The Mardi Himal Trek is the best short trek you can do out of Pokhara. You get close-up views of Machapuchare, Annapurna South, and Hiunchuli from High Camp at 3,540m, without the crowds or the extra week the longer Annapurna routes need.
The trail climbs through oak, rhododendron, and bamboo forest before it breaks out onto the Mardi Himal ridge — a narrow strip of trail with Machapuchare’s fishtail summit sitting right above you. The higher you go, the closer the mountains get. By the time you reach the viewpoint at 4,500m, they’re not scenery anymore — they’re just there, filling the sky.
Standard route is 7 days from Pokhara. No flight, no restricted permits. If you’ve got 9 days, add the Ghorepani and Poon Hill sunrise — most of our clients who’ve done both say it’s the better version of this trek. Tell us your dates and we’ll build it.
| Item | Information |
|---|---|
| Trip Name | Mardi Himal Trek |
| Standard Duration | 6 Nights / 7 Days (Kathmandu to Kathmandu) |
| With Poon Hill | 8 Nights / 9 Days |
| Maximum Altitude | 4,500m — Mardi Himal Base Camp |
| Major Highlights | Mardi Himal Base Camp, High Camp, Low Camp, Pothana, Machapuchare, Poon Hill (optional) |
| Trek Difficulty | Moderate |
| Trek Start | Kathmandu → Pokhara → Kande |
| Trek End | Siding → Pokhara → Kathmandu |
| Best Season | Spring (March–May) and Autumn (September–November) |
| Low Season | Winter — cold nights, exceptional clarity, very few trekkers |
| Avoid | Monsoon — June, July, August |
| Accommodation | Hotel in Kathmandu and Pokhara / Teahouse on trail |
| Meals Included | Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (all trekking days) |
| Permits Required | ACAP (included in package) |
| Region | Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal |
Pokhara → Kande → Australian Camp → Ghandruk → Forest Camp → High Camp (3,540m) → Mardi Himal Viewpoint (4,500m) → Badal Danda → Siding → Pokhara
Most Annapurna treks route through Chhomrong or cross a high pass. Mardi Himal does neither — it’s its own ridge, running south of Machapuchare, and far fewer people know about it than ABC or the Circuit.
You walk with Machapuchare on one side and the Modi Khola valley dropping away on the other. Forest gives way to rhododendron scrub, then open alpine ground, then the bare rock of High Camp. At the viewpoint, you’re standing directly under the peaks rather than looking at them from a distance — which, oddly, is something the longer treks don’t always deliver.
It’s also one of the few Nepal treks that starts and ends in Pokhara — no domestic flight, no Lukla delays, no restricted area fees. Seven days out from the lakeside, and you’re back for dinner on Day 7.
Curious how it stacks up against Annapurna Base Camp? We wrote an honest comparison: Mardi Himal vs Annapurna Base Camp — which one is right for you?
It’s moderate, not casual. The ridge above Badal Danda is exposed, and the climb from Forest Camp to High Camp is a real day. People who train for it tend to say afterward it was the best trek they didn’t expect much from. Read our difficulty guide before you book if you want the full picture.
Standard 7-day ridge, we run it well. Want Poon Hill added, a different start point, or a slower pace for photos — tell us and we’ll build around that instead.
$559
per person
Recommended
$484
per person
$389
per person
$389
per person
All ground transportation as per the itinerary: Kathmandu–Pokhara–Kathmandu by comfortable tourist bus Private vehicle transfers between Pokhara–Kande and Siding–Pokhara Accommodation in Pokhara as per itinerary (twin-sharing hotel room with breakfast) All trekking accommodation in local teahouse lodges (shared basis) All meals during the trek (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) Licensed, experienced English-speaking trekking guide One strong, experienced local porter (1 porter for 2 trekkers, maximum load 18 kg) Required trekking permits for the Annapurna region (ACAP) Guide and porter wages, meals, accommodation, insurance, and local transport Necessary staff equipment and logistical support All applicable government taxes and service charges
International airfare to and from Nepal Nepal entry visa fee Travel and medical insurance (must cover high-altitude trekking and emergency helicopter evacuation) Personal trekking gear and equipment, including personal medications Meals and accommodation in Kathmandu Lunch and dinner in Pokhara Hot showers, Wi-Fi, and charging of electronic devices during the trek Alcoholic beverages, bottled drinks, snacks, and other personal expenses Tips for guide and porter Additional accommodation or meals due to early arrival, late departure, or itinerary changes Costs arising from delays, weather conditions, road conditions, or natural disasters
Altitude: 820m | Drive: 6–7 hours | Meals: Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Hotel, Pokhara
The Prithvi Highway runs west from Kathmandu, following the Trishuli River most of the way before the valley opens and Pokhara appears. It is a long drive through changing terrain — gorges, river bends, hill towns — and it sets the mood for what comes next. Arrive by early afternoon, check in, and walk the Lakeside strip before dinner.
On a clear evening, Machapuchare is visible from the lake. In five days you will be standing directly beneath it.
Rest tonight. The trail starts tomorrow.
Altitude: 2,100m | Drive: 45 minutes | Trek: 4–5 hours | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Deurali
A short drive northwest on the Baglung Highway drops you at Kande. The trail begins immediately — terraced fields first, then rhododendron forest, then the ridge settlement of Pothana where Annapurna South and Machapuchare appear properly for the first time. This is where the scale registers.
The trail continues upward through thinning forest to Deurali — a quiet cluster of teahouses on a cool ridge. Day 2 is a controlled entry into the mountain. Long enough to feel the climb, short enough to arrive with energy in reserve.
Check your gear with your guide tonight. The longer days are ahead.
Altitude: 2,990m | Trek: 6–7 hours | Ascent: +890m | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Low Camp
The forest thickens above Deurali before it begins to change. Rhododendron and oak thin gradually as altitude builds. The trail is quieter than the main Annapurna routes — fewer groups, narrower path, more stillness between steps.
Low Camp sits on a broad open ridge where the views arrive without warning. One moment forest. The next — open sky and the full Annapurna wall. Machapuchare and Annapurna South fill the horizon. On a clear evening the light runs across the entire range before it disappears.
Eat a full dinner. The treeline ends tomorrow.
Altitude: 3,550m | Trek: 5–6 hours | Ascent: +560m | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, High Camp
Above Low Camp the forest ends and the Mardi Himal ridge takes over. The trail narrows. The drops on both sides become real. Machapuchare grows in the sky with every hour of climbing — not a distant silhouette anymore but a mountain directly overhead.
High Camp sits at 3,550m in an extraordinary position beneath the mountain walls. The views from the ridge here are among the finest on any short Nepal trek. The air is cold. The stars, if the night is clear, are extraordinary.
Go to bed early. The alarm goes off before dawn.
High point: 4,500m | Overnight: 1,750m | Trek: 7–8 hours | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Stay: Teahouse, Siding
This is the day.
The alarm goes at 5am. The trail climbs from High Camp along the narrow Mardi Himal ridge toward Base Camp at 4,500m. The terrain is fully alpine — open, rocky, and exposed. Machapuchare rises immediately to the left. The Modi Khola valley drops thousands of metres on the right. On the narrowest sections, both are simultaneously visible.
Mardi Himal Base Camp sits directly beneath the summit walls. The mountains are not in the distance — they are directly above. Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machapuchare. In the early morning light before cloud builds from the valley, this is one of the most immediate mountain positions on any accessible Nepal trek.
The descent takes a different route south — forest, open hillside, traditional Gurung villages — finishing at Siding at 1,750m, where the road begins. Trekking poles are not optional on the descent. Tip your guide and porter tonight. They earned it on that ridge.
Drive: 3–4 hours | Meals: Breakfast | Stay: Hotel, Pokhara
The vehicle leaves Siding in the morning for the return road to Pokhara. Three hours of rough track, then the valley, then the city. Arrive by midday. The rest of the day is yours — hot shower, a proper meal, Lakeside on your own time.
Drive to Kathmandu: 6–7 hours by bus / 25 minutes by air | Drive to Sauraha, Chitwan: 3–4 hours | Meals: Breakfast
The trek is done. How you end the trip is your call.
Back to Kathmandu: The tourist bus departs Pokhara early morning and reaches Kathmandu by early afternoon. The domestic flight takes 25 minutes — worth the upgrade on a clear morning when the Himalayan range is visible from the window.
South to Chitwan: Three hours south of Pokhara, the landscape changes completely. The mountains disappear behind you. The road drops into the Terai lowlands — flat, humid, dense with jungle. Sauraha sits on the northern edge of Chitwan National Park, one of Asia’s finest wildlife reserves.
This is a different Nepal entirely. Jeep safaris into the tall grass at dawn. Dugout canoe crossings on the Rapti River. One-horned rhinos in the open floodplain. The genuine chance of a Bengal tiger moving through the trees. A pace and a temperature that feel nothing like the ridge you left two days ago.
One night in Sauraha adds a complete second chapter to the trip. Two nights lets you go deeper into the park. After Sauraha, the drive to Kathmandu takes approximately 5–6 hours.
Tell us your dates and we will build the Chitwan extension into your itinerary →
The Mardi Himal Trek is a 7-day guided trek from Kathmandu — one drive day to Pokhara, five trekking days from Kande to Siding via Deurali, Low Camp, High Camp, and Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500m, and one drive day back. No domestic flight required. No restricted area permit needed. The route follows the Mardi Himal ridge directly south of Machapuchare in Nepal’s Annapurna Conservation Area.
The trek is rated moderate. The most demanding section is the climb from Deurali to Low Camp on Day 3 — 890m of ascent over 6–7 hours. The ridge above Low Camp on Day 4 is exposed with drops visible on both sides. Day 5 from High Camp to Base Camp and down to Siding is the longest day — 7–8 hours with significant descent on the return. For a section-by-section honest assessment and a complete packing list, read our Mardi Himal Trek difficulty guide.
Yes — and if you have 9 days, we strongly recommend it. The Ghorepani and Poon Hill extension starts from Nayapul, climbs to Ghorepani, watches the Poon Hill sunrise at 3,210m, and joins the standard Mardi Himal route at Deurali. Two routes, one destination. Contact us to plan the full 9-day circuit for your dates.
Chitwan National Park is three hours south of Pokhara and one of Asia’s finest wildlife reserves — one-horned rhinos, Bengal tigers, elephants, and jungle walks in the Terai lowlands. Adding 1–2 nights in Sauraha after the Mardi Himal Trek creates a complete Nepal experience: mountains and wildlife in one trip. We include the Chitwan transfer and accommodation in the package on request. Tell us your dates and we will build it in.
One permit — the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) at NPR 3,000 (approximately USD 23). This is included in Mountain Hike Nepal’s package price. Your guide handles all documentation at every checkpoint. No TIMS card, no restricted area permit.
October and November for the clearest mountain views and the most reliable High Camp conditions. April for the rhododendron forest in full bloom — the best month for the Poon Hill circuit. Avoid June, July, and August. For the complete month-by-month breakdown, read our Mardi Himal Trek season guide.
The Mardi Himal Trek is 3 days shorter, costs USD 350–450 less per person, reaches a higher maximum altitude at the Viewpoint (4,500m vs 4,130m), and carries far fewer trekkers than the ABC route above Chhomrong. ABC delivers the Annapurna Sanctuary — a 360-degree glacial amphitheatre. Mardi Himal delivers the ridge — Machapuchare directly overhead. For the full comparison, read Mardi Himal vs Annapurna Base Camp.
The standard 7-day Kathmandu-to-Kathmandu itinerary starts from USD 389 per person for groups of 8–10 and USD 559 for solo trekkers — guide, porter, ACAP permit, all meals, teahouse accommodation, and all transport included. The Poon Hill extension and Chitwan addition are priced separately. For the full budget breakdown, read our Mardi Himal Trek cost guide.
Plan every aspect of your Mardi Himal Trek with our detailed guides:
