Mardi Himal Trek & Chitwan- Pokhara Tour 15 Days

Trip Facts
  • Trip Grade Moderate
  • Destination Nepal
  • Max. Altitude 4,500 m
  • Trip Style TREK & TOUR
  • Trip Type SOLO, GROUP OR FAMILY
  • Best Time All season

Highlights

  • Less-crowded trekking trail in the Annapurna region with fantastic mountain views

  • Perfect trek for beginner trekkers looking to introduce themselves with offbeat walking

  • Trek through rhododendrons forests and pastures

  • Come across diverse flora and fauna along the way

  • Witness gorgeous sunrise and breathtaking mountains views from Mardi Himal base camp

  • Visit historical sites in Kathmandu

  • Enjoy gorgeous sunset from Phewa Lake in Pokhara

  • Visit the indigenous Tharu village and go on a wild jeep safari in Chitwan

"In search of a less crowded yet mesmerising & beginner-friendly trekking route in the Himalayas? We have the best Mardi Himal trek itinerary, including tours in Pokhara and Chitwan. It's a perfect package that lets travellers introduce themselves to Nepal's mountains, wilderness, and historical monuments."

Opened in late 2012, the Mardi Himal trek is one of the best alternatives to the famous Annapurna base camp and Ghorepani Poon Hill treks. Trekking through beautiful rhododendron forests, you'll reach the high pastures and walk alongside the Mardi Himal ridge to the Mardi Himal base camp. The trail offers close-up views of mountains like Annapurna South (7,219 m), Fishtail (6,993 m), Gangapurna (7,455 m), and Mardi Himal (5,587 m).

Mardi Himal trek is one of the best doable offbeat treks for beginner trekkers in the Himalayas. The Mardi Himal trail has all the adventure one may look forward to and furthermore involves steep, uphill ascents through the forested paths. This trekking route is a hidden gem of the Annapurna region. The venture offers breathtaking mountain scenery away from the crowd.

Our Mardi Himal trek 15 days itinerary is designed combining tours in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan, which make the package full of activities. After trekking on the offbeat, rugged terrain for multiple days, you can relax in Nepal's two most famous cities, Pokhara & Chitwan. Even though we have sightseeing and some other activities planned in these two cities, you'll still get plenty of time to rest.

Mountain Views

Our Mardi Himal base camp trek is a very immersive journey. The trail offers gorgeous landscapes and a glimpse of the Himalayan mountains from the very first day. As you gradually walk and come out of dense forests, towering snow-capped mountains unfold themselves. The landscape changes from lush green hills, terraced farms, and rivers to barren hills and mountains as you go higher.

Mt. Annapurna I (8,091 m), Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Mt. Hiunchuli (6,441 m), Mt. Manaslu (8,163 m), etc are some other mountains you can see during Mardi Himal trekking. In Pokhara, you get to enjoy a lovely aerial view of the city from Sarangkot, including Lamjung Himal (6,983 m) and other peaks. Likewise, the sight of lush forests and rivers in Chitwan has its own essence.

Mardi Himal Trek route

Mardi Himal begins with a drive to Pokhara that further continues to Phedi. From Phedi, we begin trekking through lush forests and pass by Dhampu before reaching Deurali (2,100 m). The trail then ascends through dense forests for the next few days and passes by Forest Camp (2,600 m), Low Camp (3,970 m), and High Camp (3,600 m). The trail gets steep and rugged as you go higher.
From High Camp, you walk on grassy slopes and ascend along the Mardi Himal ridge to Mardi Himal Base Camp (4,500 m). It is also called Upper View Point. Further, we retrace the rail up to Low Camp and continue walking on a different route to Siding village. The Mardi Himal trek ends at Lumre (1,700 m), and we drive to Pokhara.

Now the tour part comes. After spending a couple of nights in Pokhara and exploring the city, we’ll drive to Chitwan. Here, we explore the Chitwan National Park and do activities like jungle safari, bathing with baby elephants, bird watching, canoeing, etc. We also visit the Tharu village. They are one of the indigenous groups in Nepal. We then drive/fly back to Kathmandu and explore the city.

Difficulty

Mardi Himal trek difficulty is moderate. This trek is advised for naive trekkers looking for the offbeat trail. If you are looking for an easy gentle walk with less steep ascend, then the Mardi Himal trail is not for you. You may rather go with Langtang Valley Trek or Everest Panorama Trek.

The trekkers have to be fit and healthy to do Mardi Himal trekking. They have to walk 6 to 7 hours daily. On top of that, the tourist infrastructure is not as ample as other trekking routes in the Annapurna region. So, the unavailability of basic modern comforts may add up further to the difficulty of the trek.

Altitude Sickness

The Mardi Himal trek is a high-altitude trek. There is a chance of altitude sickness. It is a common illness travellers face during high-altitude journeys. The key to avoiding altitude sickness during trekking in the Himalayas is to get proper rest and keep yourself hydrated. Your body has to adjust with the elevation as you ascend higher. To do so, we add acclimatisation days (if needed) and ascend slowly.

Our itineraries are well designed. You do not have to worry about altitude sickness during trekking with us. On the off chance, if you get symptoms of altitude sickness, our trek guide will give you first aid. If the symptoms do not subside with first aid, we may air evacuate you to the hospital (rare cases).

Preparation

To prepare for the Mardi Himal base camp trek, go on hiking and do activities that will build your stamina. For instance, swimming, cycling, and jogging are great ways to work on your stamina. The trek demands long walking hours, so walk 5 to 6 hours on a regular basis. Make your shoes ready to hit the trail and pack your favourite snacks.

Booking

You can book the Mardi Himal trek 2022/2023 anytime with us. Our team will help you in booking and preparing for the trek. You'll get the best Mardi Himal trek price and service with us. We are a team of active trekkers and climbers, so you do not have to worry about anything with us. We'll make sure you are trekking safely in the Himalayas.

 

Trip Itinerary

These Itinerary can be changed according to your interest and budget.

  • Day 1:Arrival in Kathmandu
  • Day 2:Sightseeing in Kathmandu and trek preparation day
  • Day 3:Drive to Pokhara
  • Day 4:Drive to Phedi and trek to Deurali
  • Day 5:Deurali to Forest Camp
  • Day 6:Forest Camp to Low Camp
  • Day 7:Low Camp to High Camp
  • Day 8:High Camp to Upper Viewpoint, return to High Camp
  • Day 9:High Camp to Siding Village
  • Day 10:Trek to Lumre and drive to Pokhara
  • Day 11:Sightseeing in Pokhara
  • Day 12:Drive to Chitwan
  • Day 13:Sightseeing in Chitwan
  • Day 14:Drive/fly to Kathmandu

Do your visa obligations and meet one of our company's representatives at the terminal gate. We use a private vehicle to pick you up from the airport and drop you at the hotel. Later in the day, explore the bustling streets of Thamel and meet with the team over welcome dinner in the late evening.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the hotel
  • MealsWelcome dinner

 Today, we go on a guided sightseeing tour in the morning. We'll visit the historical monuments like Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhnath Stupa, Swayambhunath, and Kathmandu Durbar Square. These monuments reflect Nepali art, architecture, and history. We'll learn about Nepali culture during the visit. After the tour, we have the late afternoon free to meet with the trek guide and eventually prepare for the trek.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the hotel
  • MealsBreakfast only

Duration: 6-7 hours

From Kathmandu, it's an early morning drive to Pokhara. We drive along the Trishuli River, enjoying views of green hills, waterfalls, terraced fields, and small settlement areas. The drive is long but stress-free, so we'll have a good time. We will check into the hotel upon reaching Pokhara. The remaining day is leisure. Spend time around Phewa lake.

  • MealsBreakfast & lunch

 

Duration: 30 minutes drive & 4-5 hours trek

We'll have a delicious breakfast and begin our journey. First, we drive from Pokhara to Phedi. It's a short drive. From Phedi, we begin trekking, following a forested path and passing by small villages. The trail ascends along the stone staircases. We reach Dhampus and take a small lunch break. Further, enjoying beautiful views of the Annapurna range, we trek to Pothana and continue trekking through lush forests to Deurali.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the teahouse
  • MealsBreakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Max. Altitude2,100 m

Duration: 6-7 hours

The views of Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, and Mardi Himal are outstanding from Deurali in the morning. We'll have breakfast and hit the trail. The trail steeply ascends through dense forests of hemlock, oak, maple, etc. You'll see many magnolia and rhododendron blooming trees in the spring. Soon, we diverge from the Annapurna Sanctuary trail and walk on an uphill route to Forest Camp. Locals call this place Kokar.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the teahouse
  • MealsBreakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Max. Altitude2,600 m

 

Duration: 5-6 hours

From Forest Camp, we keep walking through a lush forest of rhododendrons. Enjoying stunning mountain scenery and the serenity of the forests, we soon reach Low Camp to spend the night. It is a beautiful resting point with only two basic lodges and restaurants. Surrounded by rhododendron forests, Low Camp offers a fantastic view of Fishtail and Mardi Himal.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the teahouse
  • MealsBreakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Max. Altitude3,970 m

Duration: 4 hours

We begin the day with a gentle ascend through rhododendron forests and walk towards the lower viewpoint (3,289 m). We leave the dense forest from here onwards and walk on a grassy slope. This part of the trekking route offers breathtaking scenery if the weather is clear. We reach High Camp for the night's stay.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the teahouse
  • MealsBreakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Max. Altitude3,600 m

Duration: 4-5 hours

We walk to the Upper Viewpoint today. Our goal is to catch the sunrise, so we begin trekking pretty early in the morning. The trail from High Camp ascends through grassy pastures and occasionally follows steep, narrow sections. We may get to see yak and cattle grazing. Soon we reach the Upper Viewpoint, which presents gorgeous scenery of Hiunchuli, Fishtail, Annapurna I, Mardi Himal, and many other mountains. After enjoying the views, we descend to High Camp to spend the night.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the teahouse
  • MealsBreakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Max. Altitude4,500 m

Duration: 4-5 hours

Leaving High Camp, we descend to Low Camp through lush forests. This part of the trail retraces the same path. From Low Camp, we walk on a different trail that leads to Siding village. The trail goes through the forest to Mardi Khola. We descend from here to our last stop of the day. Today, you'll get to see a proper village lifestyle.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the teahouse
  • MealsBreakfast, lunch & dinner
  • Max. Altitude1,700 m

Duration: 2-3 hours trek & 2 hours drive

Today is our last day of the trek. We trek on a downhill route through the woodlands to Lumre. From here, we drive to Pokhara. The rest of the day is leisure. Rest and explore the Lakeside Market. If your body is sore from the trek, you may consider visiting a spa or massage centre.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the hotel
  • MealsBreakfast & lunch

We have a full day in Pokhara for sightseeing and exploring the city. First, we drive to Sarangkot early in the morning to catch a beautiful sunrise and aerial view of Pokhara city with Mt. Fishtail and Lamjung Himal. Sarangkot is a famous spot for paragliding, so if you want, we can arrange it for you (additional charges apply).

Later in the day, we drive to Begnas Tal and explore other tourist sites like Davis Falls, Mahendra Cave, Gupteshwor Cave, and the local market. The evening is free. You can spend as you wish.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the hotel
  • MealsBreakfast only

Duration: 6-7 hours

Today, we drive to Chitwan. It's a long but scenic drive from Kathmandu to Chitwan. There can be some bumpy sections along the driving route. The rolling lush green hills with frequent views of terraced fields and narrow waterfalls are wonderful. The driving route goes along the Trishuli river and small settlement areas to Chitwan.

Upon reading Chitwan, we drop you at the hotel/resort. Rest and unpack. In the evening, we'll visit a nearby Tharu village. Tharus are one of the indigenous groups of Nepal. We'll see their cultural stick dance and traditional attire.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the Resort
  • MealsBreakfast & lunch

Chitwan is the home of wilderness. We’ll spend the day exploring the Chitwan National Park. In the morning, we go canoeing and bird watching. Later, we'll go on a jungle safari. We may get to see rare wildlife like the One-horned rhino and royal Bengal tiger along with other animals like elephants, deer, boar, pheasants, etc.

Later, we visit the elephant breeding centre and see how food for elephants is prepared, and if possible, take bath with baby elephants. If you want, you can end the day with a spa or massage (additional charges apply).

  • AccommodationOvernight in the Resort
  • MealsBreakfast & lunch

Duration: 6-7 hours

As per the availability, we either drive or fly back to Kathmandu today. In Kathmandu, we'll have the rest of the leisure. Explore the local market and visit Patan Durbar Square if you can manage the time. Do window shopping in Thamel and enjoy your last full day in Kathmandu. We meet you in the late evening over farewell dinner.

  • AccommodationOvernight in the hotel
  • MealsBreakfast, lunch & farewell dinner

It is our regular itinerary if you are looking for a personalized or planning an offline trip. Please, feel free to share our travel experts.

Trip Map

Mardi Himal Trek & Chitwan- Pokhara Tour 15 Days map

Cost Details

  • Airport pick up and drop.
  • Hotel in Kathmandu & Pokhara
  • Resort in Chitwan
  • Guide and porters.
  • All food (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) in trekking.
  • Tea house/lodge accommodation.
  • Hot drinks (Tea and coffee) 3 times a day.
  • All land transportation.
  • TIMS (Trekking information Management System) card.
  • All require national park and entry Permit.
  • All food, drinks, Lodge, salary, Insurance, medical equipments, for guide and porters.
  • Sightseeing with guide and transport.
  • All government taxes.
  • Any bar bills (alcoholic drinks, mineral water, and cold drinks), cigarettes, client’s personal insurance, any kind of unforeseen expenses.
  • Lunch and Dinner in Kathmandu.
  • Tips for Guide and Porter (Tips are not compulsory but expected).

Essential Info

Best time

Trek to the Mardi Himal base camp in the spring and autumn seasons for the best trekking experience. These peak trekking seasons welcome hundreds of travellers from around the world to the Himalayas. Many trekkers trek to Mardi Himal, so the trail is bustling with travellers and seasonal vegetation.

The fantastic views and the weather makes the trekking excellent. Almost zero chance of rainfall, and the breezy days are just perfect to enjoy the walk. The weather is stable. You do not have to worry about any kind of delays.

Accommodation

Trekking in the Himalayas means living a simple lifestyle and escaping from the modern facilities. The accommodation on the Mardi Himal trail is very basic. It's a teahouse trek. Runned by the locals, there is a countable number of teahouses on the way. So, it can get tough to get a room during a peak trekking season.

We book the rooms in advance. The rooms are small, and the washroom is generally shared. There are mostly two seperate beds in a room, so you may have to share the room with a fellow trekker or pay for both beds. There is nothing much in the room. You can expect a mattress and blanket with a pillow on each bed.

Meals

Our Mardi Himal Trek package covers three meals a day during the trek and all breakfast in Kathmandu, Pokhara & Chitwan. Likewise, the package cost covers multiple lunches in cities and welcome & farewell dinners in Kathmandu. In cities, you get whatever you want to eat.

During the trek, we eat simple healthy Nepali dishes like dal bhat, roti tarkari, dhido, etc as meals. Breakfast has toast, jam, butter, muesli, oats, soup, eggs, tea, coffee, etc. Other heavy meal options are momo, noodles, thenduk, thukpa, mashed potatoes with meat, etc.

Group/private joining

We take bookings for Mardi Himal Trek group joining or private trek. You can trek with your group or join one of our groups in the peak season. The cost mentioned on our page is for group joining. If you are doing a private trek, there can be a slight difference in the cost.

Our team will inform everything during the booking. We are very transparent with our policy and charges. We do not have any hidden charges. Whether you do group trekking or private trekking, you'll get the best Mardi Himal trek cost and service with us.

Child Policy

The Mardi Himal Trek route is a little on the offbeat side, as we have mentioned earlier. So, trekking with a child can get daunting. On top of that, the bare minimum services along the trail can create more hurdles for you. We kindly request you to talk to our representative for more detailed information. Share your plans, and we'll try our best to offer you the best trekking advice.

Travel Insurance

It's wise to trek with travel insurance that covers emergency evacuation in the Himalayas. You never know what event may occur during the trek with all the precautions taken. So, travel insurance is a must for everyone regardless of their physical fitness and health. You can also include medical bills and flight cancellations in your travel insurance.

FAQs

  • Q1. How long is the Mardi Himal trek?

    Mardi Himal trek can get 12 days to 15 days long, depending upon your itinerary. Our Mardi Himal Trek is 13 days long and also includes your arrival/departure in Kathmandu. The daily walk is 6 to 7 hours through the forested path.

  • Mardi Himal trail is a moderate trek with a hint of offbeat walking. It is a great package for beginner trekkers, who are looking for a little more challenging journey. With good physical fitness and support, anyone can do this trek.

     
  • Our favourite season for Mardi Himal Trekking is autumn. September October and November are our best months to trek to Mardi Himal Upper Viewpoint. It's the post-monsoon period, so the air is quite refreshing, and the views are clear. Another best part of trekking in Nepal in autumn is the festivals. Locals celebrate their biggest festivals in October and November.

     
  • Yes, Mardi Himal trek is safe. If you are trekking with us, one of our professional guides will take care of you on the trail and accompany you. In general, the trekking route to the Mardi Himal base camp is moderate and does not involve any technical climbing.

  • From Pokhara, you have to take a short drive to Kande or Phedi. You can start the trek from both of these points. The trail then gradually ascends mainly through dense forests to the viewpoint.

  • Yes. After a tiring trek, it is always a wise idea to have a light tour in Pokhara where you can relax and be in nature with different foods and cultural experiences.

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