Mardi Himal Trek

The best times for the Mardi Himal Trek are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). These two seasons give you the clearest mountain views, the most stable weather, and the most comfortable walking conditions on the ridge. Because Mardi is shorter and lower than the big treks, it also handles the shoulder months better than most.

Here is the honest season-by-season breakdown from our years on this trail:

• Spring (March-May): Our favourite season for Mardi. The rhododendron forest between Forest Camp and Low Camp bursts into red and pink bloom, the days are warm, and the Annapurna views are sharp. It does get busier, so we book High Camp beds early.
• Autumn (September-November): The most stable weather of the year. Crisp air, clean skies after the monsoon, and reliable sunrise views from the viewpoint. This is peak season, so the trail and tea houses are at their fullest.
• Winter (December-February): Quiet and beautiful, but cold. High Camp can drop well below freezing and snow sometimes covers the upper ridge. Doable with the right gear and a guide who knows the conditions, and you get the mountains almost to yourself.
• Monsoon (June-August): The lower forest turns lush green and the trail is empty, but rain, mud, leeches, and cloud-covered views make this the hardest season. The upper ridge sometimes stays clearer than the forest below.

For a first Himalayan trek with the best chance of clear Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South views, choose spring or autumn. If you want solitude over guaranteed weather, the shoulder months reward you with an empty trail.

The Mardi Himal Trek is graded moderate, which makes it one of the best treks in Nepal for fit beginners and first-time Himalayan trekkers. You do not need any climbing skills, ropes, or technical experience. What you do need is the ability to walk uphill for four to six hours a day on stone steps and forest trails, carrying a light daypack.

Here is what actually makes Mardi challenging, in honest order:

• The stairs, not the altitude: Like most Annapurna treks, much of the lower trail is stone steps. Steady stair-climbing is the single best preparation you can do.
• The ridge section: From Low Camp to High Camp and the viewpoint, the trail follows an exposed, narrow ridge with steep drops on either side. It is not technical, but it demands focus, especially in wind or cloud.
• The descent: Coming down from 4,500 m to the valley in one long day is hard on the knees. Trekking poles and a slow pace save your legs.
• The early summit morning: The viewpoint push starts around 4 am in the cold and dark to catch sunrise — short but demanding.

The maximum altitude is 4,500 m at the upper viewpoint, high enough that altitude matters but low enough that serious altitude sickness is uncommon on a well-paced itinerary. With a month of regular cardio and stair practice beforehand, most reasonably fit people complete Mardi comfortably. This is exactly why we recommend it as a first trek — real Himalayan height and ridge-walking, without the long, punishing days of ABC or Everest.

The Mardi Himal Trek lies inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so every foreign trekker needs the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). As of 2026, a licensed guide is also mandatory for this trek under Nepal's trekking regulations, so independent solo trekking is no longer permitted on this route.

The permit details for 2026:

• ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit): NPR 3,000 per person for foreign nationals, NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, and NPR 100 for Nepali citizens. Children under 10 are free.
• TIMS (Trekkers' Information Management System): Rules and enforcement on the TIMS card have been changing, and where required it is usually arranged through your trekking agency as part of the package. We confirm the current requirement before every departure.
• Guide requirement: A licensed guide is mandatory. When you book with us, your guide and all paperwork are arranged for you.

A few practical notes from the trail:

• Permits are checked at official checkpoints, including Pothana, before you reach the upper trail. Carry your permit and passport with you at all times.
• Bring at least two passport-sized photos and a copy of your passport for permit processing.
• Permits are paid in Nepali rupees, and there are no ATMs on the trail — sort cash in Pokhara or Kathmandu beforehand.

When you trek Mardi Himal with Majestic Trails Nepal, we handle the entire permit process for you. You simply send your passport details and photos, and everything is ready before you start walking. No queues, no paperwork, no risk of the double fee that catches independent trekkers who arrive at a checkpoint without a permit.

Accommodation on the Mardi Himal Trek is in tea houses — simple, family-run lodges along the trail. Because the route only opened for tea house trekking in 2012, the lodges are smaller and more authentic than on the busier Annapurna routes, often run by families from the nearby Sidhing and Lwang villages. You stay in basic twin-share rooms with a bed, blankets, and a shared bathroom.

What to expect from the lodges:

• Rooms: Simple twin-share with foam mattresses and blankets. We provide a sleeping bag, which matters at the colder High Camp.
• Bathrooms: Mostly shared. Hot showers are available at most stops up to High Camp for a small fee, usually gas- or solar-heated.
• Charging and Wi-Fi: Available at most tea houses up to High Camp for a small charge, but slow and unreliable higher up. Bring a power bank.
• Higher prices with altitude: Everything is carried up by porter or mule above Low Camp, so prices rise as you climb.

The food is simple, freshly cooked, and surprisingly good. Every tea house serves a mix of Nepali and international dishes, but the most reliable and best-value choice at every altitude is dal bhat — rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry, and pickle, usually with a free refill. As our guides say, dal bhat power, 24 hour. Other common options include noodles, fried rice, pasta, potatoes, eggs, soups, and Tibetan bread.

Our honest advice: eat dal bhat for at least your main meal each day. It is fresh, filling, and the kitchen makes it constantly, so it is gentle on the stomach. Save the experimental menu items for the lower elevations. On our packages, three meals a day on the trek are included, so you eat well from start to finish.

The Mardi Himal Trek begins near Pokhara, not Kathmandu, so getting to the trailhead is a two-step journey: first Kathmandu to Pokhara, then Pokhara to the trail starting point at Kande, Phedi, or Dhampus. The whole approach is short and scenic, which is part of what makes Mardi so accessible.

Kathmandu to Pokhara (around 200 km):

• Tourist bus: A comfortable 6-7 hour drive through the hills along the river, the most popular budget option.
• Domestic flight: A quick 25-30 minute flight with mountain views, ideal if you want to save time. We can arrange a flight upgrade on request.
• Private vehicle: A private car or jeep for comfort and flexible timing.

Pokhara to the trailhead:

• From Pokhara Lakeside, it is a short drive to the trail start. Kande is about an hour away; Phedi and Dhampus are closer, around 40 minutes.
• The trek typically ends at Sidhing (also spelled Siding), from where a private jeep brings you back to Pokhara in 2-3 hours.

A practical note: some of the roads to the trailheads and out from Sidhing are rough and bumpy, especially in or after the monsoon. A sturdy jeep handles these sections best. When you book with us, all transport — Kathmandu to Pokhara, Pokhara to the trailhead, and the jeep back from Sidhing — is arranged and timed around your itinerary, so you never have to negotiate local vehicles or worry about being stranded after the trek. Most trekkers spend a night in Pokhara before and after the trek, and we are happy to build that into your trip.

Mardi Himal is one of the safer treks in Nepal, but as of 2026 you can no longer trek it fully solo — a licensed guide is mandatory on this route under Nepal's trekking regulations. This rule was introduced for trekker safety, because the upper section above Low Camp follows an exposed, narrow ridge where the trail is faint and the weather can change fast. A guide handles navigation, altitude monitoring, and any emergency, which removes most of the real risk from the trek.

For trekkers who used to worry about arriving solo and finding nowhere to sleep, there is good news in 2026:

• Guaranteed lodge assignment: Under a new official system, a local organization assigns trekkers to specific lodges at each camp, covering both Nepali and solo foreign trekkers. Your bed is secured in advance, so nobody is left stranded at High Camp in peak season.
• A guide means you are never alone on the trail: You walk with someone who knows the route, the lodges, and the warning signs of altitude.
• Mardi is short and not technical: With a guide and a sensible pace, it suits first-time and solo travelers very well.

So while true solo trekking is no longer allowed, a solo traveler can absolutely join a Mardi Himal trek and feel safe and supported the whole way. When you book with us, you get a licensed guide, your permits, and your lodges all arranged — you simply arrive and walk. Many of our Mardi trekkers are solo travelers, and the small-group, guided format is part of what makes the trek enjoyable rather than stressful.

The Mardi Himal Trek reaches a maximum altitude of 4,500 m at the upper viewpoint, which is high enough that altitude needs respect but low enough that serious altitude sickness is uncommon on a well-paced itinerary. Most trekkers feel only mild effects — shortness of breath or a light headache — that pass with rest, hydration, and a slow walking pace. The key is gaining height gradually and sleeping lower than your highest point, which our itineraries are built around.

How we manage altitude and safety on every trek:

• Sensible pacing: We climb high to the viewpoint and sleep lower at Low Camp, the proven way to let your body adjust.
• Daily monitoring: Our guides carry a pulse oximeter and check trekkers showing any symptoms.
• First-aid ready: Every guide carries a first-aid kit and knows the early signs of altitude sickness.
• Hydration and food: We encourage plenty of water and a solid dal bhat to keep energy and acclimatization on track.

In the rare event of a serious problem, the fastest solution is helicopter evacuation. Mardi Himal's location near Pokhara means a rescue helicopter can reach the trail quickly and fly a trekker to a Pokhara hospital in a short flight. This is exactly why travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover is essential — see the next section. If a trekker ever needs to descend or be evacuated, your guide coordinates it immediately, contacts our Kathmandu office, and arranges the helicopter and hospital. In 10+ years of guiding the Annapurna region, our priority has always been getting people home safe, and a guided trek is the single biggest factor in that.