Mardi Himal Trek

Detail Itinerary

Day 01Pick up from the airport and transfer to the hotel/ Briefing about the tripUpon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, the Authentic Adventures airport representatives and/or your trek/tour guide will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel. After refreshment, you will be met with the trek/ tour crew and briefed about your trek/tour by your trek/tour guide or tour leader. If you have any queries about your trip then you should feel free to ask and that should be clarified by our guides and/or trek/tour leaders.

Day 02Kathmandu Sightseeing: UNESCO World Heritage Sites oday, we will visit three spots in Kathmandu valley of historical, cultural and religious importance which are also the UNESCO Wolrd Heritage Sites. We first visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, and observe old palaces, beautiful temples and have a quick glimpse of the Living Goddess “Kumari.” After exploring the historical, religious and cultural center on Kathmandu we will take short drive of about 20 minutes to the Swoyambhunath Stupa, which is popularly known as the Monkey’s Temple as many hundreds of monkeys hang around the temple and amuse the visitors. Monkey’s Temple is situated atop a hill which is believed to have self-existed and its hill top location provides great view down the city and also the Himalayas in a clear day. Then, we drive to another ancient town of Patan and explore its people and their art, culture, tradition and lifestyle. Observing beautifully decorated age old temples and monasteries, we may also have a chance to have a personal audience with the Patan Kumari (Living Goddess). Patan is famous for its temples, fine arts, metal works, stone & wood carvings. We can witness local artists working on their workshops. Patan used to be separate kingdom from Kathmandu and Bhaktapur and different kings ruled this ancient city until the 17th century.

Day 03Fly/ Drive to Pokhara (885m/2905ft) 25 minutes' flight/ 6-7 hours' driveAfter an early breakfast, we will either fly or drive to Pokhara. The flight is pretty scenic with beautiful views of the mountains. It's a short flight and takes about 25 minutes only. The drive will take 6 to 7 hours. The drive is also scenic with the views of the hills, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, beautiful towns along the way. Pokhara is a beautiful city known for its natural beauty, lakes, caves and panoramic views of the Annapurna ranges. Pokhara is truly a paradise for tourists.

Day 04Drive to Phedi (1130m/3710ft) and trek to Pitam Deurali (2100m/6890ft) 45 minutes’ drive and 5-6 hours’ trekAfter breakfast, we take a nice and short drive to Phedi, the trekking start point, which only takes about 45 minutes to an hour. The trekking path ascends through forest in the lower foothills of the Annapurna. After about two hours of trekking, we reach the beautiful Dhampus village. Dhampus offres superb view of Mount Machhapuchhre popularly known as Fishtail due to its shape. We continue walking up this trail until we arrive at a trail junction with a few cozy lodges in Pitam Deurali.

Day 05Pitam Deurali to Low Camp (3150m/10335ft) 6-7 hoursAfter breakfast, we trek towards Low Camp. From Deurali, head north along the ridgeline into the serene forested area with the breathtaking mountain views. Today, we mostly trek inside the forest, where we can see oak, maple, rhododendron and hemlock trees. We may also encounter some deer, monkeys and other wild animals. Low Camp is situated in the middle of the forest where few lodges are established to serve the trekkers with warm meals and cozy accommodation.

Day 06Low Camp to High Camp (4100m/13450ft) 3-4 hoursAfter trekking a little while from Low Camp, the trail breaks out above tree line. Looking towards the West there is a good view to Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. The trail continues up along the Mardi Himal ridge. We are walking on grass with some rhododendron bushes along the way. We may sight the national bird of Nepal, Danphe (peacock pheasant) on this section of the trail. From this rhododendron forest area, the walk leads higher on the uphill path with the steep climb to reach a cluster of lodges for the overnight stay with fantastic views of surrounding landscapes and mountains at close range.

Day 07Hike to Upper View Point for breathtaking views then trek back to Low Camp (3150m/10335ft) 7-8 hoursToday we wake early for sunrise view of the mountains. After an early breakfast we walk up the ridge towards Mardi Himal. There is a good trail through the grass with a couple of steeper sections on rock. There are dzos (yak/ cow cross breeds) grazing up here. In the summer sheep and goats from lower villages graze in this area. We pass several herder’s huts along the trail. In about 3 hours hike, you can reach Upper View point. From here we can look into the Annapurna Sanctuary and the panorama view is spectacular. We are looking at the south face of Annapurna, Hiunchuli and Fishtail. We return to High Camp for lunch and then in the afternoon we descend back to Low Camp for overnight stay.

Day 08Low Camp to Siding (1750m/5740ft) and drive back to Pokhara (885m/2905ft) 3-4 hours' trek and 2 hours’ driveOn the return trek from Low Camp we take a different route from the way up. We follow a steep trail that goes down to Siding village. Siding is a traditional Nepalese village and a lovely place to spend some time. This place is at the road head and we take a jeep out to Pokhara. We pass through the villages of Kalimati, Ghalel and Lumre then onto Pokhara.

Day 09Fly/ Drive to Kathmandu (1335m/4380ft) 25 minutes' flight/ 6-7 hours' driveAfter an early breakfast, we will either fly or drive back to Kathmandu. The flight is pretty scenic with beautiful views of the mountains. It's a short flight and takes about 25 minutes only. The drive will take 6 to 7 hours. The drive is also scenic with the views of the hills, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, beautiful towns along the way. Kathmandu is a cultural city known for its historical sites, palaces, temples and stupas. Kathmandu is a chaotic city with a lot of things happening which easily mesmerizes the tourists.

Day 10Extend the trip for preferred activities or transfer to the airport for farewell and departureYour adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! A representative from Authentic Adventures will drive you to the airport approximately 3 hours before your outbound flight. On your way home you'll have plenty of time to plan your next adventure in the wonderful country of Nepal.
However, If you have more time in Nepal and are interested in extending the trip with us, there are many options such as trekking to other regions, jungle safari, river rafting, sightseeing tour, mountain biking, adrenaline activities etc.

Photos of Mardi Himal Trek

Useful Info

Accommodations
You will be accommodated in a 3-4 star hotel in Kathmandu and mountain lodge/tea-houses during the trek. All accommodations are on twin-sharing basis. Single supplement will be served on request and will cost an additional US$ 175. Authentic Adventures will arrange rooms with attached washrooms when possible; however, mountail lodges/teahouses in some places only have shared washing and toilet facilities. Also note that single rooms are readily available in Kathmandu, Pokhara and the trekking regions at lower elevation but it might be difficult to find them at higher elevations during peak trekking season. 

Meals
During our trek, we can enjoy authentic Nepalese food as well the more common international cuisine (Tibetan, Continental, Italian, Indian etc.). Breakfast and dinner will be served in the lodge/teahouse where we spend the night whereas lunch will be served on the way around mid-day. All meals will be provided during trekking while only breakfast will be provided in Kathmandu. However, there will be fabolous welcome and farewell dinners for the group before and after the trek.

Physical Condition & Experience Requirements
Mardi Himal Trek is a moderate to strenous trek suitable for passionate walkers who have the ability to walk at least 5 to 7 hours a day with a light rucksack. In some days we might even need to walk for 7 to 8 hours. Walking in higher altitude is more physically demanding than walking in the lower altitudes; however, if we are in excellent health with average physical fitness, have a positive attitude and strong determination, we can accomplish the trek successfully. Exercising and jogging regularly is good idea to enhance our strength and stability. Past hiking experience would be an asset but no technical skill is required for this trip. Participants with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart, lung and blood diseases should inform Authentic Adventures before booking the trek. We also recommend that you consult your doctor before the trip.

Best Months to Travel
Spring (March to May) and Autumn (October and November) are the best months for this trip. Although this trip can be done throughout the year. However, during winter, the cold temperature might not be suitable for everyone and during monsoon, the trails are a bit wet and the views are not always clear.

Safely Request
Your satisfaction and safety is of paramount concern while traveling with us. Please note that your leader/guide has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the original itinerary; however, since this adventure entails travelling in remote mountainous regions, we are exposed to weather conditions, health condition of the crew, unexpected natural disasters etc. The leader/guide will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required.

Domestic Flights

The Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu flights are very sensitive to the weather conditions. Such conditions may arise even in the best trek seasons. Hence, in such cases, you must be prepared for long waits either at Kathmandu or Pokhara airports. We can organize private ground transportation.in such cases as an alternative option.

Any Additional Information
Our website contains as much information as possible about this trip. However, if you wish to discuss any aspect of this trip or your suitability for it please contact us by phone or email. If you want to talk to us directly feel free to call us at: 00977 98511 11907 and/or 00977 98066 00888 or email us on [email protected]. You can also video chat with us on Skype. Our Skype id is bhuwan.stha