Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek – 11 Days

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu.

Upon your arrival at Kathmandu airport, Himalayan adventure treks and tours staff member will meet at airport. He will escort you to your hotel.

Day 02: Drive to Pokhara.

Today early morning will take a tourist bus to get in Pokhara and it takes about 6-7 hours from Kathmandu. We can enjoy beautiful scenic view of terraced rice field, eye catching landscape,Trisuli and Marysngdi Rivers and spectacular panoramic view of Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal and Most of Annapurna range are seen.

Day 03: Drive to Phedi and trek to Pothana.

After hot breakfast we drive half an hour to Phedi and commence our trek to Pothana. The trail is steep until Dhampus and pleasant easy walk up to Pothana.

Day 04: Trek to forest Camp.

Today will leave the main Annapurna Sanctuary trek trail and continue along a quite trail through a dense forest of oak, maple, hemlock and rhododendron.

Day 04: Trek to Forest Camp at Kokar (2,600m)- 4 hours walking.
From Pothana you walk up to a place called Pitam Deurali where you will turn off the main Annapurna Sanctuary trek and continue along a quiet trail through a dense forest of oak, maple, hemlock and rhododendron. Tonight we stay at one of the lodges in a clearing of the forest at Forest Camp or also known by the locals as Kokar. The lodges at Kokar are quite basic and there is no dining room so you will probably have meals in kitchen with the owner, so in some ways this is more like a homestay and is a good opportunity to get to know this friendly family from Siding village.

Day 05: Trek to Low Camp (3,150m)- 5 hours trekking.
The trail continues from Forest Camp to Low Camp through the forest however as we ascend the vegetation starts to change with more rhododendron and the trees are covered with moss, lichen and tree ferns. At Low Camp there are two basic lodges one with a dining room with open fire. The view from Low Camp is superb with Mount Machhapuchhre visible up the valley.

Day 06: Trek to High Camp (3,700m)- 4 hours trekking.
An hour or so above Low Camp the trail breaks out above tree line and towards the west there is a good view to Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. The trail continues along the Mardi Himal ridge mainly on grass with some isolated rhododendron bushes along the way. Look out for the colourful Danphe pheasant on this section of the trail. The lodge at High Camp is larger than lodges at Low Camp and Forest Camp, this one has eight rooms and a separate dining room with heater. The view from the lodge is superb to Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail).

Day 07: Excursion to Mardi Himal Base Camp (4,500m)- 4 hours Trekking.
The plan for today is to wake early for sunrise view of the mountains then after an early breakfast walk up the ridge towards Mardi Himal Base Camp. There is a well-established trail through the grass with a couple of steeper sections however overall not too challenging. Look out for the dzokpo (yak/ cow crossbreds) grazing up here as well as Danphe pheasant. In the summer the sheep and goats from lower villages are brought up to graze in this area so you will pass a number of herder’s huts along the way. After three hours you should reach Base Camp at the elevation of 4500m this is where one can look into the Annapurna Sanctuary and the panorama view is spectacular looking at south face of Annapurna and all of the peaks in the Sanctuary as well as Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre (Fishtail).

Day 08: Trek to Siding village (1,750m) -6 hours walking.
On the way back we take a different route so completing a circuit, from Low Camp there is a trail that goes down to Siding village rather than going back down Mardi Himal back to Kokar. Siding is a traditional Nepalese village and still very much away from the busier modern tourist treks and it is likely you will stay at a homestay in Siding owned by the person who runs one of the lodges at Low Camp.

Day 09: Trek to Lumre and drive to Pokhara- 3 hours walking and 2 hours driving.
From Siding you walk out to the road head at Lumre, on the way from Siding you will pass the villages of Kalimati and Ghalel. Kalimati is mainly a Brahmin village with Ghalel and Siding mixed Brahmin and Gurung.

Day 10: Drive back to Kathmandu
We ride the tourist but to Kathmandu and have lunch on the way. Upon arriving in Kathmandu, do some shopping souvenirs for dear ones back home and enjoy last hours in Nepal.

Day 11: Fly back to home
Departure to home country. Wilderness Excursion representative will drop you at international airport and see you off for final departure to home.