The Mardi Himal trail was opened to trekkers in 2012, which makes it new by Nepali standards, and it is the best short trek in the country. It climbs from the Annapurna foothills through dense moss-hung rhododendron forest, breaks above the treeline onto an open ridge, and follows that ridge north with Machhapuchhre rising almost vertically ahead and the whole Annapurna range filling the horizon.
Five days from Pokhara, nine from Kathmandu, a maximum of 3,580 m at High Camp, and a fraction of the traffic on the Annapurna Base Camp trail three valleys west. If someone asks us for one recommendation with a week to spare, this is it.
The Trek at a Glance
| Duration | 9 days from Kathmandu, 5 days from Pokhara |
| Highest camp | High Camp, 3,580 m |
| Highest point | Mardi Himal Base Camp / Upper Viewpoint, up to 4,500 m |
| Difficulty | Moderate — a sustained forest climb and an exposed ridge |
| Best seasons | March to May, October to November |
| Access | Road from Pokhara to Kande, about 1.5 hours |
| Permits | Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and trekking registration |
| Accommodation | Teahouse lodges, simple and cold at High Camp |
We run it as a 9-day trek from Kathmandu and a 5-day trek from Pokhara, and combine it with the Sanctuary on the 14-day double base camp route.
The Route
Kande to Forest Camp (1,770 m to 2,550 m)
A road transfer from Pokhara to Kande, then a climb past Australian Camp and Pitam Deurali into the forest. From Deurali the trail enters a dense, dripping cloud forest of rhododendron and oak hung with moss and lichen, and climbs steadily for three hours to Forest Camp. In late March and April this section is in full rhododendron bloom and is one of the best forest walks in Nepal.
Forest Camp to High Camp (2,550 m to 3,580 m)
Through Low Camp and Badal Danda — cloud hill — and up onto the ridge. The treeline breaks around 3,200 m and the walk changes completely: open ridge, rhododendron scrub, and the Annapurna range appearing on the left while Machhapuchhre builds ahead. High Camp at 3,580 m is a handful of simple lodges on an exposed shoulder, cold at night and spectacular at dawn.
High Camp to the Upper Viewpoint and Base Camp
The big morning. A pre-dawn start along the narrowing ridge to the Lower Viewpoint (around 3,900 m) and then the Upper Viewpoint / Mardi Himal Base Camp (up to 4,500 m), with Machhapuchhre almost directly overhead, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Mardi Himal along the skyline, and the Annapurna Sanctuary visible to the west. It is two to four hours up depending on how far you go, and on clear mornings it is one of the great viewpoints in the Himalaya.
Down to Siding and Pokhara
Back to High Camp, then a long descent through Badal Danda to the Gurung village of Siding — traditional, off the main trekking circuit, and a completely different atmosphere from the lodges above. A jeep or short walk from there reaches the road back to Pokhara.
Difficulty and Conditions
Moderate, with two specific demands.
- The forest climb. From Deurali to High Camp is around 1,800 m of ascent over two days, much of it on steep, root-tangled, often wet trail. It is sustained rather than technical.
- The exposed ridge. Above Low Camp the trail follows a narrow ridge with drops on both sides. Not dangerous in good conditions, and worth knowing about if you are uneasy with exposure. In cloud or wind it needs care.
- The descent to Siding. Long and steep, over 1,800 m in a day. Poles help substantially.
- Cold at High Camp. Nights at 3,580 m run to -5 to -10 °C in the main seasons, in simple unheated rooms. A -10 °C bag is right.
- Water. There is little between camps on the ridge. Carry two litres and fill at every lodge.
Altitude risk is low — 3,580 m for the highest sleep, with a day walk to 4,500 m. Mild symptoms at High Camp happen; serious illness is rare, and descent is quick.
Why It Is Quieter
The trail is newer, the lodges are fewer, and the route does not appear on most decade-old trekking lists. In practice you will share High Camp with perhaps a dozen trekkers in October where Annapurna Base Camp has a hundred.
That is changing — Mardi Himal is now the fastest-growing trek in the Annapurna region, and High Camp's handful of lodges fill in peak season. Two consequences: book ahead, and go soon if solitude is part of the appeal. Our guides hold High Camp rooms in advance for exactly this reason.
Mardi Himal vs the Alternatives
| Trek | Days | Max | Compared with Mardi Himal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poon Hill | 7 | 2,885 m | Easier and lower, a single sunrise viewpoint, much busier |
| Annapurna Base Camp | 9 | 4,130 m | Higher and more dramatic, busier, and mountains ringed rather than overhead |
| Khopra Danda | 13 | 4,020 m | Similar ridge character, community lodges, even quieter |
| Mohare Danda | 10 | 3,300 m | Community-owned lodges, gentler, fewer mountains overhead |
| Khori Himal | 10 | 3,850 m | Newer still and almost unvisited |
| Mardi plus ABC | 14 | 4,500 m | Both, which is the best two weeks available in the Annapurna region |
Our three-way comparison goes into the Poon Hill and ABC decision in detail.
