Everything You Need to Know About the Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek: A Guide for 2024

If you’re looking for a fresh and exciting trekking experience in Nepal, the Mardi Himal Trek is the perfect choice. As one of the latest trending destinations, this trek offers a unique opportunity to explore a relatively untouched part of the Annapurna region, where you can leave your footprints at the upper viewpoint of the mountain and immerse yourself in the beauty of lush green forests.

How to Complete Mardi Himal Trek in 3 Days

Until then, I was not a traveler. I mostly stayed at home or strolled around the city but never went too far. I did not care for travel really as I was unaware of its perks. Nor did I know which places were worth visiting and where all the travelers were going. Despite being in a country that is a travel destination for the world, I was ignorant and naive about what my homeland possessed.

But one day, while in college, my friends began planning a trekking expedition. Indeed, I was not the one to pitch in the idea; however, I told them that I would join them. I thought that it is time I travel somewhere and see for myself. After all, I was 21 and had never gone trekking or any form of recreational travel.

So, after a lengthy discussion, it was decided that we would be attempting the Mardi Himal Trek. I had only heard of the trek, and it had been receiving quite popularity over the years. As I had never done trekking, I was unsure about the number of clothes to bring. Naturally, I overpacked quite a bit.

Day 1: Pokhara to Forest Camp

Our Trek started on January 23rd, in the beautiful city of Pokhara. After buying clothes and snacks in the city, we got on a local bus in Hari chowk, which will take us to Kande. At one o’clock in the afternoon, we started our trek from Kande.

It was mainly a path with stone steps. These types of trails are only present in the hilly areas of Nepal, and many of them are centuries old. Walking around the dense forests and small villages, I think rural life has a lot to offer-there is no sound of vehicles and no buzzing of people. Smoke from industries that do not pollute the air. No unmanaged waste and bustling crowds were seen. The only sounds you hear are your footsteps, the chirping of birds, and the whistling of the wind. The only air you breathe is fresh and smells of life. What you see is green vegetation, diverse wildlife, and beautiful people smiling at you as you pass by them.

After about an hour’s walk, we arrived at the Australian camp. This place itself is a popular hiking spot because it is located on a peak. Stunning views of the mountains and valleys can be seen from the camp. We just glanced at the place and continued. After a while, we arrived at another village in Pothana. It was already 5 o’clock at that time, and our goal was to reach the forest camp before night fell. So, we asked a local woman how many hours it would take to reach the forest camp. She made us believe that if we keep up a good pace, we can get there.

A Race Against Time
Therefore, we set off, determined to reach our destination at any cost, and to do so before the end of the day. We are now passing through a deep forest with no human settlements. It’s getting darker and darker, and we don’t know how far the camp is. Because it was winter, it got dark soon, and we had to use the flashlight on our mobile phones to see the way.

Around 7:30, we saw some lights in the distance. Raising our pace, we rushed to see if it was a camp. This is indeed a forest camp, and the glow came from the teahouse. Feeling tired and cold, we rushed into one of the teahouses and went to the restaurant. There is a fireplace in the room, and we sit next to it to keep warm. There were other hikers sitting by the fire in the room. We started talking to a group of hikers from new zealand who shared their experience in Nepal. Then we had our dinner, which was a typical Nepalese dish of Bhat, Dal and Tarkari. After dinner, we stayed by the stove for a while, then went to bed.

Day 2: Forest Camp to High Camp
On day 2 we went uphill from from the forest camp and passed through the dense forest. In order to make climbing more comfortable, each of us made a kind of hiking stick from a fallen tree. Then, we continue to climb. We can’t see the scenery of mountains and hills but the forest itself is beautiful. After about three hours of climb, we reached the low camp.

There are even very few houses in the low camp. There are only a few huts and teahouses. However, the view of Machhapuchhre seen from here is quite amazing. We clicked on some photos of the mountains and sat down to drink tea in the hut. After drinking some tea and biscuits, and taking a break for a while, we continued to rise.

Day 3: High Camp to Pokhara (Last day of Mardi Himal Trek 3 days)

Its Day 3, last day of our trek We woke up at 5:00 in the morning and started hiking to Mardi Himal base camp. This is the most difficult climb in our long journey, because the path from the high camp to the base camp is steeply uphill. Moreover, we are tired of the hiking we have done in the past two days. However, the magnificent scenery of the huge mountains keeps us going. After passing through the viewing spots, we finally reached the base camp after 3 hours. We are closer to the mountains there. After staying at the base camp for a while, we returned to the high camp.

We originally planned to return to Pokhara on the same day. So, after a meal we started hiking. We continued to return to the low camp in the same way, and it took about 2 hours. From there, we changed our trail and headed down towards Sidhing. And from there we waited for about an hour before the jeep arrived. Then, we got into the jeep and rode back to Pokhara on a dusty road, which took about 2.5 hours.

Thinking back to that trek, I can’t help but feel a sense of pride and accomplishment. This is my first hiking trip, but I’m sure it won’t be my last. In addition, I am very happy that the first hiking I did was one of the most beautiful hiking adventures in Nepal.

So, if you are considering doing Mardi Himal Trek in 3 days, I can assure you that you will like it very much. Just make sure you get there at the right time. I went hiking in January which required hiking in a cold climate. However, you will get a clear and pleasing mountain view.

Click Aama Yangri Trek Experienceif you want to know about the experience of Aama Yangri Trek