Mardi Himal Trek Mount Mania

Day 1: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara

You will leave your hotel early morning for a drive with scenic views along the road to Pokhara via Prithvi national highway. Along the highway, you can see the Marsyangdi and Trishuli River. After a drive of 6-7 hrs, you will reach Pokhara (820 meters).

Pokhara is the most popular tourist destination in Nepal. It is home to many wonderful lakes like Phewa, Begnas, and Rupa lake. You can also go for boating in these lakes. There are also some adventurous caves in Pokhara like Gupteshwor cave, Bat Cave, etc. You can also head out to these caves and explore them.

• Accommodation: Hotel
• Altitude: 820m

Day 2: Drive to Phedi and Trek to Pothana

After early morning breakfast, you will drive to Phedi and start your adventure from there. We walk on stone steps, terraced fields and through villages and forests before reaching Dhampus. You will have your lunch in Dhampus.

After the lunch break, you will resume your trek to Pothana. The trail to Pothana is a beautiful and pleasant short descent. It takes you through sandalwood forest. From Pothana, sunrise and sunset view of Fishtail mountain (Mt Machhapuchhre) is wonderful. You will also get your ACAP Permit in the checkpoint in Pothana. Today’s trek is 3 hours long.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
• Altitude: 1990m

Day 3: Trek to Low Camp

You will start your trek after having your breakfast. From Pothana, you will trek to Pitam Deurali. It is a wonderful hike in the red sandalwood and rhododendron forest. Along the way to Pitam Deurali, you will also come across some little open land between (buffalo pasture). After crossing the pasture, you will enter a dense forest and trek uphill for 2-3 hours.

After a gentle descent, you will reach Forest Camp. Along the way to Low Camp, you will also see some wonderful vistas of Dhaulagiri and the Manaslu range. Forest Camp is a quaint little village which has beautiful green forests that surround it. It is home to some campsites as well and lodges. On the western side of Forest Camp, you can view Ghandruk and its surrounding villages as well as Modi valley.

Your next destination from Forest Camo is Low camp. Low Camp has a flat surface with dense rhododendron forest. After a long trek of 7-8 hours from Pothana, you will reach Low Camp. Beautiful rhododendron forests surround the low camp. You can also have some delightful views of Machhapuchhre and Mardi Himal from Low Camp.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
• Altitude: 3150m

Day 4: Trek to High Camp

After having breakfast in Low camp, you will start your trek. You will enter beautiful rhododendron forests and then start trekking uphill till you reach the lower viewpoint (3289m). The lower viewpoint also gives you wonderful sunrise and sunset views. You will trek along a grassy slope from the lower viewpoint. You will then continue further up to High Camp.

The trail is quite steep. You might also encounter some narrow paths. You will also walk into some little rhododendron forests. The hike is also one of the amazing in clear weather. You will also walk along the off-the-beaten trail on an open ridge. The ridge offers great mountain views: of the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre range. You will also see the green landscape in the south of the ridge, Modi river valley down below as well as picturesque villages like Ghandruk, Chhomrong, Sinuwa, and Dovan.

Walking further, you will reach High Camp. The trek from Low Camp to High Camp is 4 hours long. High Camp is a natural viewpoint tower. In all directions, you can see breathtaking views of Mt. Machhapuchhre, Mardi Himal, Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Baraha Shikhar, Himchuli and the southern slope including Pokhara valley. This place is also very suitable for yak and sheep. During the trek, you can see a couple of yak shelters and Mani Walls. You will spend your night in a lodge in High Camp.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
• Altitude: 4100m

Day 5: Explore around High Camp and back to Low Camp

Today, you will trek to Mardi Himal Base Camp. Today’s trek is more difficult than other days as the trail is quite steep. At some parts of the trek, the trail is uneven. The steep trails are also quite rocky. After trekking for 2 hrs, you will get to the top ridge, that is also known as Mardi Himal Base Camp. The authentic Mardi Himal Base Camp, however, is further 2 hours of walk away from this ridge. You can get astonishing views of Mardi Himal, Mt Fishtail, Annapurna I, Gangapurna and Annapurna III from the ridge.

You can also get views of quaint villages like MBC (Machhapuchre Base Camp), Deurali, Dovan, Sinuwa, Chhomrong, Ghandruk, Pokhara valley from Mardi Himal Base Camp (4500m). The trek down to Low Camp is 3 – 4 hours long. This day trip is quite adventurous, beautiful, joyful and definitely worth it. The total length of today’s trek is 7-8 hours long. You will spend your night in a lodge in Low Camp (3150 meters).

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Teahouse / Lodge
• Altitude: 3150m

Day 6: Trek to Siding Village Drive to Pokhara

After a hearty breakfast, you will head out to Siding village (1280 meters). As you will mostly descend to Siding village, the trek is quite easy. You will trek through forest shades and terraced fields losing an altitude of 1600m. The trek descends down to the upper Mardi Khola. This river originates from the ice and snow of the Mardi Himal. The trail is also quite remote and away from tea houses initially.

After a couple of hours, the route takes you to an arm valley and friendly villages. Trekking along the banks of Mardi Khola through beautiful fields, conventional farms, and bridges. You will experience typical Nepali countryside. Eventually, after trekking for 4 hours, you will reach Siding. After the lunch The private vehicle will take you to Pokhara via Milan Chowk. You will spend your night in a hotel in Pokhara.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
• Accommodation: Hotel
• Altitude: 820m

Day 7: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu

After early breakfast at a hotel in Pokhara, you will check-out from the hotel. You will then head out to the Tourist Bus Park in Pokhara to catch your tourist bus. The bus leaves at 7 AM in the morning, The bus ride will take you past small towns on the way. You will also get to see rural settlements, gushing rivers, terraces, and green rural landscapes. After 6 hours drive, you will arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. One of the Mount Mania representatives will invite you to attend a farewell dinner with a cultural show in the evening. After dinner, you will go to your hotel for your overnight stay.

• Meals: Breakfast
• Accommodation: None
• Distance: 210km / 7-8 hrs
• Altitude: 1320m