Nepal · Trekking

5-Day Mardi Himal Trek from Pokhara to Base Camp at 4,500 m

5 Days Round trip from Pokhara Easy pace

The journey

Trip highlights

01 Trek to Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500 m for unparalleled mountain vistas
02 Marvel at Mardi Himal, Annapurna South, and Machhapuchre from Badal Danda
03 Walk through verdant forests teeming with wildlife, including musk deer, langurs, and Danfe
04 Enjoy breathtaking Himalayan views from High Camp and the Mardi Himal viewpoint
05 Stay in accessible tea houses along the route for comfort during the trek

The Mardi Himal Trek is a 5-day journey from Pokhara into the Annapurna Sanctuary Area, taking you to Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500 m. Along the route, you trek through Kande, Australian Camp, Forest Camp, High Camp, Badal Danda, and Sidhing, with sweeping mountain views and forested trails along the way. The trek offers stunning views of Mardi Himal and surrounding peaks, including Annapurna I and Machhapuchre, while combining rewarding ascents with comfortable tea house stays. It is a compact Himalayan trek suited to travellers looking for a short but scenic mountain adventure from Pokhara.

Before reaching base camp, the Mardi Himal viewpoint at 4,200 m offers breathtaking views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Annapurna III, Macchapuchre, and Gandarva Chuli.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 5 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

City Pokhara

Languages English, Japanese

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Drive to Kande and Trek to Forest Camp

Driving Hours: 1 - 1:30 hour
Trekking Hours: 6 - 7 hrs
Trekking Distance: 15 km
Pokhara Altitude: 822 m
Forest Camp Altitude: 2,500 m
Altitude Gain: 1,700 m

We drive towards Kande for about 1 hour.
From Kande, we begin trekking toward Forest Camp, which takes nearly 7 hours.
After trekking mainly uphill through the forests for about 2 hours, we reach Australian Camp.
After a short break, we continue our hike toward Forest Camp. The total distance is approximately 9 kilometres (5.6 miles), and it takes about 4 to 5 hours.
With steep climbs, we reach Forest Camp, surrounded by forest on all sides, where we spend the night.

Day 02

Trek from Forest Camp to High Camp

Trekking Distance: 20 km
Trekking Hours: 5 - 6 hours

Forest Camp Altitude: 2,500 m
High Camp Altitude: 3,550 m
Altitude Gain: 850 m

There are stairways along this trail, and you will walk uphill to Badal Danda.
After about 3-4 hours of trekking, we reach Badal Danda, where we stop for tea and lunch.
After some rest, we resume our trek from Badal Danda toward High Camp. The trail steepens afterwards, and the hike takes nearly 3 to 4 hours.
From High Camp, we will see breathtaking views of the Himalayas.
Stay overnight at High Camp.

Day 03

Mardi Himal Base Camp Excursion and Return to Badal Danda

Trekking Distance: 13 km
Trekking Hours: 6 - 7 hours

High Camp Altitude: 3,550 m
Mardi Himal Base Camp Altitude: 4,500 m
Badal Danda Altitude: 3,210 m
Altitude Gain: 1,150 m
Altitude Loss: 140 m

We start our day early at 4:00 am for Mardi Himal Base Camp. The round trip takes about 4 - 5 hours of walking, taking you to and from the base camp at an altitude of 4,500 m.
Before reaching base camp, the Mardi Himal viewpoint at 4,200 m offers breathtaking views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Annapurna III, Macchapuchre, and Gandarva Chuli. From here, base camp is 1:30 hours away.
After some rest, we reach Badal Danda via High Camp and stay overnight in Badal Danda.

Day 04

Descend to Sidhing and Drive Back to Pokhara

Trekking Distance: 11.2 km
Trekking Hours: 6 hours
Driving Hours: 2 hours

Badal Danda Altitude: 3,210 m
Pokhara Altitude: 822 m
Altitude Loss: 2,410 m

Following the steep descent trail, we reach Low Camp in 45 minutes. After 4-5 hours of trekking, we reach Sidhing village.
After a 2-hour drive from Sidhing, we return to Pokhara.

Where this trip takes you

Mardi Himal Base Camp, Mardi Himal viewpoint, Badal Danda

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Pokhara 1 city · 5 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

All ground transfers in private/sharing vehicles, as per availability, for the itinerary
Tea house accommodation during the trek (private room)
One highly experienced, helpful, and friendly guide, including his food, accommodation, salary, equipment, and accidental insurance
All meals during the trek. You can choose dishes from the lodge menu, which mainly includes options as follows:
- Breakfast: cereal, porridge, rice pudding, egg dishes with bread and toast, bread with jam and honey, pancakes with jam and honey, with tea or coffee
- Lunch items: Dal Bhat (mostly recommended), noodle soup, fried noodles, momo, spaghetti, chapati, spring roll, macaroni, sizzlers, Swiss rosti, pizza, veg curry with plain rice, Tibetan momo, thukpa, thenthuk, French fries, fried potato, boiled potato, and much more
- Dinner: these are mostly the same as lunch items but may vary in some hotels
- Note: The menu also depends on the teahouse or hotel, so the food items may vary.
Complete trekking arrangements with the required TIMS for trekkers and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)
Dry fruits along the trek and tea/coffee breaks during the trek

Note: Some items, such as Kodo ko Dhindo, may not be available everywhere, so the menu items depend on the lodges and teahouses.

What's Not Included

Anything related to international flight airfares, such as Nepal entry visa fees, excess baggage charges, international flight tickets, etc.
A supporter/porter to carry your luggage during the trek. (One porter carries up to 25 kg for 2 pax)
All accommodation and meals before the trek, and extra night accommodation due to early arrival in Nepal, late departure, or early return from the trek
Personal expenses before the trek, such as renting sleeping bags, buying trekking shoes, and so on, and during the trek, such as shopping, boiled water, tea, coffee (if more than three times), cold drinks, alcoholic beverages, hot showers, telephone calls, Wi-Fi, cell phone charges, camera battery recharges, and so on
Travel insurance covering high-altitude helicopter rescue and evacuation, along with medical costs
Tips and gratuities for guides and porters
Additional costs for extra days due to delays caused by natural or uncontrollable phenomena such as bad weather and landslides, and changes in plans (itinerary modifications) due to safety concerns, illness, and so on
Lastly, all costs and expenses that are not listed in the "What's Included?" section

Note: You can include a porter (carries up to 20 kg) at an extra cost of $25 per day.

What to bring

As with any other treks inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, you will need a TIMS card and ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit), which you can receive at the Tourism Information Center in Pokhara. The required documents to get the permits and TIMS card are:
- Passport
- Insurance
- Four photos