Mardi Himal Trek

Altitude above sea level: 1,302 m

Driving Time: Approx. 30 minutes, depends on traffic

Accommodation: Hotel Tibet or similar

Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International airport, our representative will be awaiting you to cordially welcome you with great hospitality. The representative will be displaying the “Nepal Sanctuary Treks” placard outside the airport terminal.

You will be then escorted and transferred to the hotel in our private vehicle. Further, you will be given a brief description of the activities that will take place during the upcoming trip and a preliminary briefing on hygiene and safety by our representative.

Altitude above sea level: 1,302 m

Tour Duration:  Approx. 8 hours

Accommodation: Hotel Tibet or similar

Meal: Breakfast

9:00 AM: After breakfast, we start our guided cultural tour around Kathmandu Valley. On this cultural tour, you will experience the numerous colors, sounds, and tastes of authentic Kathmandu and its surroundings. Our experienced tour guides will tell you all you need to know and answer all your curiosities regarding those sites.

Kathmandu Durbar Square

You will head towards Kathmandu Durbar Square, also called Hanuman Dhoka Durbar. This ancient site used to be the residence of the Nepali royal family and administrators. It incorporates an architecturally extraordinary complex of ancient palaces, temples, courtyards, and shrines dating from the 15th to the 18th century.

The prominent sites of Kathmandu Durbar Square are Kumari Ghar or the house of the living goddess.  Kasthamandap is a huge rest house that is said to have been built with the wood from a single tree and is the source of which Kathmandu valley got its name. Other sites around Kathmandu Square are the ferocious Kal Bhairab – the red monkey God- Hanuman, hundreds of erotic carvings, temples, and statues dedicated to different deities.

Swayambhunath:

Swayambhunath (monkey temple), is the magnificent ancient religious architecture and center of faith of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its lofty white dome and dazzling golden spire are visible from far and wide. Swayambhunath is the ideal place to observe the religious harmony in Nepal. In the shadows of the imposing structure and besides the integrated architecture can be found the daily surge of devotees faithfully offering their prayers to the gods. Upon arriving at the top, you can hear the Buddhist song “Om Mani Padme Hum” resounds everywhere. The candles and the aromatic fragrance of incense that burns constantly create a serene vibe and enormous prayer wheels which encircle the stupa.

PM: Boudhanath

Then we drive towards Boudhanath.  From the moment you step into the sanctuary, you’ll immediately feel the spiritual energy that comes from the place. Boudhanath is one of the biggest stupas in Nepal built in the 5^th century and listed on the world heritage list by UNESCO in 1979. The surrounding area is a central spiritual hub of Tibetan life and culture in Nepal. You can see the beautiful dome-shaped structure stupa surrounded by brilliant colorful prayer flags. It is believed that prayer flags convey mantras and prayers into the universe while fluttering in the wind. The Stupa is said to entomb the remains of Kassapa Buddha.

You can witness monks draped in maroon robes rolling the prayer wheels, burning incense, and flickering butter candles. Moreover, it’s fascinating to see the people feeding grains and maize to hundreds of pigeons around stupa areas. The devotees turn the prayer wheels & chant, which is humbling to see such dedication to their beliefs.

Delight in the serenity as you hear the Buddhist mantra ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’ being chanted by devotees, alongside the echo of music streaming out from the nearby shops.

Pashupatinath

Moving on, you will visit the Pashupatinath temple, a Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva located on the bank of the Bagmati River. The word Pashupati means “the king of animals” and the temple is famous for its monkeys. You will be visiting the Pashupatinath area to indulge in a spiritual journey.

Pashupatinath is more than just a religious destination. It is a combination of religion, art, and culture. The temple, spread across 246 hectares of land, abounds in temples and monuments. Hundreds of rituals are performed here every day. You will get to witness people performing the religious ritual and funeral pyres burning at open-air cremation. Also witness elaborately dressed holy men meditating outside the temple and pilgrims placing offerings at the shrines.

After touring around prominent sites, you will be transferred safely back to your hotel.

Altitude above sea level: (1,890 m), Pothana

Flight duration: 25 minutes approx.

Driving duration: PKR-Phedi 1 hour approx.

Hiking duration: 4 hours approx.

Accommodation: Tea House Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

After breakfast, you take a short flight to Pokhara. Upon reaching Pokhara, take a drive from Pokhara to the starting point of the trek-Pothana. We will climb the stairs from Phedi. The trail ascends all the way to Pothana through the lush forest that includes oak, magnolia, rhododendron, and pine till you reach the Dhampus. Dhampus is a picturesque Gurung ethnic village that offers fantastic views of iconic Machhapuchhare (Fish Tail Mountain) and the Annapurna range.

From Dhampus, you continue to climb until you reach Pothana village. Pothana offers excellent panoramic views of Mount Machhapuchchhre and the other mountains. You will notice the village has forests of rhododendrons around it. If you trek during spring, you’ll witness these in bloom with enormous red flowers.

Altitude above sea level: (2,554 m), Kokar

Hike duration: 6 hours approx.

Accommodation: Tea House Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Wake up to the cheerful chirping of the birds and the smell of tea and local breakfast after a wonderful deep sleep in your cozy room. In the morning, you can appreciate the remarkable sunrise view over the mountain from Pothana.

After a hearty breakfast, you start your trek with a steep uphill hike through dense forest along with the magnificent vistas of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges. Along the trail, you might catch sight of some exotic birds and animals.

You will stop by Pritam Deurali for local lunch. This is also where the trail diverges from the main Annapurna Sanctuary Trek, and you will share the path with fewer other trekkers from this point forward.

After lunch, you make your way to Forest Camp, which is densely populated with beautiful forests. The air is rich in organic smells, and the trees kept us shaded and cool. The final destination is Forest Camp also locally known as Kokar. As the name suggests, Forest Camp is a village in the middle of a forest.

Altitude above sea level: 3,150 m (Low Camp)

Hike duration: 4-5 hours approx.

Accommodation: Tea House Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Enjoy a lovely breakfast and then continue your journey towards the Low Camp. You head up a steep, winding trail through dense mossy forest. You will be delighted with the sight of an occasional ray of sunlight piercing the misty atmosphere. As you ascend, you can see a sneak preview of Mt. Machhapuchhre right in front of you.

Altitude above sea level: (3,600 m) High Camp, (3,210 m) Badal Danda

Hike duration: 4-5 hours approx.

Accommodation: Tea House Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Enjoy a hearty breakfast, before hitting the trail to High Camp. You start your trek, taking the ascending trail along the ridge towards Mardi Himal and Mt Machhapuchre. As you hike further, you will reach Badal Danda (meaning hillock above clouds). The place is called Badal Danda (Cloud Hill), as oftentimes, the areas below the hill are covered with fluffy clouds. The views are in and out of the clouds, but occasional glimpses of Machhapuchre. From Badal Danda, you leave the tree line and reach the shrubby alpine zone.

You will notice the change in vegetation as you climb higher, the rhododendron forests will now be less since mosses and lichen will take over nature on today’s trail. Upon reaching the top, you will be rewarded with a 360-degree view of snowbound canyons, towering mountains, and steep cliffs. At night, you can stargaze and view the constellations, which appear a lot closer.

Altitude above sea level. (4,200 m), Upper View Point

Hiking duration: 4-5 hrs. Approx. (Upper View Point round trip), 3-4 hours approx.

(High Camp-Low Camp)

Accommodation: Tea House Lodge

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Today the mountains revealed themselves on both sides of the ridge, gigantic and magnificent, snow glittering in the bright early sun. They were much closer than you had imagined the night before.

You wake up early in the morning to catch the sunrise over the Himalayas, which turn snow into gold with the first rays of the sun.

The hike commences with a walk up a ridge towards a marvelous viewpoint where you can see the iconic vista of the massif Machhapuchre (Fishtail), Annapurna South, Himchuli, just in front of you.

On the way, layers upon layers of hills behind you surely amazed you. The route follows a well-established trail through the meadow, although the going is steep and occasionally narrow.

Upon reaching the vantage point, indulge yourselves in the scenic views of the Annapurna Sanctuary, Mardi Himal, Annapurna I, Machhapuchhre, Hiunchuli, and other massive peaks.

After a tea break and photos, you retrace your route to high camp for lunch and follow a steep descent till Low Camp.

Altitude above sea level. (1,700 m), Siding, (825 m) Pokhara

Hiking duration: 3-4 hours approx.

Driving duration: 3 hours approx. (Siding-Pokhara)

Accommodation: Mount Kailash Resort or similar

Meals: Breakfast, and Lunch

After a hearty breakfast, you take a route that leads to Siding village. Leaving the grassy highland behind, the trail today is mostly the gradual downhill under the shades of thick forests.

Siding is a traditional Gurung village with a peaceful and ambient atmosphere. Surrounded by lush hills; the village is scattered over a huge area of land and houses some hospitable people in the region. Upon reaching Siding village, you take a private vehicle to Pokhara.

Check in at the hotel and spend some time at leisure exploring Pokhara. You can either visit caves and pagoda or hire a boat that takes you to Tal Barahi, a temple that sits on a small island in Phewa Lake.  It is worthwhile visiting International Mountain Museum if you are keen on Nepal’s indigenous history and mountain climbing,

Altitude above sea level: (1,302 m), Kathmandu

Flight duration: 25 minutes approx.

Accommodation: Hotel Tibet or similar

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, you take a short flight back to Kathmandu. Check in at the hotel and spend some time at leisure. You can spend your leisure time shopping for souvenirs for your beloved ones or simply relax after an exhausting but momentous adventure.

Driving Duration HTL-APT: Approx. 25-30 minutes depending on traffic

Meal: Breakfast

It is time to fly back home, keeping all the terrific experiences of Nepal in mind. Make sure you reach TIA airport on time, as you should check-in 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight. If you wish to stay a few more days, there are still plenty more places to explore around Kathmandu valley.