Mardi Himal Trek Map

The interactive map below shows the actual route. This article walks through it section by section — where it starts, where it climbs, where you sleep, where the highest point is, and how the descent gets you back to Pokhara by a different path than the one you walked up.

Mardi Himal Trek Map

Use the map to follow the sequence as you read: Pokhara at the bottom, Phedi where the walking starts, then Pittam Deurali, Low Camp, and High Camp climbing north up the ridge, Mardi Himal Base Camp at the top of the route, and the return path dropping back through Low Camp before exiting east toward Siding and the road back to Pokhara.

Mardi Himal Trek Route at a Glance

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Mardi Himal Trek Route

The full sequence: Pokhara → Phedi → Pittam Deurali → Low Camp → High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp → Low Camp → Siding → Pokhara.

The route climbs in one direction and descends in another, which is worth understanding before you look at the map in detail. Days 1 through 3 move steadily north from Pokhara up a single ridge system, gaining elevation each night — Pittam Deurali, then Low Camp, then High Camp. Day 4 is the turning point: the trail continues north and up to Mardi Himal Base Camp, the highest point on the route, then reverses and comes back down the same ridge to Low Camp by evening. Day 5 doesn't retrace the ascent at all — instead of heading back through Pittam Deurali and Phedi, the trail drops southeast to Siding Village, where road transport takes over for the return to Pokhara. That makes the overall shape of the trek a loop rather than a straight there-and-back: you climb one line and come down a different one.

Mardi Himal Trek Map: Day-by-Day Route

Day 1: Pokhara to Phedi → Pittam Deurali

The trekking day starts with a road transfer from Pokhara to Phedi, the trailhead. From Phedi, the trail climbs immediately through Gurung farmland and terraced fields toward Dhampus, a village known for close views of Machhapuchhre, then continues northeast along a ridge to Pittam Deurali. The terrain here is steady uphill on a well-defined trail through cultivated hillside and lower forest — a solid first day that gains roughly 1,100 m from the trailhead. Pittam Deurali sits at a wooded saddle where the true Mardi Himal ridge trail begins, and it's the first overnight stop.

Day 2: Pittam Deurali → Low Camp

From Pittam Deurali the trail turns north into dense rhododendron and oak forest. This is the longest single climbing day on the trek — the route passes Forest Camp, a small teahouse clearing roughly halfway along, before continuing up through thickening forest to Low Camp. Tree roots cross the trail regularly here, the canopy is dense the entire way, and there are no real mountain views until the very end of the day. Low Camp sits right at the edge of the treeline, and it's here that the first clear views of Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, and Machhapuchhre open up above the forest canopy.

Day 3: Low Camp → High Camp

Above Low Camp, the trail leaves the forest behind for good. Roughly an hour up, the trees thin out completely at an open ridge point — some route descriptions name this Badal Danda, others mark it as Middle Camp — where the trail breaks onto exposed alpine ground with wide views in every direction. From there it's a shorter but higher walk along the open crest to High Camp at 3,550 m. This day is visually and physically different from the two before it: no tree cover, direct views of Machhapuchhre at close range, and wind exposure that the forested lower trail doesn't have. High Camp is the highest overnight point on the route and the last teahouses before the push to Base Camp — its position matters strategically, since everyone sleeping here has already adjusted across two lower camps, which is what makes the next day's altitude gain manageable.

Day 4: High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp → Low Camp

This is the most detailed day on the map, and the one worth understanding in full: High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp → back down to Low Camp, all in a single day.

Trekkers leave High Camp before dawn — typically 4:00–4:30 a.m. — because the upper ridge is at its calmest before the sun warms the valley and cloud starts building, usually by mid-morning. The trail climbs steeply along the exposed ridge, passing the Upper Viewpoint at roughly 4,200 m before continuing another 300 vertical metres to Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500 m — the highest point on the entire trekking route. This should not be confused with the summit of Mardi Himal the mountain itself, which sits far higher and is not part of this trek; Base Camp is at the foot of the mountain's south-facing slopes, not on it. From Base Camp, the trail reverses: back past the Upper Viewpoint, through High Camp to collect any gear left behind, and on down through increasingly warmer forest to Low Camp, arriving by mid-afternoon. The day covers roughly 950 m of ascent followed by about 1,515 m of descent — the largest single-day elevation change on the trek, and the main reason this is its hardest day.

Day 5: Low Camp → Siding → Pokhara

The final trekking day descends southwest from Low Camp through forest toward Siding Village, trading altitude for warmer air and greener surroundings as the trail drops. Siding sits at roughly 1,700 m, a traditional Gurung village surrounded by terraced fields, and it's the road-access point for the return journey — a vehicle arranged in advance meets trekkers here for the drive back to Pokhara.

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Where Is Mardi Himal on the Map?

Mardi Himal — the mountain — sits in the Annapurna Himal range, Kaski District, Gandaki Province, at approximately 28.47°N, 83.93°E. It stands immediately south of Machhapuchhre (6,993 m), separated by a high connecting ridge, and east of Annapurna South (7,219 m). The entire trekking route lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area, and the whole trip starts and ends in Pokhara — which is what makes this a Pokhara-area trek, with no flight or long road journey required to reach the trailhead the way most other major Nepal treks need.

Mardi Himal Trek Elevation Map

Four distinct numbers matter here, and they're not interchangeable: the trailhead elevation (Phedi, 1,130 m), the highest sleeping elevation on the trek (High Camp, 3,550 m), the highest point the trekking route actually reaches (Mardi Himal Base Camp, 4,500 m), and the mountain's true summit elevation (5,587 m — not reached by this trek at all).

The progression: Phedi (1,130 m) → Pittam Deurali (1,925 m) → Low Camp (2,985 m) → High Camp (3,550 m) → Mardi Himal Base Camp (4,500 m) → Low Camp (2,985 m) → Siding (1,700 m). Total cumulative elevation gain across the trek runs to approximately 3,700 m. 

The elevation profile shows a steady three-stage climb from Phedi to High Camp across Days 1–3, a sharp single-day spike up to 4,500 m and back down to Low Camp on Day 4, and a straightforward descent to Siding on Day 5 — the Day 4 spike is the visually and physically defining feature of the whole profile.

How Long Is the Mardi Himal Trek?

Total trekking distance across the standard 5-day route runs to approximately 50 km. That figure covers walking distance only — it doesn't include the road transfers at either end (Pokhara to Phedi, and Siding back to Pokhara), which are driven, not walked. Of the individual trekking days, Day 2 covers roughly 10 km and Day 3 roughly 8 km on the current itinerary; distances for the other days aren't broken out separately. Treat the 50 km total as the reliable planning figure rather than adding up estimated day-by-day numbers, since small route variations — exact trailhead, whether a group continues past the Upper Viewpoint to Base Camp, minor weather-related detours — can shift the daily split without changing the overall trip length meaningfully.

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Mardi Himal Trek Terrain by Map Section

Accommodation Along the Mardi Himal Trek Route

Four nights on the standard itinerary: Pittam Deurali, Low Camp, High Camp, and Low Camp again on the way down. Every overnight stop is a teahouse — a family-run lodge with basic rooms and a shared dining area. Room quality generally tracks altitude: lower camps have more competing teahouses and better rooms, while High Camp's small number of lodges are functional but basic. Day 4 doesn't add a new overnight location — it returns to the same Low Camp teahouses used on Day 2.

Why Do You Return to Low Camp After Mardi Himal Base Camp?

Looking at the map, it's a fair question: why not continue from Base Camp straight toward Siding instead of dropping all the way back down to Low Camp first?

The answer comes down to logistics and recovery. High Camp's accommodation is limited and basic, with few teahouses — it isn't set up for a second consecutive night the way Low Camp is. Descending to Low Camp on the same day as the summit push also means sleeping lower after the trek's biggest exertion, which supports recovery rather than adding another cold, thin-air night on top of an already demanding day. And it sets up Day 5 as a short, manageable descent to Siding rather than one long, very steep push covering the whole distance from High Camp to the valley floor in a single day. The Low Camp return is a deliberate pacing choice built into the itinerary, not a detour.

Mardi Himal Base Camp vs. High Camp

Are There Different Mardi Himal Trek Routes?

Yes — you'll find other versions of this trek described online, and it's worth knowing they exist so the map above doesn't seem to conflict with something you've read elsewhere. Some itineraries start from Kande rather than Phedi. Some route Australian Camp or Pothana into the lower days. Some run longer, from three days on a compressed schedule up to seven or nine days with village extensions. None of those are wrong — they're different operators' cuts of the same general ridge system.

The Places Nepal 5-day itinerary described in this article is: Pokhara → Phedi → Pittam Deurali → Low Camp → High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp → Low Camp → Siding → Pokhara. That's the route the map above shows and the one every current Places Nepal Mardi Himal departure follows.

Trek the Mardi Himal Trek

Five days, one ridge, and the closest you'll legally get to Machhapuchhre.

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Mardi Himal Map vs. Other Annapurna Treks

All four are Annapurna-region treks reachable from Pokhara, but they follow different route systems rather than variations on the same trail. Mardi Himal is the shortest of the four and the only one built as a ridge-and-loop rather than a valley approach or full circuit.

What Does the Map Tell You About Trek Difficulty?

Looking at the route shape explains most of the trek's difficulty without needing a separate breakdown. The steady three-day climb to High Camp involves real, sustained elevation gain through forest with few flat stretches. The ridge walking above the treeline adds wind and cold exposure that the lower trail doesn't have.

Day 4's out-and-back to Base Camp stacks a high-altitude ascent with a long, steep descent in the same day — the single biggest elevation swing on the route. And the final descent to Siding, while easier, still adds a trekking day after four days of accumulated fatigue. None of this involves technical climbing — the trail is a defined path throughout — but the combination of altitude, sustained climbing, and that one demanding out-and-back day is exactly what the map is showing you. For the full breakdown of why each section feels the way it does, see Mardi Himal Trek Difficulty.

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Map and Altitude Safety

The route's shape is also its acclimatization plan: three progressively higher overnight camps before the trek's one push above 4,000 m, followed by a same-day return to a lower camp rather than an overnight stay at the highest point. That structure is deliberate, not incidental — it's what makes reaching 4,500 m on a 5-day itinerary reasonable rather than reckless. Altitude sickness is still a possibility above roughly 2,500–3,000 m, which covers the trek's final three nights, so pacing, hydration, and listening to your guide matter throughout the upper section of the route regardless of how the map lays it out. For the full altitude picture — elevation gain, AMS symptoms, and acclimatization — see Mardi Himal Trek Altitude.

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Permits and the Map Route

The entire route shown above lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area, which means ACAP and TIMS permits apply for the whole trek, not just certain sections. A licensed guide is mandatory throughout the Annapurna Conservation Area under current regulations, and permits are checked at points along the route, including near the Phedi trailhead. When you book with Places Nepal, permits are arranged in advance as part of the package — you won't need to queue or handle paperwork at the trailhead. Full current permit costs and requirements are on the Mardi Himal Trek page.

Can You Trek Mardi Himal Without a Map or Guide?

Not legally, and not practically either. Since April 2023, a licensed guide has been mandatory for all foreign trekkers throughout the Annapurna Conservation Area, which covers this entire route — so the question of trekking without a guide doesn't really arise on Mardi Himal the way it might on an unrestricted trail.

On navigation specifically: the trail is well-defined and non-technical throughout, but mobile coverage is inconsistent above Forest Camp, standard map apps don't always render the exact ridge trail with useful accuracy, and fog or low cloud on the exposed upper sections can make even a clear trail harder to follow by sight. A guide's route knowledge is the practical navigation system on this trek, and it's included with every guided departure rather than something to arrange separately.

How to Use the Mardi Himal Trek Map Offline

Download offline maps for the Pokhara–Annapurna region before you leave Pokhara, while you still have reliable data. Save the key waypoints — Phedi, Pittam Deurali, Low Camp, High Camp, Siding — so they're accessible without a connection. Keep your phone charged and carry a power bank, since charging options thin out above Low Camp and cost more the higher you go. Don't rely on mobile data as your primary navigation method once you're above Forest Camp. And keep your guide's contact details saved, along with your trekking agency's office number, as a backup regardless of what's loaded on your phone. GPS tracks found online can be outdated or slightly off from the current trail, so treat any downloaded track as a reference alongside your guide's knowledge, not a replacement for it.

Weather and the Map

The route on the map doesn't change with the seasons, but how walkable it is does. Spring (March–April) brings rhododendron forest in bloom on the lower sections and generally stable conditions higher up, with afternoon cloud building somewhat earlier than in autumn. Monsoon (June–August) makes the lower forest trail slippery and adds leeches to the mix, with poor visibility on the upper ridge for much of the season. Autumn (October–November) offers the most reliable trail conditions of the year across every section. Winter (December–February) brings snow to the ridge above Low Camp from December onward, which doesn't change the route itself but does mean microspikes or crampons become standard kit above High Camp. Check current trail conditions with your operator close to departure — a map shows the route, not the day-of conditions on it.

The Route in One Line

Pokhara → Phedi → Pittam Deurali → Low Camp → High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp → Low Camp → Siding → Pokhara

Trekking This Route With Places Nepal

Every detail on this map reflects the current 5-day Places Nepal itinerary: guided trekking with a government-licensed, English-speaking guide; transport from Pokhara to Phedi and from Siding back to Pokhara; teahouse accommodation at every overnight stop shown above; full-board meals; and all required permits arranged before you arrive. Both group-joining departures on fixed dates and fully private treks on your own schedule follow this exact route.

Ready to follow this route? See the current Mardi Himal Trek itinerary and availability with Places Nepal.

Trek the Mardi Himal Trek

Five days, one ridge, and the closest you'll legally get to Machhapuchhre.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a map of the Mardi Himal Trek? Yes — the interactive map on this page shows the current Places Nepal route from Pokhara to Mardi Himal Base Camp and back.

What is the Mardi Himal Trek route? Pokhara → Phedi → Pittam Deurali → Low Camp → High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp → back to Low Camp → Siding → Pokhara.

Where does the Mardi Himal Trek start? At Phedi, reached by a short drive from Pokhara — this is where the walking begins.

Where does the Mardi Himal Trek end? Back in Pokhara, after descending to Siding Village and driving the rest of the way.

How far is Mardi Himal from Pokhara? The Phedi trailhead is roughly 25–35 minutes from Pokhara by road. The trek itself starts there and returns to Pokhara five days later via Siding.

How many days is the Mardi Himal Trek? 5 days on the standard Places Nepal itinerary.

What is the highest point on the Mardi Himal Trek? Mardi Himal Base Camp, at approximately 4,500 m — not to be confused with the mountain's actual summit at 5,587 m, which the trekking route doesn't reach.

How high is Mardi Himal High Camp? Approximately 3,550 m — the highest point on the trek where trekkers sleep.

How high is Mardi Himal Base Camp? Approximately 4,500 m, reached on a day trip from High Camp.

How far is High Camp from Base Camp? Roughly 950 m of elevation gain, covered in about 3–4 hours including the Upper Viewpoint stop along the way.

Do you return to High Camp after Base Camp? You pass back through High Camp to collect any gear left behind, then continue down to Low Camp the same day rather than sleeping at High Camp again.

Why does the route return to Low Camp? High Camp has limited accommodation for a second night, sleeping lower supports recovery after the trek's biggest exertion, and it keeps Day 5's descent to Siding manageable rather than one very long final push.

Is the Mardi Himal Trek difficult? Physically demanding in sections — particularly the Day 2 forest climb and the Day 4 summit push and descent — though not technically difficult at any point. Full breakdown: Mardi Himal Trek Difficulty.

Is the Mardi Himal route well marked? Yes, the trail is a defined path throughout, though mobile coverage and standard map-app accuracy both drop above Forest Camp.

Can I use Google Maps on Mardi Himal? For the road sections to and from the trailhead, yes. On the trekking trail itself, coverage becomes unreliable above Forest Camp.

Can I download the Mardi Himal map offline? Yes — download offline maps for the region before leaving Pokhara, while you still have a reliable connection.

Do I need a guide for Mardi Himal? Yes. A licensed guide has been mandatory throughout the Annapurna Conservation Area since April 2023, and every Places Nepal departure includes one.

What permits are required? ACAP and TIMS, both covering the entire route. Places Nepal arranges both in advance as part of every booking.

What is the best season for the Mardi Himal Trek? Autumn (October–November) for the most stable trail conditions, or spring (March–April) for rhododendron bloom on the lower sections. Monsoon (June–August) is not recommended.

Is Mardi Himal suitable for beginners? Yes, for beginners who prepare properly beforehand — it's one of the more accessible high-altitude routes in Nepal, though it still involves real elevation gain and one demanding day.