- Length
- 10 days
- Highest point
- 4,500 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–May
- Starts
- Pokhara
- Group size
- 2–12 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House
Two base camps, one trek — combine Annapurna Base Camp with the wilder, crowd-free Mardi Himal ridge for 13 days of Himalayan wilderness at its best.
- Reach two Himalayan sanctuaries on one trek: Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m) and Mardi Himal High Camp (4,500 m)
- Morning light on Annapurna I, Hiunchuli, and Machapuchare from the famous ABC amphitheatre
- Mardi Himal viewpoint: arguably the best close-up of Machapuchare in the entire range
- Quiet rhododendron and oak forests on the Mardi trail — far fewer trekkers than the main ABC route
- Modi Khola river gorge section between the two treks
- Gurung village homestay at Siding or Lwang — authentic mountain community life
- Return via Siwai or Lumre for varied terrain with no trail repetition
The climb, day by day
Day 1Drive Pokhara → Kande · Trek to Forest Camp (2,550 m)2,550 m
Drive 45 minutes from Pokhara to Kande (1,770 m), the starting point of the Mardi Himal trail. Begin trekking uphill through rhododendron and oak forest on a well-graded trail. Forest Camp is a quiet collection of tea houses nestled in dense woodland, offering a peaceful introduction to the Mardi Himal route.
- Distance
- 8 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 2Forest Camp → High Camp Mardi Himal (3,580 m)3,580 m
Climb steeply through thinning forest and alpine meadows with progressively improving views of Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South and the Mardi Himal massif. Low Camp (2,985 m) is a good rest stop before the final push to High Camp, perched on an open ridge with spectacular panoramas.
- Distance
- 9 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 3High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp (4,500 m) · Descend to High Camp3,580 m
Early alpine start for the ridge walk to Mardi Himal Base Camp. The trail follows a narrow ridge with sheer drops and extraordinary close-up views of Machhapuchhre (6,993 m) — arguably the finest view of this sacred peak anywhere. Mardi Himal Base Camp sits at 4,500 m with Mardi Himal (5,587 m) towering above. Return to High Camp for the night.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4High Camp → Siding Village (1,750 m)1,750 m
Long descent via the lower Mardi Himal trail through forest and past terraced farmland. Siding (also called Lwang) is a traditional Gurung village rarely visited by trekkers, offering an authentic community experience. Local homestay accommodation may be available.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Siding → Landruk · Trek to Chhomrong (2,170 m)2,170 m
Trek from Siding through Landruk village, crossing the Modi Khola, then climb the eastern bank to Chhomrong — the gateway village of the Annapurna Sanctuary. Join the classic ABC trail at this Gurung hilltop settlement with excellent views of Annapurna South and Hiunchuli.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Chhomrong → Sinuwa (2,360 m) → Bamboo (2,310 m)2,310 m
Descend the famous stone staircase from Chhomrong to the Chhomrong Khola, then climb to Sinuwa before dropping into the deep forest gorge at Bamboo. The trail is well-maintained and the forest increasingly lush and atmospheric with mosses and waterfalls.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7Bamboo → Machhapuchhre Base Camp (3,700 m)3,700 m
Trek through Dovan and the settlement of Himalaya, ascending steadily as the valley narrows dramatically. The landscape transitions to high alpine terrain — waterfalls, glacial streams and towering rock walls on all sides. Machhapuchhre Base Camp sits beneath the sacred fishtail peak that may never be climbed.
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8MBC → Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m)4,130 m
Final ascent into the Annapurna Sanctuary over glacial moraine. The amphitheatre of Annapurna I (8,091 m), Annapurna South (7,219 m), Gangapurna (7,455 m) and Hiunchuli (6,441 m) forms a complete ring of peaks above 6,000 m. Afternoon at leisure at the highest point of the trek.
- Distance
- 5 km
- Walking
- 2–3 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9ABC · Sunrise · Descend to Bamboo (2,310 m)2,310 m
Sunrise over the Annapurna Sanctuary is one of Nepal most spectacular — the entire cirque of peaks turns vivid gold. Begin descent through MBC and all the way back to Bamboo, making efficient progress on the familiar trail.
- Distance
- 18 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 10Bamboo → Jhinu Danda Hot Springs (1,760 m)1,760 m
Continue the descent from Bamboo, passing Kuldi and crossing the Chhomrong Khola to arrive at Jhinu Danda. Spend the afternoon at the famous natural hot springs on the Modi Khola riverbank — a perfect reward after days of high-altitude trekking.
- Distance
- 8 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 11Jhinu Danda → Nayapul · Drive to Pokhara827 m
Short morning trek to Nayapul through Syauli Bazaar. Board a private vehicle for the scenic drive back to Pokhara. Arrive in time for lunch by Phewa Lake with Machhapuchhre shimmering in the distance.
- Distance
- 9 km
- Walking
- 2–3 hours
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
Day 12Rest Day in Pokhara827 m
Full free day in Pokhara to recover and explore. Options include a sunrise drive to the World Peace Pagoda, paragliding from Sarangkot, a boat trip on Phewa Lake, or simply relaxing at lakeside cafes. Celebrate 12 days of spectacular trekking.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- Rest Day
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
Day 13Departure from Pokhara827 m
Transfer to Pokhara airport for domestic flight to Kathmandu or onward travel. The trek is complete, with memories of two spectacular mountain circuits that few trekkers combine.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
The price includes
- Government-registered English-speaking guide
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers)
- ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area) permit
- TIMS card
- Pokhara–Nayapul private jeep (to start) and Phedi–Pokhara return jeep
- All teahouse accommodation on trek
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Altitude illness kit and pulse oximeter
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International flights
- Nepal visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal gear
- Tips
The Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal Combined Trek is the definitive Annapurna circuit for trekkers who want to experience both of the Sanctuary's iconic viewpoints without repetition: the famous amphitheatre of ABC (4,130 m), encircled by Annapurna I, Machapuchare, and ten other peaks above 6,000 m, AND the Mardi Himal High Camp (4,500 m), which offers arguably the closest accessible viewpoint to Machapuchare in the entire range — a view so immediate and dramatic that it consistently surprises trekkers who thought ABC had already shown them everything.
The 13-day itinerary descends from ABC via the Modi Khola gorge to Siding village, then ascends the forested Mardi Himal ridge above the Modi river — a completely different trail character from the ABC approach, quiet and heavily forested, with few other trekkers. The upper ridge above Low Camp (3,550 m) opens onto a high moorland with sweeping valley views; the High Camp plateau at 4,500 m faces Machapuchare at a distance of only 9 km, close enough to see detail on the rock face above the snowline.
Two iconic viewpoints, one continuous trek, no trail repeated. This combination itinerary is one of Travel Himalaya Nepal's own designs — we pioneered it in 2016 based on guide knowledge of the Mardi trail before it became widely known.
Best seasons: October–November and March–May. Start/end: Pokhara (private jeep included both ways). Max altitude: Mardi High Camp 4,500 m.