Why Mardi Himal Base Camp Is My Favourite Trek In Nepal
I recently went back to Nepal in early December 2105 to do some filming and take photos in the Annapurna region. I have already done the Annapurna circuit (which was my first trek in Nepal) and the views from that trip were unbelievable! But this time I was looking for a trek that was not as popular/ well known so there will be little to no tourists along the route and still have incredible views of the Himalayan mountains. We found exactly what we were looking for and it is a trek called Mardi Himal Base Camp.
Unique and Untouched
The best part about this trek by far is the fact that when I went we honestly only saw two other groups along the route! We only saw the other groups at the end of the trek at High Camp so the whole way we basically had the entire teahouse to ourselves. To me it felt like a intimate experience because since we were the only people at the teahouses we could relax with the locals and the owner, which would be a bit harder on the popular routes since they would be hard at work taking care of all the guests. We would talk about various things like the names of the mountains, where the best spots were to take photos and just basically having fun and joking! Also since we were the only people in the teahouses the food was very quick and fresh. Hanging out in the kitchen and talking while the locals were cooking gave me a more relaxed ‘homely’ feeling. Even on the way down at the end of the trek we decided that we will stay at a homestay rather than a teahouse and it was great! The home owners were extremely welcoming and were happy to take us in for the night.
Along the route was great because it really is isolated so it is just you surrounded by nature. The reason why I love going on treks is because it is a great way to escape the city but on popular treks there are still lots of other westerners/ tourists so your not really getting the full sense of escapism. During this trek you couldn’t see the bright coloured backpacks of other trekkers in the distance. All you could see is the magnificent mountains that were literally in touching distance and the endless hills in the valley below. You truly get a feeling of being alone with nature and it’s amazing!
Incredible Sunrises and Sunsets
The number one thing that you must do on this trek is to wake up early before sunrise and spend time watching the sunset because the views are unbelievable! When I went on the Annapurna Circuit trek you are literally surrounded by high mountains the whole way, which is absolutely incredible but you don’t really experience great sunrises because you can’t actually see the sun since the mountains around you are too high. On the Mardi Himal Base Camp trek you are walking on a ridge line where the valley is below you so can happily relax with a coffee and watch the sun slowly rise over the hillside.
The sunsets are equally as impressive since the view of the sun is never obscured and the feeling of having an entire teahouse to yourself whilst watching the sunset over the serene mountainside and eating an apple pie is just too awesome.The views of the mountains are breathtaking because you are so close to them. The main ones that you will see are Machapuchare (Fishtail) and Annapurna 2. No matter what time of day it is you can get some amazing photos and video of the mountains. After having dinner I remember walking to my room and I noticed that the sky was absolutely crystal clear and there were thousands of bright stars illuminating Annapurna 2 that was right next to me. I stayed up for quite a while taking some night shots and was very happy with how they turned out!
The high point of the trek is the viewpoint that is in between High Camp and Mardi Himal Base Camp. I was very unlucky when I went because by the time we got to the viewpoint it was very cloudy and it started to snow! From the viewpoint you should be able to see fourteen mountains all around you. Even though we couldn’t see them it was still an awesome experience trekking along the ridge line while the snow was falling.
Quick and Easy
The trek itself is easy to moderate and it can be done in four to eight days! It is amazing that a trek can be so short and you can still get memorable views that match the popular treks like Annapurna Base Camp and Everest Base Camp. Also the route is very easy to follow as there are markers along the path so you don’t trail off in the wrong direction.
Plus you get to hang out in Pokhara before and after the trek, which is a really cool city with a chilled out vibe to it. If you have spare time you can go paragliding over the foothills, take a calming boat ride in the lake, visit a Buddhist Stupa and much more! The food there is also really good, there are Nepali restaurants for those that want to enjoy some Dhal Baht and Momos but if your missing the food from home then don’t worry because there is a wide variety of food to choose from like Thai, Arabic, Indian etc.
Favourite Trek so far
Mardi Himal Base Camp is definitely my favourite trek in the Himalayas so far because of the fact that you get absolutely incredible views in such a short amount of time with no other tourists in sight. Another great feature about this trek is that if your really feeling up to it then you can summit Mardi Himal 5,587m. I also think that I got some of my best photos and footage from this trek and I would happily go back there sometime to experience it all over again!