Disclaimer: This is the itinerary we have opted for when we went for Mardi Trek in February 2019. This is a very compact and short trek itinerary, is ideal for those who have TIME CONSTRAINT but REALLY wants to TRAVEL. If you have one extra day leave, then you can follow this schedule and reach a very beautiful place as a weekend getaway. This is our personal opinion and one can adjust the itinerary as per their convenience.
Mardi Himal Trek is one of the quickest ways to be in the lap of himalayas and a best trek route for beginners. It is located eastern side of the popular Annapurna Base Camp Trek. This trek offers breathtaking views of the entire Annapurna Range and Machhapuchhre Himal.
When to Trek?
1. September - November: This time is considered to be the best time for trekking in Nepal. Just around the time of Dashain festival, the skies are clear and blue, the weather is perfect (neither too hot, nor too cold), and there is very less chance of roads getting closed due to snowfall.
2. February - March: Nowadays, this time of the year has become popular for Mardi trek, as one can play with snow during this time. The weather will be so cold, and the path to High Camp might get closed, still people prefer to go in this season as one can get a closer look into snow-capped mountains.
Brief Itinerary
Route 1:
1. Kathmandu - Pokhara (On Night Bus) -- [6/7 hrs]
2. Pokhara - Hemja - Sidhing - Low Camp ---(Day 1) -- [5/6 hrs]
3. Low Camp - High Camp - Mardi Base Camp(MBC) ---(Day 2) -- [7/8 hrs]
4. MBC - Low Camp - Sidhing - Pokhara ---(Day 3) [7/8 hrs]
4.1 Pokhara - Kathmandu (Night Bus) -- [6/7 hrs]
Route 2:
1. Kathmandu - Pokhara (On Night Bus) -- [6/7 hrs]
2. Pokhara - Hemja - Kalimati - Forest Camp ---(Day 1) -- [5/6 hrs]
3. Forest Camp - Low Camp - Middle Camp - Panorama Guest House ---(Day 2) -- [7/8 hrs]
4. Panorama Guest House - Middle Camp - Low Camp - Sidhing - Pokhara ---(Day 3) -- [5/6 hrs]
4.1 Pokhara - Kathmandu (Night Bus) -- [6/7 hrs]
Note:
We followed Route 2 and went upto Middle Camp only and stayed at Panorama Guest House (3346m). This place gives you a very beautiful view of mountains. Since we went in February, the path above Low Camp was fully covered with snow, it was very challenging to find the right path and quite difficult to walk in snowy slippery road.
Detailed Itinerary
Take a night bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara. You can book a bus to Pokhara online or from New Buspark, Gongabu. One good thing is if you go straight to Kalanki, then also you can get a seat on a bus to Pokhara. But, we really advise you to pre-book your seat, as it is a long route (around 7-8 hrs) and you will need a comfortable seat where you can spend your night without getting tired.
Early Morning in Pokhara
Trek Day 1:
Pokhara - Hemja - Kalimati - Forest Camp
You will reach Pokhara 4 or 5 am in the morning. You can ask your bus to leave you up to the place, from where you can get a bus to Hemja, Milanchowk. Generally, you can find a public bus that goes up to Hemja from 5 in the morning. After reaching there, freshen up, have some breakfast, and find a vehicle that will drop you up to your trekking start point. There are two options from here:
1. If you are 7-8 people in the group, then you can book a whole jeep which will cost you around (9-11k) and drops you up to Sidhing. From there you have to trek straight uphill and can reach Low Camp on the 1st day of the trek.
2. If you are less numbered, then the jeep cost will be relatively high. You can get a seat in the local jeep that drops you up to Lumre (About Rs. 200 per seat) or up to Kalimati (if you pay more). Then you can start your trek and walk up to Forest Camp and spend your night in a forest camp. Low Camp is around 2 hrs far from Forest Camp. So, if you have time, you can reach Low camp as well.
View from Kalimati
We took the second option: a jeep ride to Lumre and started our trek from there, passing through beautiful small villages, dense green forests, cowsheds, with occasional view of Machhapuchhre (due to weather) and reached Forest Camp in 6 - 7 hrs. On the way, you can find lodges and hotels in Kalimati if you want to have your lunch.
Sunset in Forest Camp
Trek Day 2:
Forest Camp - Low Camp - Middle Camp - Panorama Guest House
It is always recommended to get up, have light breakfast and start your trek early. You have to ascend uphill, so walk up slowly, taking rest as required, staying hydrated. You can find several tea houses on the way. If you feel uneasy, have a headache or any symptoms of altitude sickness, give your body some time to adjust and stay for the night at a lower altitude. Never try to push yourself harder in such circumstances.
On the way to Low Camp
On your way, you will get plenty of glimpse of the mountains. If you are going in around Feb/March, there will be a lot of snow. Communicate with locals or people you meet on the way to know about weather conditions in higher altitude. The weather can be unpredictable, so be prepared for such uncertainity. It is recommended to book your lodge in advance, as it might be so crowded and gets difficult to get room in peak season(Around Sep, Oct, Nov and Feb, March).
Hello From Machapuchhre
We stayed at Panorama Guest House as the weather was foggy with little visibility, and it was getting worse with snowfall and wind. The owner of the guest house told us that you can see those spectacular views from there as well and showed us some pictures taken from oct/nov. Next morning, the weather was clear, and there we saw breathtaking views of gigantic mountains, twinking Machhapuchhre Himal from sunrise.
Trek Day 3:
Panorama Guest House - Middle Camp - Low Camp - Sidhing - Pokhara
Get up early to see the sunrise, click plenty of pictures for your memory, have breakfast and start descending. It will take comparatively less time, but descending is equally difficult (mostly if you have to walk in snow). Try to reach Sidhing as early as possible. From Sidhing, take a jeep to Hemja.
Walking in Snow
There will be very less jeep going to Hemja after 3 pm. So, it is recommended to pre-book your Jeep.
After reaching Hemja, you can catch any local bus, that will leave you to Pokhara Bus Park, where you can get a night bus and return back to Kathmandu, with beautiful memories.
