Reaching Mardi Himal Base Camp – Part 2

The first part of day three lead us through the magical rhododendron forest that has made Mardi Himal so famous. We did the trek in October which means that we didn’t actually get to see the flowers in bloom but the place felt no less magical. It would be cool to return and do the trek in spring to witness what some people, including our guide, claim to be one of the most beautiful stretches in all of Nepal.

After the rhododendron forest the landscape quickly got more barren and rockier, the wind picked up, and it got noticeably colder. A few hours after we had left Forrest Camp we made it to Badal Danda where we had more dhal bhat and enjoyed some warming tea. We were also lucky enough to catch a few glimpses of the magnificent views before a thick fog that would follow us for the rest of the day rolled in.

During the last stretch of day three we followed a ridge through very barren terrain. Sometime in the late afternoon we arrived to High Camp, the highest located camp on the trek, and what would be our base for the next two nights.

We spent the evening planning for the coming day and our final ascent up to Mardi Himal Base Camp. This ascent can be done in a few different ways. You can choose to go to either the first viewpoint (located about a third of the way) or the second viewpoint (located halfway to base camp) and then turn back and walk all the way past High Camp down to one of the lower camps. The other option, and the one we chose, is to walk all the way up to base camp which takes between 2 and 3 hours. By doing this you get to enjoy some of the most awe inspiring views in the Annapurna region before you return to High Camp where you spend an extra night before descending.

Trekking Mardi Himal – Part 1

Nepal has long been a mecca for mountaineers, trekkers, nature lovers, and anyone looking to experience the great Himalayan mountain range up close and personal. There is a wide variety of treks to choose from in Nepal and there are two main points from where you can start your trekking adventures. The first one is Kathmandu where you’ll have access to the Kathmandu Valley and more isolated treks that require a bit of traveling and even flights (Mt. Everest included). The other starting point is the picturesque lakeside town of Pokhara which is located at the foot of the Annapurna Mountain range with treks like Poonhill, the Royal Trek and the beloved Annapurna Base Camp (ABC).

Pokhara is also the starting point for a newer and less explored route to the magnificent and very underrated Mardi Himal Base Camp. The Mardi Himal trek officially opened in 2012 with teahouses and a clearly marked route all the way to the top, but it has been in use by locals and adventurers for long before that. It is a beautiful 5-7 day trek that takes you up to an altitude of 4,500 meters (14,700 ft.)