the range.
On this day, the trek is a 4-5 hour journey from Deurali to a Rest camp with an elevation of 600 meters. Along the way, you will pass through dense forests, cascading waterfalls, and rocky ridges while enjoying the views of the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre mountain ranges. The rest camp offers comfortable accommodations and is a great place to socialize with other locals and get a good night's rest before continuing the journey to the summit of Mardi Himal.
Moving ahead of the rest camp, we pass the tree line zone and come above it. As there are no trees and we are already at a higher elevation region, we will be blessed with superb views of Annapurna South and Mt. Hiunchuli to the west. The trail goes along the ridge of Mardi Himal with grasses and bushes on the way. In this part of our journey, we may get lively views of the colorful Lophophorus – Danphe (the national bird of Nepal). We follow the trail until we reach High Camp. We stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in High camp for the night enjoying some spectacular views of Mt. Hiunchuli and Mt. Macchapucchhre. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
Today is the most beautiful day of our journey. We wake up early in the morning to catch sunrise views over the snow-clad mountains. We walk along the steep sections however they are not so challenging. On the way, we can see dzopkos grazing on the pastures and colorful Danphe adding vibrancy to the environment. After around three hours of a climb up, we reach the upper viewpoint. The viewpoint offers some lavishing views of Annapurna Sanctuary. One can enjoy the spectacles of the beautiful Annapurna massif with other mountains on the range from the viewpoint. After spending some time at the top, you'll retrace your steps back to the Low Camp, Tonight, we stay at the Low Camp. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
After enjoying the views of the mountains from the upper viewpoint, we embark on our return back journey to Kathmandu. Today we take a different route that goes all the way from the low camp to Siding village. Instead of returning to Kokar, we take a route to Siding village. Siding is a beautiful and traditional Nepalese village in the backdrop of the beautiful Himalayas. The environment of that village is pristine and peaceful. As you are away from the busier route, you will feel refreshed. Upon your arrival in Siding, we will find a vehicle waiting for us. We jump into the vehicle, and it will escort us to Pokhara. Tonight, we will stay at a hotel in Pokhara. (Inclusive of breakfast and lunch)
Concluding our trip, we drive back via the same route along the Prithvi Highway to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in Kathmandu. Tonight, we are staying at a hotel in Kathmandu. (Inclusive of breakfast and lunch)
Before a few hours of your scheduled flight, you will be transferred to the international terminal of Tribhuwan International airport. (Inclusive of Breakfast)
