Mardi Himal Trek

The Mardi Himal Trek gains altitude quickly by Himalayan standards. Mardi Himal Base Camp sits at 4,500 m and High Camp, where most trekkers overnight, is at 3,580 m. On the summit day trekkers ascend to 4,500 m and return to sleep at Low Camp (3,050 m) rather than staying at High Camp a second night, applying the climb-high, sleep-low principle.

Acute Mountain Sickness is possible above 3,000 m for any trekker regardless of fitness. Symptoms include persistent headache, nausea, dizziness and appetite loss; descend at least 500 m immediately if they worsen or do not improve after 12 hours of rest. The guide monitors every group member throughout the trek, and mild headache or fatigue at High Camp is common and usually resolves with rest and consistent hydration. The guide's decision to call a descent is final. Swotah guides hold Wilderness First Responder certification and carry emergency satellite communication devices on all treks. Diamox (acetazolamide, 125–250 mg twice daily) reduces AMS susceptibility in people who have had altitude illness before; consult your GP or a travel health clinic before departure.

Six to eight weeks of aerobic training beforehand noticeably improves the High Camp experience. Hill walking, stair climbing and sustained cardio build the base the ascents require. The hardest day, Forest Camp to High Camp, gains about 1,060 m over 5 to 6 hours. Trekkers who can comfortably walk 5 to 7 hours in hilly terrain with a light daypack manage this trek without undue difficulty.

All accommodation on the Mardi Himal Trek is in family-run tea houses at Australian Camp, Forest Camp, Low Camp and High Camp. Rooms are twin-bed with thin mattresses and a blanket, and shared bathrooms are standard at all camps. Australian Camp and Forest Camp have the most comfortable facilities, including hot showers (NPR 200–300) and device charging points. High Camp tea houses run on solar power only, so charging is limited and not guaranteed.

A sleeping bag rated to at least −10°C is essential for High Camp nights at 3,580 m, where temperatures drop to −10°C to −15°C in autumn and −5°C to −10°C in spring. Tea house blankets are thin and not sufficient on their own at that altitude.

October and early November see the highest occupancy on the Mardi trail. Swotah pre-books accommodation at every camp before departure; trekkers who arrive without a reservation in peak season frequently find High Camp full.

Dal bhat, Nepal's lentil-soup-and-rice staple, is the most calorie-dense meal available at any elevation on the Mardi trail. Tea house menus also cover noodle soup, pasta, fried rice, eggs, porridge and seasonal vegetables. Prices rise with altitude: a plate costing NPR 400 at Australian Camp is typically NPR 600–700 at High Camp.

Tap and stream water on the trail is not safe to drink untreated. Boil it for at least a minute at altitude or use purification tablets; most tea houses sell boiled water for NPR 50–100 a litre, and a portable filter such as a Sawyer Squeeze or LifeStraw is an effective backup.

Appetite usually drops above 3,500 m as the body redirects energy to acclimatisation. Small, frequent portions work better than large meals, and it is worth avoiding heavy, fatty food the evening before the Forest Camp to High Camp ascent.

Two permits are mandatory for the Mardi Himal Trek, which runs inside the Annapurna Conservation Area. The ACAP permit costs NPR 3,000 (about USD 20 at July 2026 rates) for foreign nationals. The TIMS card costs NPR 1,000 for trekkers registered through a licensed agency, which is how every Swotah client is booked. Both must be shown in original at check-posts along the route; photocopies are not accepted. Fees verified July 2026.

Swotah collects a passport photocopy and two passport-sized photos before departure, processes both permits in Kathmandu and hands them to you before the trek begins. ACAP and TIMS fees are included in your package cost.

A licensed guide has been mandatory for foreign trekkers inside Nepal's conservation areas since 1 April 2023, and your guide is included on every Swotah departure. The Nepal visa is available on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport — USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days — and is not included in the package; bring two passport photos and US dollars in cash.

Travel insurance is a booking requirement on this trek, not a recommendation. Your policy must explicitly cover helicopter evacuation from altitude: a rescue from High Camp (3,580 m) or Mardi Himal Base Camp (4,500 m) costs between USD 3,500 and USD 6,000 uninsured. Specialist insurers including World Nomads, True Traveller and Campbell Irvine offer Nepal-specific trekking cover with altitude rescue included.

Check the altitude limit, not just the words 'trekking cover'. Policies that cap evacuation at 4,000 m are not sufficient, because Mardi Himal Base Camp sits at 4,500 m. Confirm with your insurer that the policy covers evacuation at the maximum altitude of your trek, and send us a copy before departure.

Nepal's domestic flight network is prone to weather delays, particularly on the Kathmandu to Pokhara route, so a policy including trip delay and cancellation cover protects your deposit if flights are grounded during your travel window.

There are no ATMs on the Mardi Himal trail, so withdraw all the Nepali rupees you need in Pokhara before departure. For a trek with 7 walking days, NPR 10,000–15,000 in personal spending money covers hot showers, Wi-Fi, extra snacks and drinks beyond what Swotah includes.

NTC and Ncell SIM cards give reliable data coverage at Australian Camp, Forest Camp and Low Camp. Signal is intermittent at High Camp and absent at Mardi Himal Base Camp. Tea house Wi-Fi costs NPR 200–400 per device per session, and a fully charged 20,000 mAh power bank lasts two to three days between charging points.

Kande village, the trailhead, is about 25 km from Pokhara's lakeside — a 40 to 50 minute drive by taxi or private jeep, which Swotah arranges on the first trekking day. The return jeep leaves from Lumre and takes 60 to 75 minutes on an unpaved road.