The most popular and Moderate Base Camp Treks in Nepal "The Annapurna Base Camp Trek"

Pokhara is the starting and ending point for the Annapurna Base Camp Trek and in order to embark on this Trek one will have to have TIMS(Trekkers Informations Moniterring System) card and ACAP. Both these permits are easily available at the respective offices in Kathmandu and in Pokhara for a payment of US$20 per person. There are check posts to monitor the trekkers at the entrance and the exit points of Annapurna area and one is required to produce the same at these points and get it stamped. Trekkers usually spend a day or two in Pokhara as this helps in acclimitizing for the high altitude trek ahead.

Pokhara lies west of Kathmandu and takes about five to six hours drive to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu. Private Tourist buses to Pokhara from Kathmandu are available at frequent intervals which starts leaving from 5AM to 9AM and costs about US$25 per person. Share taxis are also available at a cost of about US8 per person. These Taxis have no timing and are available all day long. One also hire a private taxi too and they can cost anywhere between US$200 to US$250 per Taxi and can seat between four to eight people comfortably. This ofcourse depends on what kind of vehicle that one hires.   

  

Forty Kilometres North of Pokhara lies the Annapurna Sanctuary, a Glacial Basin at the foot of Mt.Annapurna at an altitude of 4130m also known as the AnnapurnaBase Camp. Sorrounded by a ring of more than 7000m snow capped mountains the approach to Annapurna Sanctuary or the Annapurna Base Camp is just one narrow path between Hiunchuli and Machapucharae running along the banks of a swift flowing glacial river fed by glaciers emanating from the foot of Machapucharae and the Annapurna Glacier. This narrow path that runs along the river and which meanders through small villages in the Annapurna region of Nepal and which finally leads to the Annapurna Sanctuary is called the Annapurna Base Camp Trek. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is one of the popular Treks in Nepal Himalayas. 

Annapurna Base Camp

Since the  Annapurna Sanctuary is surrounded on all sides by high mountains and deep valleys the area has developed a unique eco-sytem and also receives only seven hours of daylight in a day. The south face of the Annapurna region which receives more rainfall is covered by dense Rhododendron and Bamboo forest where as the Northern Face close to the border with Tibet remains arid and dry.

The entire Annapurna Region is inhabitated mostly by the Gurung Tribes of Nepal and for them the Annapurna Sancturay is sacred and Machapucharae is revered as the abode of Lord shiva, a hindu diety. Eggs and meat are not allowed to be served in the Annapruna Base Camp and even today the Annapurna area conservation committee has placed notices at Himalaya camp and beyond with regard to using meat and poultry products. The entire Annapurna Region is maintained and is under the supervision of  Annapurna Conservation Area Project in short called ACAP.

ITINERARY:

Day 01 :  Drive Kathmandu to Pokhara(6Hrs) .

Day 02 : Drive to Phedi(1Hr).  Trek Starts. Trek to Pothana (1890m/3Hrs).

Trewk starts with a drive to Phedi about 45minutes drive from Pokhara. Phedi is a small stop with a Hotel. Trek starts immediately with an uphill path on stone steps till Dhampus. From Dhampus it is an easy trek till Pothana. There is a TIMS and ACAP office at Pothana and every trekker going to the Annapurna Sanctuary will have to produce their TIMS and ACAP Card here. There are a couple of lodges here to rest for the night.    

Day 02 :  Trek Pothana to Landruk(1640m). Lodge. Trekking Time:5Hrs.

                Pothana(1890m)- Bichok(2080)-Tolka(1700m)-Landruk .

Day 03 :  Trek Landruk to Chomrong(2210m). Lodge. Trekking Time : 6 Hrs - 7 hrs.

                 Landruk-New Bridge(1340m)-Jhindu(1780m)-Chomrong(2170m).

Day 04 :  Trek Chomrong to Dovan (2600m). Trekking Time : 5hrs - 6 hrs.

Chomrong – Sinuwa(2360m)-Kuldighar(2540m)-Bamboo(2310m)-Doban(2600m).

Day 05 :  Trek Dovan to Machapuchare  Base Camp (3700m). Trekking Time : 6 hrs.

Himalayan (2850m)-Hinku Cave(3170m)-Deorali(3200m)-Bagar(3300m)-Machapuchare Base Camp

Day 06 :  Day of exploration to Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Glacier  and surrounding areas(4130m).  Trekking Time :2 – 3 Hours.

Day 07 :  Trek ABC to Dovan(2600m).  Lodge .  Trekking Time 6 – 7 Hours.       

       

Day 08 :  Trek Dovan to Chomrong. Trekking Time : 4-5 Hours.

                

Day 09 :  Trek Chomrong to Kymrung Dada(2260m). Trekking Time : 3-4 Hours.

          

Day 10 :  Trek Kymrong Dada to Ghandruk(1900m/1-2Hrs). Drive to Pokhara (3Hrs).

                 Ghandruk - Syauli Bazaar- Chimrong-Birethanti. Overnight Hotel (B/Bonly).

Day 11 :  Drive Back to Kathmandu. End of Annapurna Base Camp Trek.

 

Easiest Base Trek in Nepal Himalayas-Mardi Base Camp Trek.

A short and easy Trek in the Annapurna Region of Nepal

Mardi Himal lies to the East of the Annapurna Sanctuary high on the ridge below Machapucharae, overlooking the Machapucharae Base Camp and the Annapurna BaseCamp on the left side and the city of Pokhara and the villages of Ghandruk, Chomroong and the valley below  on the right. Mardi Himal Trek is a popular short trek in Nepal and can be completed in a period of just four or five days. This short trek in Nepal can be undertaken by begineers and can be termed as a easy villages trek in Nepal.

The Mardi Himal Trek  an easy lodge trek in Nepal starts with a drive to Pokhara from Kathmandu. There are a couple of options to travel to Pokhara from Kathmandu. One can take a luxury tourist bus. These buses starts leaving for Pokhara from 5am to 9am in the morning and costs US$25-US$27 per person, the cost is inclusive of lunch at Kurintar about 90Km from Kathmandu. If you are on a budget than you could board a share taxi, a ten seater Toyota van that operates the entire day and costs about US$8 per person. One can  also hire a small car or an SUV they cost about US$210 per SUV/Car and can comfortably seat about four to five persons. Depending upon the condition of the traffic on the highway it takes about six to seven hours to reach Pokhara from Kathmandu.

Usually trekkers spend a day or two in Pokhara , a lake side town famous for it’s lake know locally as the Phewa Tal. This helps in acclimitization for the treks in the Annapurna Himal. For an experienced trekker one could try the Annapurna Base Camp Trek or the Ghorepani Poonhill Trek or if you have three weeks to spare than the Annapurna Circuit Trek is there for one to try. Of late the  Annapurna Circuit Trek can be reduced by a number of days by driving upto Tal and starting the trek from there and flying out to Pokhara or Kathmandu from Jomsom. This will reduce the number of days by about five to six days and the Annapurna Circuit Trek can be completed within twelve days.

Coming back to Mardi Himal Trek, this is an easy villages trek with ample time to enjoy an extra day or two  in Pokhara.  There are small lodges operated by local families all along the trekking trail and these lodges provide good local food at a nominal amount. When it comes to cost factor, the Annapurna Region is less expensive as compared to the Everest Region of Nepal. Basic food is Dal Bhat and Vegetable curry, though other types of food are also prepared on demand. Accommodation is available till High Camp but of late a couple of lodges are being built at High Camp and the Mardi Base Camp.

A Brief Itinerary for the Mardi Himal Trek in Nepal

Day 1 : Drive to Pokhara. The Drive takes about five to six hours depending on the traffic.

The drive to Pokhara takes about six to seven hours depending upon the traffic and with a halt in between for lunch.

Day 2 : Drive to Kande ( 1770m/60minutes drive ). This is the trek head for the Mardi Himal Trek. Trek to Pothana(1980m).

The gentle three hours Trek begins through small agricultural villages until we reach the small village of Goldanda on a hill side. From this small village the trekking track becomes an uphill trek on stone steps through dense forest until we reach     Australian Camp(2160m). Australian Camp is small settlement on a hilltop with a few lodges and a camp site. There is an ACAP office here and one is required the stamp the permit  here. From here it is all the way downhill of fifteen minutes to Pothana. There are afew Lodges and restaurants here catering to the tourists.

Day 3: Trek to Forest Camp(2900m).

The Trek to Forest Camp the second day of the trek is an easy four hours trek through dense forest of Rhododendron, Oak and walnut trees. Thirty minutes out of Pothana is a small settlement of Deurali, the trek route to Mardi Himal bifurcates here. To the right is Mardi Himal and the trek route to the left  leads to Tolka, Lhandruk and finally to Annapurna Sanctuary and to the Annapurna Base Camp. There are no other trek routes on this path to get lost, moreover at an interval of every ten minutes or so there are markers leading to the Mardi Base Camp. Look around at the face of the boulders or trees blue and red markings are painted on them, follow the markers and one will not do not get lost.

There are no mountain scenery to cherish as the views are all blocked by the dense forest till Forest Camp. Three hours out of Pothana there is oneTea shop where one can order some lunch. This tea house if very basic and the best that you can have is some noddle soup and Dal Bhat. Forest Camp is a collection of about six lodges in the middle of the forest with no mountain views. The Lodges offer free wifi to pull in customers.

Day 4: Trek to High Camp(3550m).

The Trek route to high Camp starts immediately with an uphill two and half hour trek through dense forest till low camp. Low Camp at an altitude of 3100m consists of about ten lodges sitting on a ridge in the middle of the forest and first views of Machapucharae towering on the Northern horizon is quite impressive. The Trek route after lunch is also through forest for a short while when suddenly we climb on to a ridge and the forest cover vanishes providing views of the Annapurna range, a sight to remember. High camp is truly on a ridge overlooking the Machapucharae Base Camp and a narrow trail in the valley below that leads to Annapurna Base Camp on the left and the small villages and the town of Pokhara on the right.

Day 5: Trek to Mardi Base Camp(4500m).

Early morning trek to Upper View point(4300m) for sunrise views on the Mardi Himal. Great views of the Machapucharae Base Camp and  Machapucharae and the surrounding villages down below. Trek further on to Mardi Base Camp. Trek Back to High Camp for lunch. After lunch trek down to Badal Dara(3300m).

Day 6: Trek back to Sidding. Drive back to Pokhara.

After Breakfast trek down to Sidding for the last part of the trek through low camp. The path is very uneven and rocky all the way to Sidding(1700m).

Day 7: Drive Back to Kathmandu. End of Mardi Himal Trek.

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