The complete guide to the quietest ridge in the Annapurna range, and every way to walk it. Choose from a fully-walked three-day express, the classic five and six-day routes, an eight-day cultural version, or a combined trek with Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill, or Khopra Danda. A separate helicopter tour covers the same skyline in about two hours. NTB-licensed local guides, permits, and transport from Pokhara handled.
The Mardi Himal trek is a teahouse walk up a forested ridge on the southern wall of the Annapurna massif, finishing at an upper viewpoint around 4,200 metres directly beneath Machhapuchhre, the Fishtail. It starts with a short drive from Pokhara to Kande, climbs through the Gurung villages of Pothana and Deurali, and follows the dedicated Mardi forest trail through Forest Camp, Low Camp, and High Camp. The route opened to teahouse trekking only in 2012, which is why it stays far quieter than Annapurna Base Camp or Poon Hill.
It works as a short trek or a longer one. The three-day version is the fastest, entirely on foot, the four and five-day versions add an easier pace, the six-day version spreads the same route over an extra night, the eight-day version adds a slow cultural descent through homestay villages, and longer combined routes link it with Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill, or Khopra Danda. A separate helicopter tour flies the same ridge in about two hours. Every itinerary below reaches the same viewpoint. A licensed guide and the ACAP permit are mandatory in the Annapurna Conservation Area and are arranged for booked trekkers.
From a fully-walked three-day express to the classic five and six-day routes, an eight-day cultural version, and combined treks with Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill, or Khopra Danda, plus a helicopter tour for those short on time. Pick by the days you have and the pace you want.
Drive to Pitam Deurali, climb straight to the Upper Viewpoint, then walk back out to Sidhing for the jeep. Fully on foot, built for trekkers short on time.
One extra night to ease the pace. Same Upper Viewpoint, same walked exit, less of a rush on each day's climb.
The standard way to do Mardi Himal. Kande in, Low Camp and High Camp on the way up, the Upper Viewpoint at 4,200 m, then a walked exit through Sidhing.
The same route at a more relaxed pace, with an extra acclimatisation night. Best for trekkers who want the views without the rush.
The full cultural version. Same climb to the viewpoint, then a slow four-day homestay descent through Sidhing, Ghalel, and Lwang.
Two sunrise viewpoints in one trip, the wide Poon Hill panorama and the close Mardi ridge, through the Gurung villages of Ghorepani and Ghandruk.
The Mardi ridge first, then down to Landruk and up into the Annapurna Sanctuary for base camp at 4,130 m. Two high points, one trip.
The two quietest ridges of the Annapurna region in one trip, Dhaulagiri from Khopra and Machhapuchhre from Mardi.
The ten largest nationalities on the Mardi Himal route, from trail check-in records for 2023 to 2025. Between them they account for 61% of everyone who walks it.
The questions people search and ask on every booking call, answered plainly.
Moderate. There is no technical climbing, no ropes, and no glacier on the trek. The work is two long climbing days of roughly a thousand metres each and the altitude above 3,000 m. Reasonably fit beginners manage it well on the 5 or 6-day pacing; the shorter versions suit trekkers with prior altitude experience. Difficulty, grades & route map
Three to eight days depending on the version. The 5-day is the standard most people book, the 6-day adds a gentler pace, the 4-day and 3-day walk the same route faster and are both fully on foot, and the 8-day adds a slow cultural descent through homestay villages. Day-by-day itinerary
Guided group rates start at USD 294 per person for the 5-day trek and USD 220 for the fully-walked 3-day, including permits, guide, accommodation, and transfers. Other durations are priced by group size. The Mardi Himal helicopter tour is a separate product, from USD 500 per person. Independent budgets run lower but the guide, permits, food, and lodges still add up. Full cost breakdown
A licensed guide is mandatory. Since 1 April 2023 Nepal does not permit foreign trekkers to walk guideless inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, where the whole Mardi route sits. You can still travel solo in the everyday sense, at your own pace with your own itinerary, but a guide walks with you. Solo trekking under the 2023 rule
Autumn (September–November) has the most stable weather and the clearest mountain views, and spring (March–May) adds the rhododendron bloom. For summit attempts, pre-monsoon April–May is preferred. Best season, month by month
Yes. Winter brings the clearest skies of the year and an empty trail, with the trade-off of snow above High Camp and hard cold at night. Teahouses stay open. Microspikes and a serious sleeping bag make the difference; some winter weeks the final viewpoint push depends on snow conditions. Weather by season & altitude
Yes. ACAP and TIMS are mandatory for the trek, and both are arranged for booked trekkers.
If you want big Annapurna views without the crowds, yes. The trail opened to teahouse trekking only in 2012 and remains the quietest major route in the region, and the Upper Viewpoint puts you closer to Machhapuchhre than any other legal vantage point. Trekkers who want villages and culture en route may prefer Poon Hill or a combined route.
Yes, both are established combinations. Mardi plus ABC takes about 10 days and links the ridge with the Sanctuary. Mardi plus Poon Hill runs about 7 days with two sunrise viewpoints and the Gurung village of Ghandruk. A quieter 11-day pairing links Mardi with Khopra Danda. All treks & combined routes
Every review below is verified on TripAdvisor or Google and links back to the original. Names, dates, and trek lengths are taken directly from the source. Nothing is rewritten.
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.
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