Is the Mardi Himal Trek Suitable for Beginners?

Certainly, the Mardi Himal Trek is a good choice for novices, but it is necessary to realize what “beginner-friendly” really means. It is beyond a mere hiking trail or an easy country walk. The Mardi Himal Trek is an intermediate trek, which ascends to an altitude of approximately 4,500 meters and consists of walking for up to several hours per day on steep and exposed terrain.

However, there is no need to have trekking experience in the Himalayas, climbing or mountaineering. It just requires a reasonably fit novice who is prepared well enough, walks at a reasonable pace, carries the right equipment and follows altitude-safety advice.

In addition, the walk is rather short in comparison to longer treks within the Himalayas. From Pokhara, the actual part of the trek usually takes about 3-5 days, based on your itinerary and whether or not you plan to go to the higher viewpoint/Base Camp.

But for novices, the main question should not be, “Can I do Mardi Himal?” It should be, “What makes Mardi Himal difficult for me?”

This guide provides answers to those questions that a beginner must ask before booking: the difficulty, fitness, walking hours, altitude, training, accommodation, food, weather, safety and hard day expectations.

A Flexible Itinerary for Beginners With Nepal Guide Treks

For travelers with limited time Nepal Guide Treks offers a 5 day Mardi Himal Trek package from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back to Pokhara. The first day is the drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. The second day involves driving from Pokhara to Dhampus and then starting the trekking journey from there.

From Dhampus, the trek starts through the forest area and mountain villages up to Forest Camp, Low Camp and High Camp. The fourth day involves an early morning climb to Mardi Himal Base Camp, which is at 4,500 meters. Then, there is a descent to Badal Danda. On the last day, you trek to Siding from Badal Danda and return to Pokhara.

That makes the package especially useful for those who would like to try their hands at trekking in Mardi Himal without having to spend several days on a long Himalayan trek. Though the itinerary consists of only five days, it does not mean that this is going to be an easy trek. The fourth day of the itinerary will be the hardest one, with about 7–8 hours of trekking up to 4,500 meters above sea level.

However, at the same time, if you have never been on a trekking expedition before and would like to go at a more leisurely pace, the itinerary can be tailored to your conditions and needs. More time can be included in certain parts of the trekking path so that you can walk at a more comfortable pace and take longer breaks to admire the beauty of the mountain. It would be quite an excellent choice for beginners who might not be accustomed to trekking for many hours continuously at high altitudes.

Thus, while the standard Mardi Himal Trek is designed as a 5-day adventure, beginners will not have to adhere to the same schedule. Your itinerary can be adjusted depending on your level of fitness, time availability, and personal pace, which will make the whole process more comfortable while giving you all the best parts of the Mardi Himal area.

Is Mardi Himal Trek Really Suitable for Beginners?

Mardi Himal trek is categorized as a moderate trek. It is more difficult than short low-altitude hikes around Pokhara but less strenuous than other longer and higher treks in the Himalayas.

The trek does not require mountaineering skills or climbing gear. The trail takes you through the forest, village, hills, and then mountain ridge all the way to the upper viewpoint area.

The challenges associated with the trek are:

• Consecutive days of trekking
• Presence of uphill and downhill segments on almost all days of the trek
• Stone steps and rough terrain
• Gradual increase in elevation
• Cold weather at higher altitudes
• Longer day at the end leading to upper viewpoint
• More steep and exposed ridge sections at the end

So, fit beginners can do this trek, but unprepared ones must not think it an easy holiday trip.

You can consider the Mardi Himal trek as technically less difficult but the physical and altitude-related difficulty is moderate.

How Difficult Is the Mardi Himal Trek?

It is normally regarded as being of moderate difficulty. The lower parts are quite comfortable. You begin from the hills near Pokhara, and the trail leads you higher through forests and mountain settlements. As you ascend the trail gets harder and the landscape transforms from forests to open ridges.

The hardest part comes as you approach the High Camp and the upper viewpoint. The height of the High Camp is estimated at 3,600 meters, whereas the upper viewpoint is typically at about 4,200 meters. Likewise, the height of the Mardi Himal Base Camp is 4,500 meters.

The final climb requires long walking. The High Camp to Base Camp stretch is about six hours of walking in our current itinerary. Some itineraries combine both ascent and descent into a longer day.

Therefore, good preparation, maintaining a reasonable pace, and taking some time to rest become very crucial. With proper planning and suitable arrangements, the Mardi Himal Trek can turn out to be an exciting experience for beginners.

How Many Hours Do I Walk Each Day?

There will be about 4-7 hours’ walk per day on most trekking days depending upon the route you take, the pace you set, weather and trail conditions, and destination.

For instance, there will be about five hours’ walk from Pothana to Forest Camp, five hours’ walk from Forest Camp to Low Camp, four hours’ walk from Low Camp to High Camp, and six hours from High Camp to Mardi Himal Base Camp.

The essential thing for beginners to know is that five hours’ walk in the Himalayas is not the same as five hours of walking on a flat surface.

You may walk slowly taking time to click photos, resting, climbing stone staircases or adjusting your pace because of altitude. Therefore, what a beginner needs is to prepare him/herself for the walking time instead of speed.

What Is the Hardest Day on Mardi Himal?

The High Camp to Base Camp trek is the most challenging part of the journey for many trekkers.

By this point, you have already gained a lot of elevation. At higher altitudes, there is less oxygen in the air, temperatures are low and the path is more exposed. The view from the top ridge is amazing, but there are areas on it that may be narrow, rocky, or uneven.

There is also the effect of high altitude which means that the effort feels much harder compared to lower altitudes. A physically easy task at 2,000 meters becomes much more tiring and challenging above 4,000 meters.

It is thus advisable for beginners not to hurry into this section. It’s a good idea to start early, as the mountain weather often becomes cloudy in the afternoon. It is thus easier to cover the distance without haste.

How Fit Do You Need to Be for Mardi Himal?

There is no requirement that you must be athletic. A good starting point for someone who doesn’t have much experience is to be capable of walking for several hours continuously and to be comfortable climbing stairs and walking uphill.

Prior to the hike, it would be ideal to be capable of:

• Walking for 3-5 hours without much trouble
• Going up several flights of stairs
• Walking uphill without many long breaks
• Wearing a daypack comfortably
• Being able to recover from a long walk rather easily
• Being active for several days consecutively

If you are not physically active much right now, then allow yourself several weeks to prepare. Your objective isn’t to become very strong. Your objective is to make walking for several hours uphill and downhill normal.

How Should Beginners Train for Mardi Himal?

The simplest way to train oneself would involve walking exercises and hill climbing. Initially, engage in walking three or four times a week, and gradually increase the duration until you are able to walk for several hours.

It is especially helpful if you use stairs. You may also do hill training if you have some hills nearby. Walking up and down is more specific than flat treadmill training.

Your training should consist of:

• Walking: 3-4 times per week
• Uphill / Stairs: 1-2 times per week
• Strength Training: 2 times per week
• Hike for a long period once per week slowly increasing the time

Focus on your legs, hips and core. Exercises such as squats, step ups, lunges, calf raises and core exercises may be helpful.

Do not suddenly undertake a huge hike immediately before departure. Fitness improves through gradual progression, not one extreme training session.

Do I Need Previous Trekking Experience?

No. Previous experience of trekking is useful but not mandatory for Mardi Himal.

More important is your willingness to walk for several hours through rough terrain. The person who has no experience of trekking but goes hiking, walking, or does regular exercise can be better prepared than someone who has completed one short trek but rarely exercises.

Basic abilities required for trekking:

• Control your pace
• Drink sufficiently
• Eat sufficiently
• Listen to your guide
• Know and say when you are feeling unwell
• Do not rush up the hill
• Be warm at higher altitude

The basic trekking routine is usually learned within the first two days of trekking.

How High Is Mardi Himal Trek?

Altitude is certainly one of the main factors for consideration by novices. The altitude of High Camp is 3,600 meters. And the upper trekking region of Mardi Himal rises up to 4,200-4,500 meters, depending on the endpoint and route.

This is high enough for altitude related symptoms to become a genuine consideration.

You may feel totally fine at lower altitudes but get altitude sickness as you climb higher. Symptoms such as headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, and loss of appetite can occur at high elevations.

That is the reason why fitness alone cannot prevent altitude sickness. Even a very fit person may get altitude sickness while a less fit person may acclimatize well.

Can Beginners Get Altitude Sickness on Mardi Himal?

Yes.

The Mardi Himal Trek may be shorter but it still reaches high altitude. It is important for beginners to understand that just because the trek is short does not mean that there will not be an altitude risk.

The best approach is to ascend slowly, stay hydrated, eat adequately, and tell your guide immediately if you experience concerning symptoms.

You must not try to push on despite deteriorating symptoms just because you have an established plan. The action that you must undertake when symptoms have worsened even after stopping or descending is to seek medical help immediately. Altitude safety must come before overreaching the viewpoint.

Is Mardi Himal Harder Than Poon Hill?

Yes.

Poon Hill Trek is relatively lower than Mardi Himal and normally an easier option for novices. However, Mardi Himal will take you much higher up and also includes more uphill hiking.

The trade-off is that Mardi Himal provides a more high-alpine experience. You hike out of the forests into more open ridge trails where you have incredible views of mountains such as Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South, Hiunchuli, and other Himalayan summits.

If you desire an easy introduction to trekking around the Annapurna region, then Poon Hill may be your gentler choice.

But if you would like to do a shorter trek but gain more of a mountain experience, Mardi Himal may suit you better.

Is Mardi Himal Easier Than Annapurna Base Camp?

This may depend on the particular itinerary but Mardi Himal is usually shorter and requires fewer trekking days.

Nevertheless, shorter does not necessarily imply easier.

The highest altitude point in the Mardi Himal trek is higher than that of Annapurna Base Camp. The height of Annapurna Base Camp is 4,130 meters, whereas that of the Mardi Himal upper viewpoint/ Base Camp region is somewhere between 4,200 and 4,500 meters.

Also, the Mardi Himal trek has a unique ridge portion at the summit point. For a beginner deciding between the two:

• Choose Mardi Himal if you would like to go for a shorter trek, quiet trails, great ridge view, and a compact Himalayan adventure.
• Choose ABC if you would like to go for a longer classic trek, experience traditional villages, and enter the Annapurna Sanctuary.

Both require reasonable fitness and sensible altitude management.

What Is the Mardi Himal Route Like?

A typical Mardi Himal trail starts from places like Kande or Dhampus depending on the itinerary chosen. Then you will pass through Pothana, Forest Camp, Low Camp, High Camp and finally move on to the upper viewpoint and Base Camp. After that, the descent will lead to villages like Badal Danda and Siding and finally to Pokhara.

The surroundings along the trail keep changing throughout the journey. At lower altitudes, you will be surrounded by forests and villages. But as the altitude increases, forests become thinner and finally disappear completely at high altitudes where the trail runs along the ridges up to High Camp and the upper viewpoint.

This gradual change in surroundings makes it one of the best features of this route for beginners as they are not immediately thrown into a high-altitude environment.

Where Do You Sleep on the Mardi Himal Trek?

Mardi Himal is mostly a teahouse/lodge trek. Normally, you will spend your nights in basic mountain lodges, not camping. The accommodation will be basic, and facilities will decrease with the rise in altitude.

Accommodation is comfortable enough at low altitudes. At high altitudes, expect simpler rooms, colder conditions, and fewer facilities.

The primary purpose of the accommodation is to provide a warm place to sleep, eat and recover for the next day.

For novices, it is especially important to have a proper sleeping bag due to cold weather at higher altitudes even if you have blankets provided by the accommodation.

What Food Can Beginners Expect?

Trekking teahouses normally provide basic food items like dal bhat, noodles, rice, pasta, soup, potatoes, eggs, and other basic dishes.

Dal bhat is particularly beneficial for trekking since it contains carbohydrates and protein and makes you feel full.

In higher altitudes, the availability of food may be limited and its price tends to rise because the transportation of supplies to the high mountains is costly and difficult.

Daily treks that take several hours a day need nutritious food that sustains the body’s energy. It is advisable to take proper meals and snacks despite a reduction in appetite when the altitude rises.

Do You Need Expensive Trekking Gear?

No. It is unnecessary to purchase lots of expensive gear. But also do not compromise on footwear or warmth simply to save money.

While you don’t have to buy too much gear, it is essential to be prepared for varying temperatures. The necessary items that you will require are comfortable shoes, layering, waterproofing, and insulation.

It is better to go in for layering rather than carry a very thick jacket. Temperature varies significantly between daytime walks under the sun and cold nights.

There are some gear items which you may rent in Kathmandu or Pokhara as well, such as sleeping bags, down jackets, and trekking poles.

What Mistakes Do First-Time Trekkers Make?

Among the biggest mistakes is hiking too fast in the first few days. Beginners usually have high energy at lower altitudes and try to keep up with the speed of experienced hikers. It often leads to them being tired even before the tough days begin.

Some other common mistakes are:

• Carrying too many items
• Using new shoes for trekking
• Disregarding initial altitude sickness signs
• Not drinking sufficient water
• Not eating proper food
• Selecting a shorter route
• Underestimating cold temperatures
• Lack of waterproof gear
• Assuming good weather is guaranteed
• Being focused only on achieving the destination

What Is a Good Beginner’s Strategy for Mardi Himal?

Here are five things that must be your priorities if this is your first Himalayan trekking experience:

Train for walking before you travel

Prepare at least a few weeks in advance rather than relying on general fitness.

Plan a reasonable itinerary

Do not just pick the fastest itinerary. A little bit of extra time helps a lot with recovery and stress.

Be aware of altitude

Even though your fitness helps, it does not make you immune to altitude sickness. Ascend gradually and communicate any symptoms immediately.

Use proper gear

Footwear, warm clothes, rain protection, and a sleeping bag are much more important than expensive unnecessary gear.

Pace yourself while trekking

There is no prize for being the first one at the High Camp. A sustainable pace is one that allows you to keep walking without becoming overly tired.