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Mardi Himal Trek. |
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Mardi Himal is the
long, rising ridge that forms the south- westerly slope
of Machhapuchare (fish- tail) Mountain, the famous triangular
skyline that is seen from the Phewa Lake at Pokhara.
Machhapuchare is the most southerly high point of the
Annapurna Massif, the awesomely majestic group of mountains
in the central Himalaya that includes five of the twelve
highest mountains in the world.
This expedition-trek climbs through nearly every type
of vegetation strata in Nepal, even leaving behind the
high forests to set up the high camp far above the tree
line. From the high camp the aim is to climb to the
knoll of Mardi Himal at 5588m (18500ft) from where there
ate the most amazing close-quarter views of Machhapuchare
and the rest of the Annapurna Massif. |
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| Itineary |
Days |
Route |
01 |
Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara, where
you will be met and taken to your hotel. Explore
Pokhara before the evening trekking briefing. |
02 |
Leave Pokhara (at 915m, 3,000ft)
for a drive to the Tibetan Refuge Camp at Kaski.
Then set off by foot to Suiket and in the afternoon,
after an unhurried lunch, we climb from Phedi steeply
up to the main trail along the ridge to Dhampus.
The first night's camp at 1620m (5314 ft) is in
full view of Machhappuchare. |
03 |
Dawn usually brings a spectacular
sunrise with the Fishtail tuning from pink to gold
and the bare rock wall of Annapurna II still in
shadow. Now we start on the 'secret trail' leaving
tourist, other trekkers and the villages behind.
We enter an enchanting forest of birch, giant rhododendron,
mountain oak, maple, hemlock and daphnie. That evening
we camp in a small clearing at 2550m (8360 ft) far
from the beaten trail. |
04 |
As we climb the flora changes into
classic cloud forest with mosses and litchen, tree
ferns and orchids. Now and then there are windows
through the woods that look that look out onto the
thrilling panorama, towards Hinchuli and the knife-sharp
traverse towards Annapurna South. Far, far below,
we can see the Modi Khola Valley leading up into
the Annapurna Sanctuary. We stop climbing at lunch
so as not to go too high tooo fast. The afternoon
is at leisure, camped at 3400m (11020 ft) and through
the forest we have mesmerising views of the ever-closer
Fishtail. |
05 |
After just a short steep climb we
are out of the forest, above the tree-line. A ridge,
either grassy or under snow depending on the season,
takes us up to our 'High Camp', which we reach at
lunch. We take another afgernoon at leisure to acclimatise,
at 4100m (13,550 ft). The views here are awesome.
Annapurna South seems close enough to throw a rock
at while Machhapuchare seems close enough to touch. |
06 |
Breakfast will be earlier than usual
and with packed lunches we set off to reach our
objective. Conditions being favourable we should
reach up to 5,000m to 5,300m (16,400 ft to 17,400
ft) and attain our absolute goal, the crest of Mardi
Himal. It's the only thing separating us from the
south face of Machhpuchare, looming now just in
front of us. This is the sacred mountain and permission
to reach the summit is never given. The great icefields
and blue glaciers of the Sanctuary Wall lie below
and Annapurna I is beyond. In an are from horizon
to horizon, from Dhaulagiri to the Ganesh Himal
are a dozen or more glistening snow-bound giants
of the Himalaya. You are standing on a spot that
has been your constant aim for days, a place a time
a view that is almost impossible to equal and you've
earned it! Whatever our achievement, by 1pm we need
to descend back to 'High Camp.' |
07 |
After a relaxed breakfast we make
an unhurried descent down throuth the shade of the
forest and out onto the terraced fields near the
Siding Village. We continue down to our camp at
1750m 95740ft) near the Mardi Khola. |
08 |
The trail from siding now follows
the contour of the river valley, gradually down
between the pastures and throuth Tamang and Gurung
villages at 1,160m (3,800 ft). |
09 |
With just a few hours of walking
we meet the road and our transport Pokhara in time
for lunch. That afternoon is spent showering and
relaxing, some even have enough energy to go rowing
on the lake. In evening we have our End of Trek
Party when the sherpas and Porters let their hair
down and dance to the sound of the Madal drum. |
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