The first stop inside the Mardi forest, at about 2,550 m. No views, deep oak and rhododendron, langurs in the canopy, and eight or more teahouses in a clearing. It sits partway up the longest climbing day on the trek, and it is the place to stop if you would rather split it.
Forest Camp sits on the Mardi ridge at about 2,550 m, about 14 km along the trail from the roadhead at Kande. Above Pitam Deurali the route leaves the farmland behind and climbs into cloud forest of oak, maple and rhododendron, and Forest Camp is the first place to stop in it. There is no village and no road, just eight or more teahouses in a clearing.
On the standard 5-day Mardi Himal trek you reach it around lunchtime on day 2 and keep going, through Rest Camp to Low Camp, which is why day 2 is the longest of the trek at close to 900 metres of climbing. Slower itineraries sleep here and split that day in two. The full route is on the day-by-day itinerary.
About an hour above Forest Camp, at roughly 2,600 m, is Rest Camp, a separate stop with its own teahouses on the way to Low Camp. It sits where the forest starts to thin, and several of our longer itineraries sleep there instead of at Forest Camp, which leaves a shorter climb to Low Camp and High Camp the next day.
Some older guides and maps mix the two up or leave Rest Camp out. On the trail they are two different stops, and itineraries that list "Forest Camp to Rest Camp" mean exactly that walk.
This is the one stop on the trek with no mountain view. The trees close over the trail, moss hangs off the branches, and on most afternoons the cloud comes up through the forest. Langur troops are common in the canopy. It is quiet in a way the ridge above is not.
In spring it is the best place on the route to see the rhododendron. The stretch from Forest Camp to Low Camp turns red, pink and white, peaking around mid-April, and April is also when Forest Camp beds are hardest to find. Month-by-month detail is on the best time for the Mardi Himal trek, and the plants and animals are on Mardi Himal flora and fauna.
Eight or more teahouses with simple rooms, mostly twins, unheated like everywhere on the trek, with the dining room stove as the warm place in the evening. From Forest Camp upward bathrooms are mostly shared and squat toilets become the norm, and charging is billed per device. Outside April and October you can usually walk in and find a bed.
We do not publish lodge prices. They are set by each teahouse and move season to season. Stop-by-stop detail for the whole route is on Mardi Himal teahouses.
Forest Camp sits at about 2,550 m, roughly 450 m above Pitam Deurali and 435 m below Low Camp. Some itineraries quote 2,500 or 2,520 m for the same stop.
No. Rest Camp is a separate stop about an hour further up the trail, at roughly 2,600 m, between Forest Camp and Low Camp. Some itineraries sleep at Rest Camp instead of Forest Camp, which puts you a little higher and closer to Low Camp for the next day.
About 3 to 4 hours through the forest from Pitam Deurali. From the Kande roadhead to Forest Camp is about 14 km, which most people walk in 5 to 7 hours. From Forest Camp it is about an hour to Rest Camp and 2 to 3 hours to Low Camp.
The 5-day trek walks through Forest Camp and Rest Camp and sleeps at Low Camp, which makes day 2 the longest of the trek. Slower itineraries split that day and sleep at Forest Camp or Rest Camp. Forest Camp has no mountain view, it is inside the forest, but it breaks up the biggest height gain of the route.
Lower lodges often let you charge in the dining room for free or a small fee, and from Forest Camp upwards expect to pay per device. Mobile signal is usable through the lower forest stops and around Low Camp, then becomes weak above it. Carry a power bank.
Next stops up are Rest Camp and Mardi Himal Low Camp, where the views open, then High Camp. Every itinerary that passes through is on the Mardi Himal trek page.
The 6 reviews below are all Mardi Himal treks, each rated 5 out of 5. Every one is on TripAdvisor or Google and links back to the original. Quotes are shortened excerpts; names, dates and trek lengths are taken from the source. Counts as of April 2026.
Our recent trip to Nepal and trek to Mardi Himal turned out to be one of the most memorable adventures of my life. Our guide Max was friendly, knowledgeable, and incredibly supportive, especially during the steep sections. The views along the route were breathtaking.
We had an excellent five-day trek on the Mardi Himal trail. It is frequented primarily by Nepali tourists. The views are incredible all along the trail, and many guest houses have spectacular views. Our guide was a joy to be with.
We were considering trekking to Annapurna Base Camp, but changed to the Mardi Himal based on Raj's advice. This was probably the best advice we got in Nepal. Mountains were fully covered in snow, the lower fields were green, and the rhododendron trees were flourishing.
Prakash was our trekking guide for the Mardi Himal trek. Even when we arrived feeling unwell, he showed immediate sympathy and organised a range of Pokhara-based activities for us. We can't recommend him enough. Prakash has completed over 500 trips on this route.
Our Mardi Himal trekking experience was great because of this team. Our guide Gautam was so professional, cordial and hospitable. We enjoyed it a lot. Looking forward to our next adventure with them.
Truly exceeded our expectations and made our trip to the Himalayas absolutely memorable. From the moment we inquired until the day we returned, their professionalism and attention to detail were outstanding.
We run six scheduled departures a month from Pokhara, September to May: Sundays for the 5-day itinerary, Thursdays for the 6-day. Every other trip on this site runs privately, on your own dates. A 20 % deposit holds your place, and the balance is paid in Kathmandu before the trip starts.
