Mardi Himal Trek

We drive to the hill station Nagarkot and watch the view over the mountains, our first but not last encounter with the Himalayas. From here we start our hike to Nala monastery where we eat lunch with the lamas in the monastic dining hall. Here live 140 lamas, most of them children. From Nala we stop by at the hospital and rehabilitation center HRDC and see the work they do for children with disabilities in Nepal. From here we continue to the peaceful ancient Hindu pagoda temple of Changu Narayan, one of Nepals world heritage sites. After visit, back to hotel. Dinner at a restaurant nearby. (B/L/D)

We make a full day drive to Pokhara where we check in at our hotel which we will also return to after our trek. We will also store our luggage which we don’t need during the trek here. The hotel is situated close to the famous lake and the area where Pokharas best restaurants and cafés are located and it is also equipped with a swimming pool and home baked bread for breakfast.

The journey is around 8 hours but gives you a good opportunity to see the life of people since people live all along the way and much of the everyday household chores are being performed outdoor alongside of the road.

We eat lunch on the way and reach Pokhara and check in well in time before dinner. In Pokhara there are many trekking shops where you can make your last minute shopping if you forgot something important for the trek. But make sure that you have your own trekking boots, new ones might give you problems! (B/L/D)

In the morning we start off from our hotel and drive to Khande from where we start our trek. We walk steep uphill for 2.5 hours to Australian Camp where we eat lunch. From here we have our first great views over the mountains. We continue about 30 minutes downhill to Pothana where we reach the first check post where we present our permits. From Pothana we continue for 2 hours, first slowly uphill and then steep until reaching our camp for the night, Pitam Deurali. Here we stay at a big teahouse. (B/L/D)

Today we have a long walk to reach Forest Camp. Along the way we don’t meet any villages or shops and we carry all food and water with us from Pitam Deurali. We use porters so no need to carry everything yourself, you carry only what you need for the moment. We stop in the nature for lunch and enjoy the dense rhododendron forest around us. The road is pretty easy ascending gradually uphill for about 3 hours. From here we continue on what is called “nepali flat” – a little up and a little down. We walk slowly and reach to Forest Camp, locally known as Kokar, where we rest after a long day. (B/L/D)

We continue to walk across forest, although a bit less dense than yesterdays, admiring Nepal’s rich biodiversity. We stop at Rest Camp for lunch after about 3,5 hours walk. From there we have about an hour left to reach our camp for the night, Low Camp. Today’s walk is short and not difficult, but due to risk of altitude sickness it is important to get used to the altitude slowly. Low Camp is surrounded by rhododendron forest and has a view of the mountains Machhapuchhre and Mardi Himal. (B/L/D)

The trail goes uphill crossing the dense forest till after 2 hours reaching the Lower Viewpoint (3289 m). Here begins a grassy slope from where we get some fantastic mountain views. We continue uphill, sometimes steep, on some narrow paths, sometimes on the grass and sometimes on rhododendron forest. At times we walk on a yak beaten trail on an open ridge with great mountain views: the Annapurna range, Machhapuchre and the southern green landscape below. We also pass some yak shelters and Mani walls on the way. We have passed the tree line and the vegetation consists of shrubs and grass. In High Camp we sleep for two nights. (B/L/D)

Today is the most demanding day on the trek, but you have the choice to either stay at the teahouse in High Camp to have a peaceful rest day, to come up to Upper Viewpoint which takes about 3 hours to reach, or to hike all the way up to Base Camp. The hike up to Base Camp and back to High Camp takes about 7 hours and the air is thin.

The trail goes first on the grassy land we reached yesterday but after some time the landscape turns into rocks and glaciers. We walk some hundred meters on a ridge with steep slopes on both sides and the views are extraordinary! In clear weather we see the Annapurna I 8091m, Annapurna south 7219m, Himchuli 6441m, Baraha Shikhar (Fang) 7647m, Tent peak 5695m, Singachuli 6501m, Gangapurna 7454m, Gandarvachuli 6248m, little summit of Annapurna III 7555m, both peaks of Machhapuchre (Mt. fishtail) 6993m and Mardi Himal 5553m, MBC (Machhapuchre Base Camp), Deurali, Dovan, Sinuwa, Chhomrong, Ghandruk and the southern slope, including Pokhara valley and MHBCW (Mardi Himal Base Camp W) 4500m. We eat packed lunch along the way since we don’t come across any villages today. The walk is long and more strenuous than rest of the days but it is definitely worth it! (B/L/D)

We start to descend the same way as we came down to Low Camp. From here we turn and start walking towards our goal for today’s trek, the traditional village Siding which is still far away from the busy touristic areas in Annapurna region. We make a walk across the village to see their culture and traditional houses and maybe have a chat with the local people of the area. (B/L/D)

Today we make an easy walk compared to last days, all the way to the traditional village Lwang.

Situated in the lap of Mt. Fishtail, Annapurna South and Himchuli, Lwang Community Homestay provides rural accommodation that serves organic Nepali food, curd, milk and local chicken and vegetables. Locally brewed millet alcohol and tea are served too. It is a typical Gurung village, with houses built with stone roof and wall. The major highlights of the homestay are Gurung lifestyles with rich local culture. It is a peaceful place to experience authentic Nepali rural lifestyle. Local cultural programs are hosted by women committee during the night. (B/L/D)

In Lwang there is a community-managed tea garden at an altitude of between 1500 to 2100 m. which covers 50 hectars of land. We walk up early morning to make a walk in the tea garden. Back to Lwang for breakfast.

We walk a short way to Koramukh where we will meet our vehicle which is taking us back to Pokhara, about an hour drive.

Back in Pokhara we check in at our hotel, get our stored luggage back and rest after the trek. In the evening we have dinner together at a beautiful restaurant which is serving high quality western food, something many might have missed during the trek. (B/L/D)

In the morning you have the choice to go by car 45 minutes to Sarangkot sunrise view point to see the sunrise (own cost), maybe try out a yoga pass or just relax after the trek? All day is free for own activities. If you want advice on what to spend your day with your tourleader and local guide will help you. Maybe you want to learn how to make the Nepali dumplings, momo, or visit a monastery? Why not something more adventurous like paragliding? Pokhara is the tourist capital of Nepal and is beautifully located by the lake Fewa where you can go for a boat ride. There are wide choices of good restaurants and cafées, ayurvedic clinics or massage centers where you easily can spend your day.                             Today the meals are not included since you might be out without your local guide and you can go to any restaurant of your own choice! (B)

Today in the morning we fly back to Kathmandu. In Kathmandu we check in at our hotel in the Tibetan area of Boudha and relax after the journey. In the afternoon we make a walk around the stupa which is Nepals largest and also a world heritage site. There are alot of shops selling unique handicrafts, textiles and other things around and fantastic small cafées. In the area there are also over 50 buddhist monasteries.

We have dinner in front of the stupa and enjoy the evening ceremonies around it. (B/L/D)

In the morning the ones who want can come to a nearby Buddhist monastery to participate in the morning ceremony performed by the monks. We come back to the hotel for breakfast and start off with a drive into central Kathmandu where we make a walk in the old city of where we see the courtyards and backstreets and find out the legends behind them, a wonderful way to understand the mystic of the city. We cross the different local markets, food, spices, glass beads and whatever else one might need. We round up at the Palace square of Kathmandu (Durbar square), one of the most impressive UNESCO sites of the valley and we learn about the history of the country.

In the evening we visit Pashupatinath, a big Hindu temple complex where we watch the evening ceremony which is performed every day and focuses on the elements of fire and water, aarti. After the aarti we drive back to Boudha for dinner. (B/L/D)

Today we drive to Bhaktapur to see the maybe most fantastic world heritage of all inside Kathmandu valley, Bhaktapurs old town. We see the old palace and the beautiful  temples around it. We visit the pottery square and see what is said to be the best wood carving in Nepal; the peacock window and the old palaces around it. We also get an explanation on how the last two big earthquakes, one in 1934 and one in 2015, hit the city badly and destroyed much of its architecture. Much has been rebuilt and some is on its way to become so.  After lunch in Bhaktapur we go back to Kathmandu and have the afternoon free. Evening farewell dinner at a Sherpa family home close to the hotel. (B/L/D)

Early breakfast and departure from Boudha to the airport for a warm farewell and see you again. (B)