Mardi Himal Trek Itinerary

Morning briefing in Pokhara, then a 1 to 1.5-hour drive on the Baglung Highway to the trailhead at Kande. The first hour is a steady climb on stone steps through small farms and goat pasture to Australian Camp at 2,060 metres, where Annapurna South and Hiunchuli open up across the valley for the first time.

From there a forest trail dips and rises to the Gurung village of Pothana (1,890 m), where the ACAP permit is checked at the conservation post. Stop for a tea or a hot lunch in one of the family-run lodges. The trail then drops briefly to a saddle, joins the older Annapurna circuit path for ten minutes, and climbs again into oak and rhododendron forest.

By mid-afternoon you reach Pitam Deurali at roughly 2,100 metres, the quiet junction where the dedicated Mardi Himal route branches off. Eight or more teahouses run here. Most groups arrive with two hours of daylight to spare, time enough for a short scout up through the forest behind the lodges.

Who it suitsA gentle warm-up on stone steps and forest path. Comfortable for any trekker in reasonable health, including first-timers and families with active teenagers. The 3 and 4-day treks skip it, driving by jeep all the way to Pitam Deurali.

Most of a day inside the rhododendron and oak cloud forest. The trail is largely shaded under a mossy canopy, with brief openings where you cross small streams and clearings. Langur monkey troops are common in the upper canopy and are usually heard before they are seen.

In April the rhododendrons bloom red, pink, and white for hours of trail at a stretch, the most photographed stretch of the entire route. Small tea shacks at Banthanti Pati and again at Rest Stop give you reasons to break the climb.

Forest Camp at 2,550 metres is a cluster of eight or more teahouses sitting in a clearing where the trees briefly give way. WiFi is patchy and electricity is on a small solar bank, so charge devices over dinner rather than during the day. The newest lodge, Trekkers Inn, has the best kitchen on the lower route and serves dal bhat with home-grown greens.

Who it suitsA steady, continuous forest climb of four to five hours. Suited to anyone with everyday fitness who can walk uphill for a few hours. The 5 and 6-day treks walk on past Forest Camp the same day.

The forest thins as you climb. First glimpses of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli appear at the small clearing called Rest Camp at 2,600 metres, about an hour from Forest Camp.

The trail then climbs more steeply for ninety minutes through stunted rhododendron and dwarf bamboo to Low Camp at 2,985 metres, the first stop with full, uninterrupted mountain views. Most teahouses here face the Annapurna massif directly.

If you sleep here, the afternoon is for slow tea, journals, and watching Machhapuchhre rotate out of cloud. Many trekkers remember it most clearly of all the stops, partly because of the views, partly because the body is finally adjusting to the altitude.

Who it suitsA short climb out of the forest, the easiest stretch above Forest Camp. Suited to all levels. On the 5-day trek a night at Low Camp, below High Camp, gives your body time to adjust before the ridge.

The first proper ridge walking, and the stretch most photographs are taken on. The treeline is crossed within the first hour. From here the trail rides an open spine past Badal Danda, the Cloud Ridge, at 3,210 metres, where Machhapuchhre stands directly ahead.

The wind picks up in the afternoons. Layers on, sun cream reapplied, and pace slowed to match breathing. The ridge has occasional shelter in small dips but is otherwise exposed. Lunch is taken at Badal Danda or at one of the smaller teahouses just above it, with the entire Annapurna sanctuary spread out below.

High Camp at 3,580 metres is the final overnight before the summit push on every itinerary. Rooms are basic plywood, shared bathrooms, and nights drop well below freezing even in autumn. The dining hall sunset, with the Annapurna massif glowing pink and the cloud sea filling the valleys below, is the moment most trekkers remember as the reason they came.

Who it suitsThe first exposed ridge walking, with wind, altitude, and roughly 595 metres of ascent. Suited to trekkers comfortable walking four to five hours on open, uneven ground. No technical skill needed, but a head for mild exposure helps.

The big day. A pre-dawn start, headtorches on, climbing the narrowing ridge above High Camp. The terrain is gradient stone and earth, never technical, but altitude makes every breath count. Most trekkers reach the Lower Viewpoint at 3,900 metres in 90 minutes and the Upper Viewpoint at 4,200 metres in another hour. Faster groups push on to the moraine ledge at 4,250 metres. Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500 metres is about 1 hour 30 minutes beyond the Upper Viewpoint. If you want to go on, ask your guide, and expect a longer day.

On a clear morning, Dhaulagiri at 8,167 metres appears far to the west, the Annapurna massif sits close enough to see avalanche paths on the south face, and Machhapuchhre fills the eastern view. Sunrise from this ridge is the photograph people travel for. Plan to arrive 20 minutes before first light. Bring a thermos of tea.

After photos, the descent retraces the ridge to High Camp for a hot breakfast, then carries on down to Badal Danda or Low Camp for the night. The descent is hard on the knees, and trekking poles are strongly recommended. Only the 3-day trek goes all the way to Sidhing the same day, more than 2,300 metres down, before a jeep back to Pokhara.

Who it suitsThe hardest day on every itinerary: a pre-dawn climb of 620 metres at altitude, then a long descent of about 1,000 metres to Badal Danda or 1,200 metres to Low Camp. Suited to trekkers with good general fitness and sound knees. Trekking poles, broken-in boots, and a full headtorch are non-negotiable.

Below the ridge the trail drops through terraced rice fields, millet farms, and traditional Gurung settlements. The path is well shaded and the gradient is forgiving after the steep forest section down to Sidhing at 1,860 metres.

How you leave depends on the itinerary. The 4 and 5-day treks drive out from Sidhing. The 6-day walks on to Lumre at about 1,400 metres for its jeep. The 7 and 8-day treks walk out through Ghalel to Lwang, a tea-garden village at 1,460 metres, where the jeep waits in the small bazaar.

The road back to Pokhara takes 2 to 3 hours. Lakeside, the tourist quarter of Pokhara, is where the trek ends, with the afternoon free for a hot shower, laundry, and a long sit by Phewa Lake.

Who it suitsMostly downhill through farmland and Gurung villages. Suited to all levels and a gentle way to let tired legs recover. The longer treks sleep in village homestays with a home-cooked dinner instead of a lodge menu.