Situated in close proximity to Annapurna Base Camp, the 9 Days Mardi Himal Trek stands as one of the Himalayas’ hidden and less explored jewels. The trek was only opened to trekking in 2012 and provides a glorious opportunity to experience the spectacle of Mardi Himal Base Camp and the Himalayas via a route that still remains largely untrammeled by the trekking community.

Commencing at Pokhara, the trek starts by road and heads to the trailhead of Dhampus, an impeccably situated Gurung village with outstanding views of the mountains. From there, the trail winds on towards the equally picturesque village of Pothana then branches off from the standard Annapurna route and leads on out through the dense jungle to the aptly named Forest Camp. In spring, the entire area comes alive with the flowering of rhododendrons. Day after day, the track gradually inclines up through the Himalayan foothills until it finally breaks free of the tree line and adds yet another dimension to the trek by virtue of the sublime panoramas that open up to view.

Mardi Himal Trekking continues onward and upward, offering a superb vista of snow-covered peaks, including Fishtail 6993 m, Dhaulagiri 8167 m, and the Annapurna range, with a broad palette of colors adding their touch throughout the day, from early morning pastel tints to the vivid hues of midday to the warm glow of sunset farewelling the mountain tops at day’s end. The return path calls in at Low Camp and Lwang, then trades in precipitous trails for roadways and the drive back to Pokhara.

The Mardi Himal Trek represents a golden opportunity to experience the Annapurna region in a unique manner that’s as scenically rewarding as the better-known pathways while offering up a level of seclusion and peacefulness that comes from the sense that the entire area is your own private nature reserve to explore.