Mardi Himal Trek: Explore Hidden Gem of the Himalayas in Nepal

Upon arriving at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will be greeted by the representative of K.J. Adventures. He will then transfer you to the hotel and help you through the check-in process. The representative will then brief you regarding the programs of the adventure in detail. Overnight at the hotel.

On this day, you explore Kathmandu valley, also known as the city of temples. Among the 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal, 7 of them are located solely in Kathmandu valley.
Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambunath, Pashupatinath, and Bouddhanath are among a few of them that you’ll be visiting. These sites are architecturally rich and possess high historical significance. After sightseeing has completed, we gather with other members attempting for the same trek, brief out trekking basics and configure our backpacks for the next morning.

We begin our journey with a drive to the city of the lake, Pokhara. The 6-hour drive alongside the Trishuli river via the Prithvi Highway is certainly a beautiful experience. Along the way, we will encounter terraced fields, rivers, occasional settlements, lively towns, and serene mountain views. Upon reaching Pokhara, we can either talk a walk to the Lakeside and shop around or we can rest in our hotel.

After breakfast, we drive for about an hour to Phedi and start our trek to Pitam Deurali. At first, the trail winds through steep stone steps in the forest. Upon reaching Dhampus, we stop for the lunch. After lunch, we continue our trek with a gradual walk to the village of Pitam Deurali. This village offers a breathtaking view of Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre.

Today, we leave the stunning village of Pitam Deurali and head to the Forest Camp. On this day, we walk through the isolated paths in the shades of dense forest. Most of the day, we will be accompanied by the rhododendron, birch, oak, and maple trees. After about 5-6 hours of walking, we reach our overnight destination at Forest Camp, a small settlement nestled in the midst of dense woodlands. Overnight at local lodge.

We start our day trekking into the steep forested path for few hours. After that, the treeline starts to get thinner as we ascend alongside a ridge towards the Mardi Himal. After walking in the route covered in shrubs and bushes, we arrive at the High Camp. The view of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre is spectacular from the High Camp.

Today, we finally make our way to the Mardi Himal Base Camp at the elevation of 4,500m. Our breakfast on this day will be much earlier than usual. After breakfast, we start trekking along the narrow and steep trail. On a certain section, the trail gets much steeper and rocky. Passing the upper viewpoint, we make our way to the Mardi Himal Base Camp for the sunrise. We enjoy the close-up view of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, Machhapuchhre, and Mardi Himal. After the remarkable achievement, we retrace our route back to High Camp for the overnight.

On this day, we take a newly commenced route to the village of Siding. We descend through the forested trail into a remote settlement just above the Mardi Khola. Siding village sets a very contrasting mood in this adventure as the village is tucked in the isolated part this region. The place is often quiet with fewer visitors and rarely-used guesthouses and offers a great hospitality. Overnight at the local lodge.

After an early morning breakfast, we descend to the village of Lumre. Upon reaching Lumre, we catch a local bus and drive back to Pokhara. In the afternoon, we can either rest at the hotel or walk around the lively Lakeside and explore the city of Pokhara. Overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast,we drive back to the bustling city of Kathmandu. After checking in to the hotel, we can relax and freshen up. In the afternoon, we can walk around the alley streets of Thamel for the souvenir shopping. Later in the evening, we will celebrate the success of our trek with a farewell dinner. Overnight at the hotel.

Departure day! Depending upon your flight schedules, the representative of K.J. Adventures will pick you up from the hotel and escort you to the airport for the final departure.