Mardi Himal Trek

Plan on about 5 working days of annual leave for the Mardi Himal trip, for example flying from Singapore on a Saturday and home on the Sunday of the following week, about nine days away in all. The trip starts in Kathmandu on the morning of Day 1 with the drive to Pokhara, so arrive in Kathmandu the day before; that hotel night and the airport transfer are not included. It ends in Pokhara after breakfast on Day 7, so use that day to return to Kathmandu by the 25 minute flight or by road, arranged separately, and fly home the next day. Landslides can affect the roads in the monsoon, so keep some flexibility after Day 7.

Fly from Singapore Changi to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, a nonstop flight of about five hours, and spend a night in Kathmandu before Day 1; international flights, that hotel night and airport transfers are not part of this package, and our team can advise on adding them. On Day 1, HSJ Travel's included road transfer takes you about 200 km west to Pokhara, six to seven hours on the Prithvi Highway. Jeep transfers from Pokhara to the Kande trailhead and from Siding back to Pokhara are included. Onward travel from Pokhara after Day 7 is arranged separately. Visa fees and arrival paperwork for Singapore passport holders are covered in our Nepal travel FAQ.

HSJ Travel prices its Mardi Himal trip per person in Singapore dollars on a twin-share basis, and the price for each departure is shown in the dates and prices table on this page. It covers the road transfer from Kathmandu to Pokhara, two nights at Temple Bell in Pokhara with breakfast, four teahouse nights at Pitam Deurali, Low Camp and High Camp, breakfast, lunch and dinner from Day 2 to Day 5 plus breakfast and lunch on Day 6, the trailhead jeeps, a government-licensed English-speaking guide, a porter shared between two trekkers, and the ACAP permit and TIMS card. Budget separately for international flights, the Nepal visa, travel insurance, Kathmandu hotel nights, onward travel after Day 7, meals in Pokhara, tips and trail extras.

The best months for Mardi Himal are late September to November, with October and November giving the clearest views of Machhapuchhre, and March to May, when rhododendrons flower in the forest between Pitam Deurali and Low Camp, with more afternoon cloud. For the Singapore year-end school holidays, mid to late November is a good fit; December to February is possible but cold, with snow likely above High Camp. The June school holidays fall in the monsoon, with daily rain, slippery trails, leeches in the forest and cloud over the peaks. No departures are listed at the moment; dates appear in the dates table when open, or can be requested through the enquiry form.

An office worker can manage Mardi Himal with 4 to 6 weeks of preparation, because the trail needs no climbing skills, but it is steep and the walking days run 3 to 7 hours, with one long day of 8 to 9 hours. Day 3 is the longest climb, about 900 m of gain over 6 to 7 hours through forest to Low Camp. Day 5 starts around 4:30am from High Camp, reaches base camp at about 4,500 m and returns all the way to Low Camp, about 15 km. Day 6 then drops around 1,300 m to Siding, hard on the knees, so trekking poles help. Train on stairs and on weekend hikes such as Bukit Timah Hill with a loaded daypack.

Altitude needs respect on Mardi Himal because it reaches about 4,500 m at base camp, higher than Annapurna Base Camp's 4,130 m, in fewer days. The highest night is at High Camp, about 3,580 m, and the itinerary keeps the day there short, 3 to 4 hours, arriving by lunch. After the base camp morning you sleep lower again at Low Camp, about 2,990 m. Your guide decides how far along the ridge the group goes, based on snow, wind and how everyone is feeling. Tell your guide early about a headache, nausea or poor sleep; anyone with worsening symptoms turns around or descends, and descent is the main treatment.

Mardi Himal is the shorter and quieter choice: 7 days on HSJ Travel's itinerary against 15 for the Standard Annapurna Base Camp trip, with fewer teahouses and trekkers, and it reaches a higher point, about 4,500 m against 4,130 m. Annapurna Base Camp passes through more villages and ends inside the ring of peaks of the Annapurna Sanctuary, while Mardi Himal follows a ridge with close views of Machhapuchhre. Mardi Himal gains height faster, and its teahouses are simpler, especially at High Camp. Choose Mardi Himal if you have one week of leave, and Annapurna Base Camp for a longer trek with more village life. Each tour page shows its own dates and prices.

On the Mardi Himal route you spend four nights in teahouses, at Pitam Deurali, at Low Camp twice and at High Camp, in simple twin rooms with two single beds and blankets and usually a shared bathroom. High Camp has the most basic facilities and the coldest rooms, so a warm sleeping bag is recommended. Menus include dal bhat, noodles, fried rice, soups, potatoes, eggs, porridge and Tibetan bread, with vegetarian food everywhere, and the choice narrows higher up. Trekking-day meals are included; drinks, snacks, hot showers, charging and WiFi are paid extras, so carry Nepali rupees. The two Pokhara nights are at Temple Bell, near Phewa Lake, with breakfast.

On the Mardi Himal route you carry only a daypack, because a porter shared between two trekkers carries the main bags, up to 15 kg, so pack a separate duffel for the trail. Luggage you will not need can stay at the hotel in Pokhara, where you sleep on Day 1 and Day 6. Your daypack holds water, snacks, layers, sunscreen and a headlamp for the pre-dawn start on Day 5. Nights at High Camp can drop below freezing, and the base camp ridge is colder again in the wind, so keep a down jacket, gloves and a warm hat with you. The full gear list is further down this page.

Mardi Himal is in the Annapurna region and needs an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and a TIMS card, both included and arranged by HSJ Travel; permits are checked at Pothana on Day 2. Provide a copy of your passport and passport-size photos before the trek so the paperwork can be completed. Travel insurance is not included, and the trip's exclusions list it as mandatory, covering high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation; evacuation costs are claimed back through your insurer. Choose a policy that covers trekking to at least 4,500 m and buy it before you leave Singapore.

Solo travellers can join HSJ Travel's small-group Mardi Himal departures, led throughout by a government-licensed English-speaking guide who walks the trail with the group and decides the pace and turnaround point on the base camp day. Private dates for just your family or friends can be requested through the enquiry form. The published price is per person on a twin-share basis, so ask about the single-room cost when you enquire. Because the trip ends in Pokhara, extra nights by Phewa Lake or onward travel to Kathmandu can be arranged around your flight home.