Mardi Himal Trek — Self-Launched Independent Version
10 days · Nepal
Sherpa Expedition & Trekking charges £780
No-markup version: ~£495 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of the classic 10-day Mardi Himal Trek: Kathmandu → Pokhara → Phedi/Dhampus → Forest Camp → High Camp → Mardi Himal Base Camp → back to Pokhara and Kathmandu. You'll arrange your own tourist bus, buy your TIMS card and ACAP permit in Pokhara, and walk the trail independently staying in teahouses (which is how most independent trekkers do it). The route is well marked and busy enough in season that solo trekkers meet people constantly. Cost is a fraction of the guided group price, and you can move at your own pace. Costs are approximate and exclude international flights and travel insurance.
Day-by-day
Arrive Kathmandu — orient yourself in Thamel
Kathmandu
Land at Tribhuvan International Airport, buy a local SIM/eSIM (Ncell or NTC, ~£3-5 for data), and take a prepaid airport taxi to Thamel (~500-800 NPR / £3-5). Check into a Thamel hostel or guesthouse. Spend the afternoon buying or renting trekking gear (down jacket, sleeping bag, poles from the gear shops on Tridevi Marg or Chhetrapati, ~£1-2/day rental or ~£40-60 to buy). Book your tourist bus to Pokhara for tomorrow (most hostels sell tickets, ~1,200-1,800 NPR / £7-11) and get any cash from ATMs — ATMs on the trail are unreliable. Optional: Nepal visa on arrival is USD 30 (~£24) for 15 days / USD 50 for 30 days.
🚌Airport taxi to Thamel ~£4; walkable in Thamel
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Thamel (dorm £6-9, private room £12-18)
- →Buy SIM card
- →Rent or buy trekking gear in Thamel
- →Book Pokhara tourist bus ticket
- →Evening wander in Thamel
Bus to Pokhara — permits and lakeside evening
Pokhara
Take the morning tourist bus from Kathmandu's Kantipath/Sorakhutte to Pokhara (~7-8 hours, ~1,200-1,800 NPR / £7-11). Alternatively fly Kathmandu–Pokhara (~£55-75, 25 min) if you're short on time. On arrival in Pokhara, head to the Nepal Tourism Board office on Lakeside Road (open Sun-Fri) to buy your ACAP permit (~3,000 NPR / £18) and TIMS card (~2,000 NPR / £12) — bring passport photos and passport. Check into a guesthouse near Phewa Tal/Lakeside (dorms £5-8, private £10-16). Evening stroll along Phewa Lake and dinner at a Lakeside restaurant.
🚌Tourist bus Kathmandu–Pokhara ~£9
🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara (dorm £5-8, private £10-16)
- →Buy ACAP permit and TIMS card
- →Sunset walk at Phewa Tal
- →Check trek conditions and transport to Phedi/Kande with your guesthouse
Pokhara to Dhampus via Phedi — first ridge views
Dhampus
Take a local bus or shared jeep from Pokhara's Baglung Bus Park to Phedi (~1 hour, ~100-150 NPR / £0.70-1). If you want to skip the first road walk, a taxi is ~1,000-1,500 NPR (split it). Trek from Phedi up the stone steps to Dhampus (~2-3 hours), passing through villages with Annapurna South and Machapuchare opening up on the ridgeline. Check into a teahouse in Dhampus (dal bhat ~400-600 NPR / £2.50-4, room often free or 200-500 NPR / £1-3 when you eat there). Porters are available in Pokhara for ~£15-18/day if you want one — ask your guesthouse or the Pokhara trekking agencies.
🚌Local bus/shared jeep Pokhara–Phedi ~£1
🛏Teahouse in Dhampus (£2-4 for room, often included with meals)
- →Stone-step climb Phedi–Dhampus
- →Ridge sunrise/sunset views of Annapurna South
Trek Dhampus to Forest Camp
Forest Camp
Classic Mardi Himal day: climb steadily from Dhampus through Deurali (2,100m) and then into the forest to Forest Camp (2,540m), ~5-6 hours of walking. Rhododendron, birch, oak and hemlock forest the whole way, with occasional teasing views of Machapuchare. Forest Camp has a handful of teahouses — arrive by mid-afternoon to secure a bed in high season (Oct-Nov, March-May). Dal bhat, garlic soup and hot lemon are the standard order. Bring a headtorch — lights go out early up here.
🚌On foot ~5-6 hours
🛏Teahouse at Forest Camp (£2-4)
- →Forest section via Deurali
- →Teahouse evening with other trekkers
Forest Camp to Low Camp — moss and orchids
Low Camp
Short climbing day (~3-4 hours) from Forest Camp (2,540m) to Low Camp (2,970m) through the mossy, lichen-covered cloud forest with orchids and daphnia shrubs. Weather permitting you get your first clean look at Machapuchare's fishtail summit and the Mardi Himal ridge ahead. Afternoon available for acclimatisation walks or resting. Low Camp rooms are basic but views from the ridge are excellent at dawn.
🚌On foot ~3-4 hours
🛏Teahouse at Low Camp (£2-4)
- →Cloud forest ridge walk
- →Acclimatisation potter around camp
- →Machapuchare and Annapurna views
Low Camp to High Camp — above the treeline
High Camp
Trek from Low Camp (2,970m) via Middle Camp (3,350m, good spot for tea) up to High Camp (3,580m), roughly 3-4 hours. The trail breaks out of the trees onto open ridge with big views of Mardi Himal, Machapuchare and Annapurna South. Go slowly and hydrate — this is the altitude day. High Camp has a few lodges; arrive early to bag a room. Optional: a short acclimatisation walk above camp before sunset, then an early dinner and sleep before a pre-dawn start.
🚌On foot ~3-4 hours
🛏Teahouse at High Camp (£2-4)
- →Ridge climb above the treeline
- →Middle Camp tea stop
- →Sunset views of Mardi Himal and Machapuchare
Sunrise at Mardi Himal Base Camp and descend to Low Camp
Low Camp
Pre-dawn start (~4:30-5am) with headtorch for the walk up to the Mardi Himal Base Camp viewpoint (~4,500m, roughly 2-2.5 hours up, depending on conditions). Watch sunrise light up Machapuchare, Mardi Himal and the Annapurna wall. Ask your teahouse owner or other trekkers for the current trail conditions — in winter there can be snow, and turning round early is always a valid choice. Return to High Camp for breakfast, then descend through Middle Camp and the forest to Low Camp (~4-5 hours total descent).
🚌On foot, ~6-7 hours total
🛏Teahouse at Low Camp (£2-4)
- →Sunrise at Mardi Himal Base Camp viewpoint (4,500m)
- →Descent through Middle Camp and forest
Low Camp to Siding village — return to Pokhara
Pokhara
Descend from Low Camp via Forest Camp and follow the Mardi Khola river valley down to Siding village (~4-5 hours), crossing suspension bridges and passing terraced farmland. From Siding, catch a shared jeep or local bus back to Pokhara (~2 hours, ~300-500 NPR / £2-3) — they run until roughly mid-afternoon, so don't linger too long. Check back into a Lakeside guesthouse. Optional evening: taxi to Mahendra Cave (~152m limestone cave) and David's Fall (~£4-6 by taxi each way), then drinks on Lakeside.
🚌On foot ~4-5 hours + shared jeep Siding–Pokhara ~£2.50
🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Pokhara (dorm £5-8, private £10-16)
- →Mardi Khola valley descent with suspension bridges
- →Optional Mahendra Cave and David's Fall
- →Lakeside evening
Pokhara to Kathmandu — farewell dinner
Kathmandu
Morning tourist bus back to Kathmandu (~7-8 hours, ~1,200-1,800 NPR / £7-11), or fly (~£55-75, 25 min) if you'd rather save the day. Check back into a Thamel hostel. Spend the late afternoon returning rented gear, buying souvenirs on Thamel's side streets, and having a final dinner — momos, Newari food at a Thakali or Newari kitchen, or a rooftop dinner in Thamel (~£6-10).
🚌Tourist bus Pokhara–Kathmandu ~£9
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Thamel (dorm £6-9, private £12-18)
- →Return rental gear
- →Souvenir shopping in Thamel
- →Farewell dinner
Depart Kathmandu
Kathmandu
Prepaid taxi to Tribhuvan International Airport (~500-800 NPR / £3-5), arriving 2-3 hours before an international departure. Leftover rupees can be spent at the airport or exchanged. Note that domestic-flight trekkers often lose a day to weather delays — build a buffer if you're flying onward the same day.
🚌Taxi to airport ~£4
🛏N/A (departure day)
- →Airport transfer
Self-launched vs. Sherpa Expedition & Trekking
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Sherpa Expedition & Trekking | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£495 | £780 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £285 per person (37%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Sherpa Expedition & Trekking-style trips? Check them out here.~£495
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Mardi Himal Trek — Self-Launched Independent Version cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £495 per person for 10 days in Nepal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Sherpa Expedition & Trekking?+
Yes — Sherpa Expedition & Trekking charges around £780 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £495 — a saving of roughly £285 (37%) per person.
How long is the Nepal trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Nepal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, backpacker trip through Nepal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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