A five-day Mardi Himal line from Pokhara climbs Forest Camp and Low Camp to High Camp on the ridge under Machhapuchhre. Walking days are steep but short enough for a long weekend in the hills. Five days is enough for Forest Camp, High Camp, and a Machhapuchhre sunrise if you keep the days steep.
Sunrise from High Camp or the viewpoint above it is the photograph. You descend the same forest to the road and lakeside the last afternoon. Sidhing or the same forest trail drops you to the road after High Camp, with Pokhara the same evening.
Your guide paces the steep gain from Kande through Pitam Deurali and Forest Camp so High Camp stays honest on this five-day ridge. We'll book those narrower lodges from Pokhara and file ACAP before you walk. Guides trained on altitude illness watch cloud on Machhapuchhre before the last hour toward Mardi Himal Base Camp.
After the viewpoint morning you'll sleep at Badal Danda and walk out to Siding for the lakeside drive. We prefer a guide who already works this ridge, and the daily plan can shorten the high excursion if the High Camp night sits in cloud. We are licensed by the Nepal Tourism Board, and client funds sit against a ministry security deposit.
We will leave Pokhara by road and drive toward Kande, where our trek begins. The trail gradually climbs through the green hills and passes forest, farmland and small settlements. Depending on the exact route, we may walk through the Australian Camp and Pothana area before reaching Pitam Deurali.
The first day is relatively short compared with the higher sections of the trek. It gives us time to settle into the walking routine without starting with a very long day. The trail includes some uphill sections and stone steps, but the elevation is still moderate.
Pitam Deurali sits at around 2,100 m / 6,890 ft and is surrounded by forest and mountain scenery. We will stay at a local teahouse and have dinner before resting for the next walking day.
We will continue from Pitam Deurali toward Forest Camp, also known as Kokar. The trail becomes more wooded as we move farther away from the lower settlements. Rhododendron, oak and other Himalayan trees cover much of this section.
The walking is mostly uphill, although there are some easier stretches where we can take a break. We will keep a steady pace rather than trying to finish quickly. This becomes more important as the altitude starts increasing.
The forest provides shade during the warmer parts of the day and also gives the trail a quieter feel. In spring, rhododendron flowers can be seen along parts of the route.
Today is the first major climbing day. We will leave Forest Camp, and take the trail to Low Camp. The trail goes up into the woods and slowly opens. Low Camp is a route point rather than an overnight stop on our itinerary.
From there, we continue toward Badal Danda. The trees get smaller as we get higher and the trail starts to go over the open ridge. When the weather is clear, we will be able to begin to see Machhapuchhre and other Annapurna mountains better. We shall keep on up the ridge to High Camp.
The last part may be more difficult due to the elevation and open land. Our highest overnight point is High Camp at about 3,580 m / 11,745 ft.
This is the highest and hardest day of our trek. We will begin early at High Camp and ascend the upper ridge to the Mardi Himal Upper Viewpoint where there is an elevation of approximately 4,200 m / 13,780 ft. In case the weather is appropriate, the trail conditions, as well as the physical state of the group, allows it, we will be able to proceed to Mardi Himal Base Camp around 4,500 m / 14,764 ft.
It is more open above the tree line, and has some rocky and uneven areas. Our stroll will be gradual as the altitude will take on a greater influence beyond 4,000 m / 13,123 ft. The Upper View is approximately 4,200 m / 13,780 ft, and Mardi Himal Base Camp is about 4,500 m / 14,764 ft.
It is at this location where we can see Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and the surrounding mountains on a clear day.
Our final walking section takes us downhill from Badal Danda toward Siding. The trail gets out of the open upper ridge and back into wooded environments. We will proceed down the hillside area where the elevation is lower.
The descent is not so hard technically, but may be tiring after the long walk of the previous day. We will take care on steep or uneven sections and keep a comfortable pace. Siding is a local settlement and a road access point for the Mardi Himal area.
After reaching Siding, our vehicle will meet us and we will drive back to Pokhara.
Most guests fly into Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Share your arrival time ahead of travel so a Thamel hotel transfer can be arranged, or make your own way to the meeting hotel.
Many departures include a road transfer to Pokhara before walking starts from Nayapul or a nearby trailhead. Allow a little extra time after the trek before international flights home.
Twin or double rooms in a comfortable Kathmandu hotel cover your first nights and your return from the trail, with breakfast on those city stays when included in the package. Briefings happen at the hotel, and airport collection from Tribhuvan is available when flight times are shared in advance.
Family-run teahouses or lodges line the route with twin beds and a shared dining room. Rooms get simpler and colder as you climb, with shared bathrooms common at higher villages. Hot water, Wi-Fi, and charging are paid at the lodge when offered.
Stable trekking weather most often falls in pre-monsoon spring and post-monsoon autumn. Monsoon cloud sits lower on the hills while winter brings ice on steps above village level.
If your dates sit in winter or monsoon, pack rain and cold layers and accept that flight or pass days may move by a day when safety requires it. Weather can shift daily plans, so your guide keeps a steady pace with regular breaks.
You should be comfortable on steep stone steps and forest paths for four to six hours with a daypack. Hill training and longer weekend walks in the months before travel help your legs and lungs on uphill trail days.
Hill training, stair climbing, and longer weekend hikes in the months before travel help your legs and lungs, even when acclimatisation days are built into the route. Break in boots before you fly and carry a light daypack on practice walks.
Guided trekking with licensed leaders, lodge nights on the trail, meals as described for walking days, and permits for the regions crossed are included when they are part of this trip. Domestic flights, porters, and airport transfers apply only when they are part of this trip.
Domestic flights, road transfers, porter support, and airport transfers apply only when they are part of this trip. Permits for the regions you cross are arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara when included.
International flights to Nepal, visa fees, compulsory travel insurance, personal trekking clothing, snacks and drinks outside included meals, and tips for crew are not covered. Hot showers, Wi-Fi, and battery charging in lodges are usually paid locally when offered.
Charges for hot showers, Wi-Fi, or battery charging in lodges are paid locally when offered unless your trip notes say otherwise. International flights, visa fees, and personal insurance stay outside the trek package.
Thamel hotel meet after airport pickup is standard; confirm whether briefing is in Kathmandu, Pokhara, or both. Allow a little extra time after the trek before international flights home in case mountain roads or flights move.
Trailhead transport from Pokhara is timed so you reach Nayapul in daylight when possible. Trail conditions are checked each morning before the group moves.
Guides set a steady pace and watch for headache, nausea, or dizziness as you gain height. Your crew would rather wait for a safe window than rush marginal weather.
Tell your guide early if symptoms appear so tomorrow's stage can shorten or descent can start before conditions worsen. Thamel hotels are the usual meet point; drivers need flight numbers to meet you at the international terminal.
Road transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara and a short drive to Nayapul or another start point are common when transport is included. Your guide confirms departure times at briefing.
Motion sickness medicine helps on winding mountain roads. Shoulder weeks need an honest weather call before high passes or dawn viewpoints.
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and TIMS registration apply on this route. The team arranges paperwork in Kathmandu or Pokhara when you provide passport copies and trek dates.
Keep copies in your daypack for checkpoint stops. Your crew would rather wait for a safe window than rush marginal weather.
Families join when children can manage the daily hours and terrain on this specific route. Pace and daily hours can be adjusted on private departures, though that may extend the calendar.
Ask our Kathmandu team if you are planning with younger walkers. Private departures can shorten daily hours, though that may add a day or two to the calendar.
Comprehensive travel insurance that covers trekking to the highest altitude on your itinerary, medical evacuation, and helicopter rescue when applicable is essential. Many standard policies exclude high altitude by name.
Read the wording before you travel so you can adjust cover if trekking above 5,000 metres is not named. Many standard policies exclude high altitude by name, so read the wording before you fly.
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About the centre
Kathmandu
You'll travel with a Kathmandu-based team that plans treks, peak climbs, helicopter flights, motorbike journeys, and cultural trips across Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. Routes range from classic teahouse walks and high passes to luxury lodge itineraries and longer expedition-style climbs, with departures shaped around how you want to pace the mountains.
Licensed guides and office staff train regularly on mountain safety and guest care. Porters are insured, fairly paid, and equipped for the trail, with sensible load limits on lodge routes. We work with remote communities through sustainable tourism, including support for education in village areas, so your booking helps local people as well as your own adventure.
Operated by Himalayan Adventure Treks & Tours, a partner of adventuro.
