Five days from Pokhara along the forested ridge that runs north towards Machhapuchhre, staying at Forest Camp, Low Camp and High Camp (3,580 m) before a dawn climb to the Mardi Himal Upper View Point at about 4,200 m. A quieter route with close views of Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South, descending to Siding for the drive back.
Five days from Pokhara along the forested ridge that runs north towards Machhapuchhre, staying at Forest Camp, Low Camp and High Camp (3,580 m) before a dawn climb to the Mardi Himal Upper View Point at about 4,200 m. A quieter route with close views of Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South, descending to Siding for the drive back.
The Mardi Himal trek follows a long ridge east of the Annapurna Sanctuary, climbing from the Pokhara foothills straight towards the south face of Machhapuchhre. The route opened to teahouse trekkers in 2012 and still has far fewer people than Poon Hill or Annapurna Base Camp, with small lodge settlements rather than villages above the first day.
We start at Kande, an hour's drive from Pokhara, and walk past Australian Camp and Pothana to Pitam Deurali before turning onto the ridge. The first two days are in deep oak and rhododendron forest to Forest Camp and Low Camp. On the third day the trees give way to open grass at Badal Danda and High Camp, and Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli are in front of you for the rest of the trek.
The big day starts before dawn: a climb of about 600 m from High Camp up the narrowing ridge to the Upper View Point at roughly 4,200 m, timed to watch sunrise on Machhapuchhre and Mardi Himal. This is where most groups turn round. If everyone is going well and the weather allows, your guide can carry on to Mardi Himal Base Camp at about 4,500 m, adding two hours to the day. We return to High Camp for the night, then descend through forest to Siding and drive back to Pokhara.
The trail is steep in places and the ridge above High Camp is exposed to wind and cold, so this is a step up from Poon Hill. Lodges are simple, with shared rooms and toilets at the higher camps, and they fill up in October and November. Your guide watches the weather closely on the ridge and will not take the group above High Camp in cloud, high wind or fresh snow.
This trek suits fit walkers who are happy on steep, uneven trail. Daily walking is four to seven hours, with a first day of six to seven hours climbing about 800 m from Kande to Forest Camp, and a summit day of six to eight hours that climbs about 600 m to the Upper View Point at about 4,200 m and then descends again. The final day is a long descent of around 1,800 m, which is hard on the knees. The ridge above High Camp is narrow in places and exposed in bad weather, but there is no scrambling on the standard route. Train for eight to ten weeks with long hill walks carrying a daypack, stair sessions for the descents, and regular running, cycling or swimming. Previous trekking experience helps but is not required.
A one-hour drive from Pokhara brings us to Kande on the Baglung road. We climb through forest to Australian Camp, with its first views of Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South, drop slightly to Pothana and continue to Pitam Deurali. Here we turn off the main trail and follow the ridge north through dense oak and rhododendron forest to the clearing at Forest Camp.
The trail keeps to the crest of the ridge through moss-hung rhododendron forest, passing the single lodge at Rest Camp. As the trees thin near Low Camp, Machhapuchhre appears close above you, and you may meet grazing yaks. The lodges sit on the south-east side of the ridge and catch the morning sun.
We climb out of the last of the forest to Badal Danda, the 'cloud ridge', where the view opens up to Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre. From here the trail follows the open, grassy ridge to High Camp at 3,580 m, the highest lodges on the route. A short day leaves time to rest and watch the sunset on the Annapurna range.
We leave High Camp by head torch at around 5 am and climb the ridge past the Lower View Point to the Upper View Point at about 4,200 m, roughly two and a half to three hours, arriving as the sun lights Machhapuchhre, Mardi Himal, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. If the group is going well and the weather is settled, your guide can continue for about another hour to Mardi Himal Base Camp at around 4,500 m. We return to High Camp for a late lunch and a rest.
A long descent takes us back past Low Camp, then off the ridge on a steep trail through forest to the farming village of Siding on the east side of the ridge. Our jeep collects us there for the drive back to Pokhara, about two to three hours on a rough road, arriving in the late afternoon.
Permits we arrange: Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
The trek gains height quickly: from Pokhara at 822 m to High Camp at 3,580 m in three days, then to about 4,200 m on the morning of day four. Mild headaches at High Camp are common. Your guide checks your oxygen saturation each evening, and anyone with worsening symptoms stays at High Camp or descends instead of going higher. Going on from the Upper View Point to Mardi Himal Base Camp (about 4,500 m) is only offered if everyone is well.
Above High Camp the trail follows a narrow, grassy ridge with steep drops on both sides. In cloud, strong wind, rain or snow it can be dangerous, and the views disappear. Your guide decides on the morning whether to go up and how far, and may turn round at the Lower View Point. From December to February snow and ice can make the ridge impassable without spikes.
The whole route lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so every trekker needs an Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) entry permit. The fee for foreign nationals is NPR 3,000 per person; children under ten do not pay. We apply for it in Pokhara before you start, so we need a clear scan of your passport photo page and one passport photo. Your guide carries the permit and shows it at the ACAP checkpoints along the trail. Nepal Tourism Board rules introduced on 1 April 2023 require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide booked through a registered agency. A separate TIMS card is not checked on Annapurna routes at present; ACAP is the permit that matters here. Every trek we run is led by a licensed guide, so you meet the rules as they stand and nothing changes for you if enforcement tightens.
There are no ATMs after Pokhara, so bring Nepali rupees for drinks, snacks, charging and wifi. The camps are small, with only a handful of lodges at Low Camp and High Camp; in October and November they are often full and rooms are shared. Charging costs more at the higher camps, where power comes from solar panels, so bring a power bank.
Do not drink untreated tap or stream water. Many villages have refill stations selling treated water, and lodges will fill your bottle with boiled water for a small charge. Bring a filter, purification tablets or a UV pen and two one-litre bottles. Refilling instead of buying bottled water keeps plastic out of the conservation area.
October and November bring clear, stable weather and cold nights at High Camp, often below freezing. March to May is warmer, with rhododendrons flowering in the forest, but cloud usually builds by late morning, so the early start on the summit day matters. Winter is clear but very cold, with snow on the ridge. The monsoon, from June to September, brings rain, leeches and cloud.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Base layers: two moisture-wicking tops and one pair of thermal leggings
Fleece or light insulated jacket
Down jacketWe provide
On loan from us for the trek
Waterproof jacket and overtrousers
Showers are common in spring and the trail can be wet into early October
Two pairs of trekking trousers and a pair of shorts
Warm hat, sun hat and buff
Liner gloves and insulated gloves
Trekking socks (four pairs) and underwear
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots with ankle support
The stone staircases are hard on new boots
Sandals or light shoes for the evenings
Daypack of 25 to 35 litres with rain cover
Your porter carries the main bag
Duffel bag for the porter, kept to about 10 kg per trekker
Sleeping bagWe provide
On loan from us; a liner adds warmth and hygiene
Trekking polesRent locally
Easy to hire in Pokhara; they save your knees on the descents
Head torch with spare batteries
Needed for the pre-dawn walks
Two one-litre water bottles
Water filter, purification tablets or UV pen
Power bank and charging cables
Sunglasses with UV protection
Altitude medicine such as acetazolamide, after advice from your doctor
Sunscreen (SPF 50) and lip balm with SPF
Personal medicines, blister plasters and rehydration salts
Hand sanitiser, quick-dry towel and toiletries
Passport, with a photocopy and two passport photos
Travel insurance policy details
Your guide keeps a copy with the emergency contacts
Nepali rupees in cash for the trail
No ATMs once you leave the road
Snacks such as energy bars or nuts
The highest lodges are at High Camp, about 3,580 m (some maps give 3,550 m). On day four we climb to the Upper View Point at about 4,200 m, which is the standard turnaround. Mardi Himal Base Camp is at about 4,500 m, around an hour further along the ridge, and can be added in good conditions. Mardi Himal itself is a 5,587 m peak that is climbed with a permit, not on this trek.
The plan is to reach the Upper View Point, where the views of Machhapuchhre are already very close. If the whole group is going well and the weather is settled, your guide can continue to base camp, adding about two hours to the day. On a five-day trek we do not have a spare day, so it depends on conditions on the morning.
It is harder than Poon Hill because it goes higher, climbs faster and has a steep summit day. It is shorter than Annapurna Base Camp and reaches a similar height, but only for a few hours rather than a night. Fit walkers without high-altitude experience manage it well.
Nepal Tourism Board rules from 1 April 2023 require foreign trekkers to walk with a licensed guide arranged through a registered agency. On Annapurna routes, including Mardi Himal, only the ACAP permit is checked at present, not a TIMS card. The trek includes a licensed guide and the ACAP permit.
Descending to Siding avoids repeating the forest trail back to Kande and is the quickest way off the ridge to a road. A jeep meets us in the village for the drive back to Pokhara.
Simple teahouses with twin or shared rooms, thin walls, shared toilets and a warm dining room. Nights are cold, so the sleeping bag and down jacket we lend you will be used.
Yes. Many people add a day to split the long first climb or to have a spare morning for the summit day in case of bad weather. We can also extend the trek with a night at Australian Camp or Pothana. Ask us when you book.
Mardi Himal Trek
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