Mardi Himal is the 5,587 m peak that stands in front of Machhapuchhre when you look north from Pokhara, a small shoulder of rock and snow beside the famous Fishtail. The trek to its base camp follows a single long ridge that rises out of the forest east of the Modi Khola. It was opened to trekkers only around 2012, and teahouses have grown along it since, but it remains far quieter than the main Annapurna Base Camp trail and is short enough to fit into a week from Pokhara.
The route starts at Kande, 45 minutes from Pokhara, climbs to Australian Camp and Pothana, then enters thick rhododendron and oak forest to Forest Camp at 2,550 m. Above Low Camp at 2,990 m the trees thin out, and from Badal Danda at 3,210 m the ridge becomes open grass with drops on both sides. High Camp at 3,580 m is the last cluster of lodges. From there trekkers leave at 4 am for the upper viewpoint at about 4,250 m and, if legs and weather allow, the base camp at about 4,500 m.
What makes Mardi Himal special is the angle. Machhapuchhre at 6,993 m is close enough from the upper ridge that you can see the fluting of ice on its south face, with Mardi Himal right above you and Annapurna South and Hiunchuli to the west. Below, the clouds often fill the Modi and Mardi valleys like a sea, a common sight on autumn mornings. Most people descend via Siding village to a jeep road, completing the trip in 6–7 days from Pokhara.
What to see and do
- Machhapuchhre at close range
From the upper ridge the south face of Machhapuchhre, 6,993 m, rises less than 8 km away. The mountain has never been legally summited and is closed to climbing, which adds to its presence. At dawn the twin-tipped summit turns orange first, then the light runs down the ice flutes towards the valley.
- The open grass ridge above Badal Danda
Badal Danda means cloud ridge, and above 3,200 m the trail runs along a narrow crest with the Mardi Khola valley to the east and the Modi Khola gorge to the west. On autumn mornings both valleys fill with cloud while the ridge stays in sunshine, so you walk above a white sea.
- Rhododendron forest to Forest Camp
Between Pothana and Low Camp the trail climbs for hours through moss-hung rhododendron, oak and maple. In March and April the rhododendrons bloom red and pink, and in every season you may hear langur monkeys and the calls of the Himalayan monal, Nepal's national bird, in the undergrowth.
- Dawn push from High Camp
Summit day starts in the dark at 4 am. The climb from 3,580 m to the upper viewpoint at about 4,250 m takes 2.5–3 hours on a steep grassy trail, and the base camp is another 1–1.5 hours beyond. Sunrise usually catches you on the ridge with Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and Mardi Himal glowing.
- Quiet compared with ABC
In October the main Annapurna Base Camp trail can see several hundred trekkers a day pass through Chhomrong. Mardi Himal gets a fraction of that, and High Camp has only a handful of lodges. The trade-off is fewer facilities, but the trail feels like a ridge walk rather than a queue.
- Siding village on the way down
Most groups descend the eastern side of the ridge to Siding at about 1,750 m, a Gurung farming village of millet terraces and stone houses where few trekkers stayed until recently. A jeep road links Siding with Pokhara in about 2.5 hours, so the return needs no backtracking.
Experiences in Mardi Himal Base Camp
How to reach Mardi Himal Base Camp
Road
Drive from Pokhara to Kande, about 25 km and 45 minutes on the Baglung highway, then walk. On the way down, a jeep road links Siding or Lumre with Pokhara in 2–2.5 hours. Kathmandu to Pokhara is about 200 km and 6–8 hours by road.
On foot
From Kande: Australian Camp and Forest Camp at 2,550 m in about 6 hours, Low Camp and Badal Danda at 3,210 m next day, High Camp at 3,580 m on day three, then a 4 am start for base camp on day four, returning to Low Camp. Total height gain from Kande is about 2,700 m.
Air
Fly Kathmandu to Pokhara in about 25 minutes; mountain views are best from the right-hand side heading west. There is no airstrip on the ridge. In an emergency, helicopters can land near High Camp in good weather, which is why we insist on insurance with evacuation cover.
Where to stay
There is no lodge at the base camp itself; everyone sleeps at High Camp, 3,580 m, and walks up and down in a day. High Camp has a small cluster of teahouses with twin rooms, shared toilets and dining rooms heated by a stove in the evening. Lower down, Forest Camp, Low Camp and Badal Danda each have a few lodges, usually simpler than on the Annapurna Base Camp trail. In October and November rooms fill, so we book ahead and keep the group small. Before and after the trek our guests stay in Pokhara, where lakeside hotels range from simple guesthouses to 5-star resorts.
Tips from our trip managers
- Carry a headtorch with fresh batteries, because the climb from High Camp starts in full darkness around 4 am.
- Wear a windproof jacket and gloves on summit morning: the exposed ridge above 4,000 m is often −5 to −10 °C before sunrise in autumn.
- Turn back at the upper viewpoint if anyone in the group shows signs of altitude sickness, as the view from 4,250 m is already superb.
- Fill water bottles at High Camp, because there is no water source on the upper ridge.
- Avoid the trail after fresh snow in winter, when the narrow ridge above Badal Danda becomes slippery and exposed.
