How many days does the Mardi Himal Trek take?

I walked it in 4 days: an afternoon from Kande to Pothana, then three full days, 31.8 miles with 3 nights in teahouses. You can also stretch it out to a week and stop at every camp. Add at least a day in Pokhara at each end.

When is the best time to hike Mardi Himal?

March to May or September to November. I went in early February, with snow above Low Camp, clear mornings and cloud from about noon. From about December to March you need microspikes on the ridge.

Where do you sleep on the Mardi Himal Trek?

In teahouses. I slept at Pothana, Low Camp and High Camp and paid NPR 300 (about $3) a night for a room in 2020. The rule is that you eat where you sleep.

Do you need a guide and a permit for Mardi Himal?

You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit, NPR 3,000 in 2026, and it costs double at a checkpoint. The Nepal Tourism Board also lists Mardi Himal among the treks that need a licensed guide and an agency TIMS card. I went solo in 2020, before that rule.

How do you get to the start of the Mardi Himal Trek?

From Kathmandu, fly to Pokhara in 25 to 30 minutes or take a tourist bus, usually 7 to 9 hours. Local buses to Kande leave Pokhara's Baglung Bus Park about every 30 minutes and take about an hour. At the end, I shared a jeep from Sidhing back to Pokhara.

The Mardi Himal film: Annapurna region, Nepal

Annapurna region, Nepal · 4 days · 32 miles

Mardi Himal Hiking Guide

4 days on the ridge below Machapuchare in Nepal.

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Real pages from the guide. Tap one to see it big.

A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
What I paid

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The route

My GPS recording of 4 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the Mardi Himal route: 4 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Kande, Sidhing, Mardi Himal and High Camp. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (SRTM, GMTED) on AWS · Glaciers, rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 4 days
Distance: 32 miles
Climbing: About 10,580 ft (3,225 m) up
Season: March to May or September to November
Nights: 3 in teahouses
Permit: Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP): NPR 3,000 in 2026
Route: Kande to Sidhing

What's inside

All four days. Stats, the time I took, my notes, the trail, where to get off, a map with an elevation profile, and links to that day in my films.
My GPX files. My own recordings for each day and the full route, with waypoints for the lodge stops, the viewpoints, my high point and Sidhing, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
Permits and the guide rule. My 2020 permits, the ACAP fee for 2026, and the licensed-guide and TIMS rule, explained plainly.
Getting there and home. Kathmandu to Pokhara by plane or bus, the bus to Kande, and the shared jeep from Sidhing.
Teahouses and costs. What the teahouses were like, my two teahouse bills, and what the whole trek cost me.
The ridge in winter. Snow above Low Camp in February, microspikes, the afternoon cloud, and the two times I turned back.
Other ways to do it. Slower, on to the Upper Viewpoint and Base Camp, and other starts and finishes.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of year-to-year checks and a printable one-page summary of the whole trek.

About this trip

In February 2020 I hiked the Mardi Himal Trek in Nepal alone: four days and about 32 miles from Kande up through the forest to Low Camp and High Camp, onto a snowy ridge below Machapuchare, Fishtail Mountain, and down to Sidhing. A white dog named Ghost walked with me most of the way. This guide has my GPS files, maps and notes for every day, the permits and the guide rule in 2026, getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara and the trailhead, the jeep home, and what the teahouses cost me.

Watch the film on YouTube (1.4M views).

Gear for this route

Paid links: I earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Teahouses every night, but February cold and snow on the ridge. Here's what I carried in 2020, what I'd take now, and what I filmed with.

What I carried in 2020

PackHyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 HyperliteThe 2400 size.
Quilta down quilt rated to about 20°FSimilar: Hyperlite Mountain Gear 20° Quilt Hyperlite
Linera silk sleeping-bag liner
MicrospikesmicrospikesVery necessary in February.Similar: Yatta Life Ice Spikes Amazon
Polestrekking polesHelpful for descending.Similar: Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Z Poles Amazon
Headlampa rechargeable headlamp
Watera reused water bottle
Suna sun hoodie, a white hat and sunglasses
Rain shella Gore-Tex shell
Warm layersa winter hat, gloves, a sweater and a neck scarfKeeping my neck warm is major.
PuffyPatagonia Nano Puff JacketMy orange one, light and so warm.Similar: Arc’teryx Atom SL Hoody Arc’teryx
Pantszip-off pants
Sockstwo pairs of merino wool socksI wore them the whole time.
ShoesBrooks trail runnersPeople always ask why I don't wear hiking boots. I love trail running shoes; whatever works for you works.Similar: Brooks Cascadia 17 (now the Cascadia 20) Amazon

What I'd take now

My current kit for what this trek needs.

MicrospikesYatta Life Ice Spikes AmazonFrom December to March, for the icy sections above High Camp.
PolesBlack Diamond Alpine Carbon Z Poles Amazon
QuiltHyperlite Mountain Gear 20° Quilt HyperliteFor cold teahouse rooms.
LinerNaturehike ZY20 Sleeping Bag Liner Amazon
Down jacketArc’teryx Cerium Hoody Arc’teryx
Rain shellArc’teryx Beta AR Jacket Arc’teryx
Sun hoodiePATH Projects Pyrenees T19 Hoodie PATH Projects
SunglassesGoodr OG Sunglasses AmazonFor the glare off the snow.
Winter hatPATH Projects Hoyt Merino Beanie PATH Projects
GlovesUnigear Touchscreen Liner Gloves Amazon
HeadlampNitecore NU20 Classic Amazon
Water filterKatadyn BeFree AC · 1L AmazonBring a way to treat water.
Power bankNitecore NB20000 Amazon
NavigationAllTrails+ AllTrails · 30% offImport my GPX files and download them offline: in cloud the ridge is easy to lose. Offline maps need the paid plan.
Phone dataAiralo eSIM Airalo · $3 offMobile data in Nepal without a SIM swap.

Filming kit

What I filmed this trip with in 2020. My setup is smaller now (below). Check the drone rules in Weather and safety before you fly: Nepal needs registration and clearance, and the Annapurna Conservation Area its own approval.

CameraSony a7 III AmazonWith four extra batteries.
LensSony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM Amazon
Wrist strapPeak Design Cuff Wrist Strap Amazon
TripodManfrotto Element tripod
DroneDJI Mavic 2 ProWith two extra batteries. No longer made.
PhoneApple iPhone 11 ProWith a battery pack.
MicRode VideoMic ProIt stopped working a few hours in, because the camera's audio port broke, so I used the camera's own microphone.

What I film with now

Since September 2026 I film with a smaller setup: the Pocket 4 and the Mic 3 on the trail, and the Mini 5 Pro in the air.

CameraDJI Osmo Pocket 4 Amazon
MicDJI Mic 3 · 1 TX + 1 RX AmazonIt pairs with the Pocket 4.
DroneDJI Mini 5 Pro Amazon

Everything I carry now: my gear page.

The Day 2, Pothana to Low Camp page from the Mardi Himal Hiking Guide

Free sample + packing list

Try Day 2 free, plus my packing list

Pothana to Low Camp

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my hut-to-hut packing list: the 35 things I carry, with a note on each. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 49-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated September 2026.
Delivery: Instant. After you pay you get a private download link. Bookmark it to download again on any device.
Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
Refunds: Not useful? Email me within 30 days for a refund: kraig@kraigadams.com.
Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

How many days does the Mardi Himal Trek take?: I walked it in 4 days: an afternoon from Kande to Pothana, then three full days, 31.8 miles with 3 nights in teahouses. You can also stretch it out to a week and stop at every camp. Add at least a day in Pokhara at each end.
When is the best time to hike Mardi Himal?: March to May or September to November. I went in early February, with snow above Low Camp, clear mornings and cloud from about noon. From about December to March you need microspikes on the ridge.
Where do you sleep on the Mardi Himal Trek?: In teahouses. I slept at Pothana, Low Camp and High Camp and paid NPR 300 (about $3) a night for a room in 2020. The rule is that you eat where you sleep.
Do you need a guide and a permit for Mardi Himal?: You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit, NPR 3,000 in 2026, and it costs double at a checkpoint. The Nepal Tourism Board also lists Mardi Himal among the treks that need a licensed guide and an agency TIMS card. I went solo in 2020, before that rule.
How do you get to the start of the Mardi Himal Trek?: From Kathmandu, fly to Pokhara in 25 to 30 minutes or take a tourist bus, usually 7 to 9 hours. Local buses to Kande leave Pokhara's Baglung Bus Park about every 30 minutes and take about an hour. At the end, I shared a jeep from Sidhing back to Pokhara.

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