Mardi Himal Trek

Trip Overview

The Mardi Himal Trek is a 9-day trip in Nepal's Annapurna region, built around five days of trekking to a single viewpoint at 4,500m rather than a loop or a pass crossing. It sits in the same conservation area as Annapurna Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit, but sees far less traffic than either, partly because it only became an established route in the early 2010s.

The trek runs as an out-and-back on one ridge system, with no side valleys or river crossings to navigate. That keeps logistics simple: one trail up, largely the same terrain down, with a separate descent route through Sidhing at the end. Teahouse lodges cover every night on trail, so there's no camping gear to carry or arrange.

What sets Mardi Himal apart is the proximity to Machhapuchhre, also written as  Machapuchare. Most Annapurna-region treks view the peak from an angle or a distance. Here, the upper trail puts you close enough that the south face of Annapurna I and the east face of Machhapuchhre fill the view without any zoom lens needed.

It works well as a standalone short trek for trekkers with limited time, and just as well as a warm-up before a longer Annapurna itinerary. Either way, expect a physically moderate trek with one genuinely hard day: the push to Base Camp and back down to Badal Danda on Day 6.

Who This Trek Is For and Who Should Skip It

Suits you if:

• You have done some hiking or walking holidays before, even if you have not trekked at altitude
• You have 9 to 10 days available, including Kathmandu and Pokhara transit
• You want close Annapurna and Machhapuchhre views without committing to the longer Annapurna Base Camp route
• You are comfortable with basic teahouse rooms and shared bathrooms above 3,000m
• You want a quieter alternative to the main Annapurna Base Camp trail

Skip this if:

• You have no prior hiking experience and limited cardio fitness. Try Australian Base Camp Trek or Langtang Valley (3,860m, 6 days) first to assess altitude tolerance.
• You have fewer than 7 days available. The Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek can be done in 5 days, including Pokhara transfers.
• You want the easiest possible mountain views with minimal altitude gain. The Poon Hill trek (5 days, 3,210m maximum) is a better fit and significantly less demanding.
• You want comfort. Try Annapurna Base Camp (4,130m, 7 days) instead for marginally better facilities.
• You want to reach Annapurna Base Camp itself rather than a viewpoint of the range. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek goes directly into the sanctuary.
• We also offer low-altitude Pokhara sightseeing options, including Phewa Lake boating, Sarangkot sunrise views, and the World Peace Pagoda as a safe alternative if you have a diagnosed heart or lung condition and should consult a doctor before booking any trek above 4,000m. 

Trek Highlights

• Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500m, with a direct line of sight to the south face of Annapurna I
• Sunrise over Machhapuchhre from High Camp at 3,550m, best viewed before 6:30 am when the cloud is still low
• A single steep ridge trail with almost no junctions, which keeps route-finding simple compared to busier Annapurna trails
• Rhododendron forest between Pitam Deurali and Low Camp, in bloom from late March through April
• Forest Camp and Low Camp teahouses run on solar power only, so charging is limited and often paid per device
• A short, quiet trail with far fewer trekkers than the main Annapurna Base Camp or Annapurna Circuit routes
• Kande to Pitam Deurali on Day 3, a forest walk with several false summits before the ridge opens up
• Sidhing village on the descent, a Gurung settlement rarely used by other Annapurna itineraries
• High Camp's exposed ridge position, which means wind and cold arrive fast after sunset even outside winter
• A same-day return from Base Camp to Badal Danda on Day 6, one of the longer single days on any standard Annapurna-region itinerary

Why is Mardi Himal Trek trending among trekkers in 2026/2027? 

A Trail Opened to Trekkers Only Recently
Mardi Himal was not part of Nepal's established trekking circuit until it opened as a marked route in the early 2010s. Compared to Annapurna Base Camp and Poon Hill, both trekked since the 1970s and 80s, Mardi Himal has had far less time to build infrastructure or traffic. That gap shows on the trail: teahouses are newer, fewer in number, and the upper camps still feel recently built rather than long established.

A Direct Line to a Mountain the Gurung People Consider Sacred
Machhapuchhre, the Fish Tail peak at 6,993m, sits almost in front of you for most of the upper trail. The mountain has never been officially summited and is considered sacred by the Gurung community, who regard it as the home of Shiva. Most treks in the region view Machhapuchhre from an angle or a distance. Mardi Himal's upper viewpoint puts you close enough that the south face fills the frame without a zoom lens.

Named After the River, Not the Peak
The trek takes its name from the Mardi Khola, the river that originates near the base camp area and runs down through the Annapurna Conservation Area. Unlike treks named for their summit destination, Mardi Himal is named for the water source the trail follows for much of its lower and middle sections, a detail that ties the route to the valley itself rather than to a single viewpoint.

Four Forest Zones in Under a Week
The trail moves through subtropical forest, oak and rhododendron forest, and alpine scrub before reaching the exposed ridge above 4,000m. Few treks of this length pass through that much ecological range in five to seven days. Rhododendron bloom season, typically March to April, adds a specific reason to time a departure around that window.

A Ridge Walk With No Village to Break It
Once above Low Camp, the trail runs along an open ridge with no permanent settlement until base camp itself. That stretch removes the village-to-village rhythm most Annapurna region treks follow, and it means longer uninterrupted stretches of forest and, higher up, exposed ridge walking with no tea house breaks for several hours at a time.

Why Choose Madcap Adventure for This Mardi Himal Trek?

• Operating since 2004. Over two decades of running treks in the Annapurna, Langtang, and Manaslu regions of Nepal. Not a booking platform, not an aggregator: a trekking company with a Kathmandu office open 24/7 during active treks.
• Nepal Government-licensed guides on every departure. Your guide's government certification number is provided before departure. You are not walking with an unlicensed freelancer.
• All permits handled before you arrive. ACAP and TIMS Card are arranged by Madcap Adventure. You do not queue at a permit office in Pokhara.
• Free Nepal SIM card on arrival. Pre-loaded with data so you are connected from the moment you land, before the trek starts.
• Locked-in pricing. Once your deposit is paid, the package price does not increase. Currency shifts, fuel surcharges, and permit fee changes do not affect your confirmed rate.
• Porter option at USD 20 per day. One porter covers up to two trekkers. This is transparent, not hidden in a fine-print note at checkout.
• 24/7 Kathmandu office support. If anything changes on the trail- weather, health, logistics- a team member is available by phone around the clock.
• All-inclusive accommodation and meals. No hidden charges. Hotel rooms in Kathmandu and Pokhara, all tea house lodges on the trail, and all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner on trekking days) are included in your quoted price. Tea houses serve dal bhat, noodles, eggs, and vegetables; we brief you on dietary options before departure.
• Quote within 24 hours. Send your dates and group size. You receive a detailed quote the same day, usually within hours.

Route Overview

The route begins with a drive from Pokhara to Kande, at the western edge of the Annapurna foothills. From Kande, the trail climbs through forest to Pitam Deurali, a ridge saddle at 2,100m used as the first overnight stop. From here, the trail continues along the same ridgeline, gaining height steadily through rhododendron and oak forest to Forest Camp and on to Low Camp at 3,050m.

Above Low Camp, the trees thin out fast. High Camp at 3,550m sits on open ground with the first unobstructed views of Machhapuchhre's east face. From High Camp, the trail pushes above the tree line entirely to Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500m, the highest point on the route and the turnaround point for the trek. Trekkers descend the same day back to Badal Danda for the night.

The final descent runs down a separate trail to Sidhing, a lower-altitude Gurung village at roughly 1,700m, where the trek ends and a shared jeep takes trekkers back to Pokhara. The whole route stays on one ridge system, with no river crossings and no side valleys to navigate, which keeps it more direct than most other Annapurna-region treks.

Can you do Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal Trek together in one trip? 

Yes, it can be done. Mardi Himal Trek finishes at Sidhing, where a shared jeep takes you back to Pokhara. From there, after a short rest day, you start the Annapurna Base Camp Trek from its own trailhead, typically Nayapul or Ghandruk. The two treks run as a back-to-back combination out of Pokhara, giving you both the Mardi Himal viewpoint and the full Annapurna Sanctuary in a single trip.

Doing Mardi Himal first works well as a lead-in to Annapurna Base Camp. It gets your legs and lungs used to daily trekking hours and altitude gain before tackling the longer Sanctuary route, and Pokhara makes an easy base to restock and rest between the two. Combined, the trip gives you Machhapuchhre's south face up close from Mardi Himal Base Camp, then the full amphitheater of peaks from inside the Annapurna Sanctuary itself, all from the same Pokhara starting point. Contact Madcap Adventure for a custom itinerary and price for combining Mardi Himal Trek with Annapurna Base Camp. 

Mardi Himal Trek Cost in 2026/2027

The Mardi Himal 9-day package runs from USD 725 to USD 1,010 per person. Here is what sits at each end of that range.

• Group size. A private departure costs more per person than joining a scheduled group, since fixed costs like guide fees and vehicle hire get split across fewer people.
• Season. Peak months (October, November, April) carry higher demand for teahouse rooms and vehicles between Kathmandu and Pokhara, which can push costs toward the top of the range even when the package price itself stays fixed.
• Room type. Private rooms are limited at Low Camp and High Camp. Some teahouses only offer twin-share above 3,000m regardless of what you're willing to pay, so requesting a single room isn't always possible at the higher end of the range.
• Porter hire. Adding a porter at USD 20 per day (covering up to two trekkers) adds a fixed cost on top of the base package price.
• Booking timing. This is the biggest lever you control directly. Booking 6 or more months out brings up to 15% off. Booking 3 to 6 months out brings up to 10% off. Groups of 4 or more get an additional discount on top of either rate.
• Add-ons. Extra nights in Pokhara or Kathmandu, single supplements, and optional gear rental all add to the base figure.