Mardi Himal Trek

After breakfast, we leave our hotel early morning for a drive with scenic views along the road to Pokhara via Prithivi national highway. The drive could take roughly 7-8 hrs to reach Pokhara. We also have the option for a flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara for 35 minutes. We will visit some prime spots in the lake city after refreshing at our hotel we will do a tour of some beautiful places in Pokhara that include Davids fall (if we reach early by road), and the Phewa Lake, etc. we then do an overnight at our hotel by the lake in the lovely ‘city of lakes’ on BB Plan.

You trek gently & ascend through bamboo forests with varieties of rhododendron and oak trees. The first town you reach is Dovan (2630m.) where there are few lodges and campsites. Now you pass through the muddy trail which traverses high above the river. It takes approximately twenty minutes to reach Deurali (3230m.). Stay overnight at a lodge.

Today we will start on our discreet trail, leaving other trekkers and even the villagers behind. The trek climbs gently through birch, giant rhododendron forest, mountain oak, maple, hemlock and daphnia which make this a lovely enchanting trail to forest camp, from where there are great views across a steep valley to Gandruk, a large Gurung settlement. We then continue uphill through foggy forests of more mountain oaks, and these scenes are astounding to watch in spring when in bloom. We set up camp in a spot that’s off the beaten track and get lost into another world of the Forest camp.

After an early b/fast, we set for a hike that climb’s up pretty easily through magnificent moss-covered trees in a classic ‘cloud’ forest with swirling mist. We also come across lichens, tree ferns and orchids set amidst tougher oaks; there is a great variety of flowers and shrubs hereabouts as well, including the very fragrant Daphne. As we hike the routes, we find some natural windows in the woods that open up fascinating vistas of Hiunchuli and the deep cutting traverse towards Annapurna south. Beyond the horizons as we look down to the left, we see the Modi Khola valley leading up to the Annapurna Sanctuary (another famous trek}; At Low Camp, you can spend hours relishing the sight of Machhapuchhre, which now looms almost overhead, so near, but yet so far. We camp for the night here abouts.

Just a short steep climb and we come out of the protecting shady forest, brings us to a ridge, now grassy and sometimes under the snow, takes us up to high camp which we reach sometimes close to lunch for a well earned haul up and some rest. This is a second consecutive afternoon of some breathtaking views we enjoy on the way as we acclimatize naturally. Annapurna South seems near enough to almost touch. The views of the Annapurna Range are exasperating from this point onwards. We take much of the afternoon soaking in the flabbergasting landscapes and exploring this awesome spot. We bunk out here for the night under starry moonlit skies.

This is a lovely area to spend the entire day and give our weary bodies a breather. But this doesn’t mean we spend all of our time lazing around. Moving around a bit will be good to explore our nearby surroundings…and the imaginative landscapes. We can also do some washing and cleaning and even catch up on some reading.

Retracing our steps to Low Camp, we then descend steeply through moss-covered rhododendron forest to the scenic Gurung village of Siding. We make an easy-going descent through the shades of the forest and out onto terraced fields, down 1600m on the count; this is a different route that’s a roller coaster all the way down to the upper Mardi Khola, the torrents that get its source from the Mardi Himal. Although isolated and off the much-used ‘teahouse trails’’, our journey now takes into different geographical settings of a warmer valley with welcoming friendly villages. We hike along the banks of the Mardi Khola from the hillock village of vibrant Siding, down through well-cultivated fields, past simply thatched farms and over some enjoyable bridges; we are now into typical Nepali countryside where the buffaloes and cows roam free under sunny skies.

Today we trek down to Lumre. A lot of the earth is more flat than mountainous. And we see it in this area; the path from Siding now takes a flat course of the river valley that goes gradually down and down between lush pastures through friendly ethnic villages of Tamangs and Gurungs in Lumre. After this, we board our vehicle for Pokhara. Overnight at our hotel by the lakeside in Pokhara.

While driving from Pokhara to Kathmandu, we head up to Damauli, Dumre, Mugling, and Kurintar where Nepal’s first Cable car is operated to reach Manakamana Temple, this is a temple where most Nepalese come to have their wishes granted before leaving home or getting married. From Naubise we climb up to Thankot, the gateway to Kathmandu and finally reach our hotel & a lovely soft warm bed and farewell dinner in a typical Nepali restaurant with the cultural dance program.

Kathmandu SightseeingThe capital city of Nepal, Kathmandu, being the historical and cultural heart of the country, is a popular destination for tourists, trekkers and other types of adventure seekers. The city is a marvelous amalgamation of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Western cultures and influences. Patan and Bhaktapur are its two major neighboring cities. These two cities, like Kathmandu, have a rich historical, cultural and religious legacy which is reflected in the many temples, monuments, and artifacts that they contain. You will be taken on a half-day guided tour of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur cities. In Kathmandu, you will be visiting Pashupatinath, the most famous and revered Hindu shrine in the country; Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal, Soyambhunath, which contains both Buddhist and Hindu shrines and stands as testimony to the religious harmony that exists in the country. We then head back to our hotel for an overnight.

After breakfast and our last day in Kathmandu, our vehicle and escorts will be on standby to drop you to the international airport three hours before our scheduled flight back home. At Glorious Adventure, meeting you has been a great honor and we pray for your Safe journey home and will reflect on the wonderful times we spent together. Bon Voyage!!! We hope to see you again someday.