Mardi Himal Trek: A Complete Guide (2026)

Quick answers

What is the Mardi Himal trek?

Mardi Himal is one of the Annapurna region’s shorter and more accessible treks, sitting on a ridge directly beneath Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) and the southern Annapurna peaks, a short drive from Pokhara. Compared with the big classic routes, it’s a relative newcomer as a marked teahouse trail, which is part of its appeal: quieter, forested lower sections, and a dramatic high ridge with close mountain views — without the multi-week commitment or the very high altitude of the Annapurna Circuit.

From the road head at Kande (~1,725 m), the trail climbs steadily through rhododendron and oak forest, passing a string of simple camps — Australian Camp, Forest Camp, Low Camp, High Camp — onto an increasingly open ridge, finishing at the Upper Viewpoint at roughly 4,200 m, with the descent dropping down to Sidhing and back to Pokhara by road.

How many days do you need?

Most people walk Mardi Himal in 4–6 days, which is what makes it such a popular choice for trekkers short on time or wanting a lower-altitude first Himalayan trek. The total is about 41 km with ~2,700 m of climbing — a real but manageable amount over several days. It can be compressed (fit walkers) or extended with extra nights at the higher camps for views and acclimatisation.

The route, stage by stage

Stage distances and elevation gains are sourced from a third-party GPS track of the route; timings are first-hand slots for when we walk it. The common line runs Kande → up the ridge to the viewpoint → down to Sidhing.

Stage 1 · Kande → Australian Camp A short, steep start up to the first ridge with valley views. 2.9 km · +315 m · sleep 1,990 m

Stage 2 · Australian Camp → Forest Camp (Ojhar) The long forest day — sustained climbing through rhododendron and oak along the ridge. 10.4 km · +620 m · sleep 2,450 m

Stage 3 · Forest Camp → Low Camp Shorter and steeper; the trees start to thin and the first big views open. 3.6 km · +590 m · sleep 3,040 m

Stage 4 · Low Camp → High Camp Onto the open upper ridge below Machhapuchhre — exposed and scenic. 3.9 km · +470 m · sleep 3,510 m

Stage 5 · High Camp → Upper Viewpoint (~4,200 m) → descend Pre-dawn push to the viewpoint for the Annapurna/Fishtail panorama, then a long descent off the ridge. 2.0 km up · +384 m to the viewpoint (~4,200 m) · then long descent

Stage 6 · Descent → Sidhing → Pokhara Down off the ridge to the road head at Sidhing (~1,800 m) and out to Pokhara. ~16 km descent · finish Pokhara

(When keitreks walks Mardi Himal, this becomes a fully first-hand day-by-day with real timings, lodge names, and our own photos — same standard as our Annapurna Circuit guide.)

How difficult is Mardi Himal? Is it good for beginners?

Mardi Himal is generally rated moderate — meaningfully easier than the Annapurna Circuit because it’s shorter (~41 km) and tops out lower (~4,200 m, no 5,400 m pass). That said, it isn’t a stroll: the climbs are steep and fairly sustained (~2,700 m of ascent overall), and the High Camp-to-viewpoint morning is a long, early, cold push. A reasonably fit beginner can do it with sensible pacing; the lower maximum altitude also means less altitude-sickness risk than the Circuit — though 4,200 m is still high enough to take seriously.

Permits and guides (2026)

• Permit: you need the ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) — NPR 3,000 for foreigners (NPR 1,000 SAARC, free under 10). A TIMS card is officially still listed for the region but isn’t enforced in practice; checkpoints verify the ACAP. Full, dated detail: Annapurna permits & the guide rule.
• Guide: contested — verify before you go. Mardi Himal sits inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, which Nepal’s 2023 guide rule officially covers (the Everest region, not Annapurna, opted out); in practice the region is widely walked independently and enforcement is inconsistent. Full detail: Annapurna permits & the guide rule.

How cold is it? What to pack?

The lower forest sections are mild, but High Camp and the viewpoint are cold, especially the pre-dawn summit morning — expect near- or below-freezing nights up top — roughly around 0 °C and below in spring, below −5 °C in autumn, and as low as −10 to −15 °C in winter — while daytimes lower down stay mild (10–20 °C). Pack as you would for any Annapurna-region trek: a proper layering system, a warm insulated layer, hat and gloves, and a good sleeping bag. (See our cold-weather layering guide for exactly what to wear, and our packing list for the full kit.)

Mardi Himal vs the Annapurna Circuit (and ABC)

The comparison most people are actually making:

• Mardi Himal vs Annapurna Circuit: Mardi Himal is far shorter (~41 km / 4–6 days vs ~205 km / ~14 days), lower (~4,200 m vs 5,416 m), and easier, with less altitude risk — but it’s an up-and-down ridge, not the Circuit’s epic loop through changing landscapes and over a high pass. Choose Mardi Himal for less time and lower altitude; choose the [Annapurna Circuit] for the full, varied, high-mountain expedition.
• Mardi Himal vs Annapurna Base Camp (ABC): both are shorter Annapurna-region treks of similar difficulty; ABC takes you into the glacial amphitheatre of the Sanctuary, Mardi Himal onto a high ridge with arguably closer Fishtail views.

If you’re weighing these up, our [Annapurna Circuit itinerary] lays out the bigger trek in full for an honest comparison.

Bottom line

Mardi Himal is the short, accessible, lower-altitude Annapurna-region trek — roughly 41 km of forest ridge-walking to a ~4,200 m viewpoint, for an outsized payoff of Fishtail and Annapurna views. If you’ve got less time or want a gentler first Himalayan trek than the Circuit, it’s one of the best choices in Nepal. We haven’t walked it yet — when we do, this guide gets the first-hand timings, lodge detail, and photos we hold ourselves to everywhere else.

Sources & notes

• Stage distances and elevations: sourced from a GPS track of the route (~41 km, ~2,700 m ascent, high point ~4,200 m at the Upper Viewpoint). Reference track used for route shape/numbers only — not redistributed; first-party GPX comes when keitreks walks it.
• Not yet walked by keitreks — timings, lodge names, and photos are first-hand slots for the November/future trek.
• Permit, guide-rule and seasonal-temperature figures: sourced and current to June 2026 (see the permits guide); re-verify permit specifics at the office, as Nepal’s rules change often and are enforced unevenly. Per-stage hours are intentionally left out until we walk it first-hand.

Educational planning content, not medical advice. Some links are affiliate links; we only recommend what we’d use ourselves, at no extra cost to you. © 2026 keitreks · The numbers are measured. The trail is next.

Related: Mardi Himal itinerary · Annapurna Base Camp · Which Nepal trek is right for you? · Altitude & acclimatisation · Road to the Annapurna Circuit