Mardi Himal & Poon Hill Combined Trek 12 Days: Itinerary, Cost, Map & Guide

This route links two classic Annapurna treks. The first half follows the Ghorepani Poon Hill trail from Birethanti through Ulleri, Ghorepani and Tadapani, then drops to Ghandruk and Landruk. The second half climbs the Mardi Himal ridge from Forest Camp to High Camp and the Upper Viewpoint, then descends through Siding.

Eight of the twelve days are spent on foot (Days 3 to 10), with short drives at the start and end of the trek. On the map below, the solid line shows the trekking route and the dashed line shows the road transfers.

The table below combines the 12-day itinerary with daily walking or travel times and overnight sleeping altitudes. It shows the route from Kathmandu to Poon Hill, across to the Mardi Himal trail, and back to Pokhara and Kathmandu.

The Upper Viewpoint at 4,200 m is a daytime hike on Day 9, not an overnight stop. High Camp at 3,580 m is the highest place you sleep during the trek.

12-Day Route and Daily Sleeping Altitude

Both halves work as treks on their own. Here is how the combined 12-day trek compares with our 7-day Mardi Himal Trek:

If you have fewer days, ask us about a shorter option.

The 12-day Mardi Himal & Poon Hill Trek costs from US$460 per person for groups of six or more. Guide, porter and transport costs are shared, so larger groups pay less each. The route, permits and lodges stay the same for everyone.

Price by Group Size

Prices are per person, and Trip Highland can set up private departures on dates that suit you. Ask us for a quote if your group is bigger or you want upgrades like better hotels in the cities.

These are small costs you'll pay on the way, usually in cash. Prices are typical and rise with altitude.

With seven nights in teahouses, plan on roughly US$150-250 per person for the whole trek, including tips, depending on how often you treat yourself.

This trek is moderate to challenging. Each half is moderate on its own, but together they make a long trip with eight walking days in a row and no rest day. The longest days are Day 7, which climbs from Landruk to Low Camp, and Day 9, which starts in the dark and takes most of the day.

The effort comes from three things: the thousands of stone steps on the way to Ulleri, the long, steep descents on Days 6 and 10, and the cold, high ridge at the end. You don't need climbing skills, and previous trekking experience helps but isn't essential.

If you can walk uphill for a few hours with a daypack and recover well the next morning, several days in a row, you're in good shape. The training plan below shows you how to get there.

Day 7 gains almost 1,500 m of sleeping altitude (Landruk at 1,565 m to Low Camp at about 3,050 m), and Day 8 adds about 530 m more at High Camp. That is well above the usual advice of 300 to 500 m per night above 3,000 m, and there is no rest day.

Your night at Ghorepani (2,880 m) on Day 4 gives some early exposure, but you then descend to Landruk, so don't count on it as full acclimatization.

Our guides manage the ridge with a slow pace, regular rest stops, daily symptom checks with an oximeter, and a willingness to hold the group or turn back if someone is unwell. If you want a gentler profile, ask us about adding a night at Forest Camp or Low Camp to split the Day 7 climb.

The main trekking seasons are spring and autumn. Conditions still vary with altitude, snow and rainfall, so no month guarantees clear skies at Poon Hill or the Upper Viewpoint.

Spring (March to May)

Spring is the best season for color. Rhododendrons bloom around Ghorepani and Tadapani, the lower valleys are warm, and mornings are usually clear. Snow may remain near High Camp early in the season, and afternoon clouds build.

Autumn (September to November)

Autumn offers the steadiest weather and the sharpest mountain views, which makes it the most popular season. October is especially busy on the Poon Hill trail, so book teahouses and transport early.

Winter (December to February)

Winter is cold, and snow can cover the trail around Ghorepani and the upper Mardi ridge. High Camp can be well below freezing, and some teahouses may close. Trek in winter only with up-to-date local information and a guide who can judge conditions.

Monsoon (June to August)

The monsoon brings heavy rain, leeches in the lower forests, slippery steps and cloudy views. If you're traveling in monsoon, ask us about alternatives.

Which Season Should You Choose?

Spring and autumn are generally the most practical choices for this itinerary. Your final decision should account for your available dates, tolerance for cold, expected crowds, and the latest trail and weather reports.

Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)

One ACAP permit covers both the Poon Hill and Mardi Himal trails, since they sit inside the Annapurna Conservation Area. It's checked at several points along the route.

Guide Requirement and TIMS Card

Every Trip Highland departure includes a licensed, English-speaking guide, who also handles checkpoints, lodge bookings and trail decisions. Trekking rules in the Annapurna Conservation Area have changed in recent years, and the TIMS card requirement is applied differently from route to route. We confirm the current requirements before your departure and arrange the paperwork for you.

Nepal Visa

A tourist visa costs US$ 30 for 15 days, US$50 for 30 days, and US$125 for 90 days, so the 15-day visa covers this 12-day trip. You can get it on arrival at the airport or pre-apply online up to 15 days before you travel. Visa rules and fees can change, so check with the Department of Immigration (immigration.gov.np) before you fly.

Documents to Prepare Before Your Trek

• Passport: Valid for at least six months beyond your trip, with blank pages for the visa

• Passport-size photos: Two to four copies, for the visa and permits

• Travel insurance: A policy that covers trekking at altitude, emergency medical treatment, and helicopter evacuation

• Emergency information: Contact details for Trip Highland, your family, and your insurer's 24-hour assistance number

• Copies: Digital and paper copies of important documents, stored separately from the originals

Travel insurance is not included, and you should buy it before you fly. Your policy must cover trekking up to at least 4,200 m and emergency helicopter evacuation. Check the policy wording for altitude limits, because some standard policies stop at 3,000 m or 4,000 m.

Your guide carries a first-aid kit and an oximeter and monitors symptoms every day. If anyone needs evacuation or urgent medical care, your guide contacts our Pokhara office, and you contact your insurer's emergency line. Keep a printed copy of your policy number and the insurer's 24-hour number with you.

Along the trail, you stay in simple, family-run teahouses with twin beds, foam mattresses and shared bathrooms. The villages on the Poon Hill side, such as Ghorepani and Ghandruk, are larger and busier, with more facilities.

On the Mardi ridge, lodges are smaller and more basic, and High Camp has thin walls, no heating in the rooms and very cold nights.

Hot showers, Wi-Fi, device charging and other extras cost more. In Kathmandu and Pokhara, you stay in hotels with breakfast included, on a twin-sharing basis.

Menus are broad in the lower villages and shorter on the ridge, where everything is carried up on foot. Expect dal bhat, noodles, rice, soups, momos, eggs, porridge and Tibetan bread. Dal bhat is the best fuel, and you can usually get seconds.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner on the trek are included. In Kathmandu and Pokhara, only breakfast and the Day 1 welcome dinner are included. Tell your guide about any dietary needs on day one so they can pass them on to each teahouse.

Altitude sickness can affect anyone, however fit or experienced. On this trek, you sleep as high as 3,580 m at High Camp and hike to 4,200 m on Day 9. Two stretches matter most:

• Day 7: You climb from Landruk at 1,565 m to Low Camp at about 3,050 m, a gain of almost 1,500 m in a single day.

• Day 8: You sleep about 530 m higher at High Camp, and Day 9 starts at that height.

There's no rest day to adjust, so pace matters more than speed.

Early Signs of Altitude Sickness (AMS)

Watch for headache, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, loss of appetite and poor sleep. Tell your guide at the first hint. Mild AMS usually settles with rest and a night at the same altitude.

Serious Altitude Sickness (HACE and HAPE): When to Descend

If symptoms get worse, with confusion, stumbling, extreme drowsiness, breathlessness at rest or a persistent cough, go down immediately, day or night. Both HACE and HAPE are emergencies, and descent is the only reliable treatment.

Rules to Follow Above 3,000 m

• Walk slowly, even when you feel strong

• Don't climb higher if you have symptoms

• Drink 3 to 4 litres of water daily

• Skip alcohol and cigarettes

• Tell your guide how you really feel, every day

Diamox and Pulse Oximeter Checks

Diamox (acetazolamide) is a prescription medicine some trekkers use to help acclimatize, but it doesn't replace going slowly, so talk to your doctor before you travel. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter, which is useful but can't rule out altitude sickness on its own.

Pack for a wide range of conditions, from warm villages near Birethanti to freezing nights at High Camp and a pre-dawn start on Day 9. Your porter carries the duffel (limit 15 kg), and you carry a daypack with the essentials.

Clothing

• Moisture-wicking base layers

• Fleece or light down mid-layer

• Warm down jacket for High Camp and the early starts

• Waterproof, windproof jacket and trousers

• Trekking trousers and quick-dry shirts

• Warm hat, sun hat and gloves

Footwear and Equipment

• Broken-in trekking boots with good grip

• Wool socks and camp shoes or sandals

• Trekking poles for the steps and descents

• Headtorch with spare batteries (essential for Poon Hill and Day 9)

• 20 to 25 L daypack and a waterproof duffel

• Sunglasses with UV protection

• Sleeping bag rated to -10°C or lower (bring or rent in Kathmandu or Pokhara)

Health and Personal Items

• Personal medication and a small first-aid kit

• Blister plasters, sunscreen and lip balm

• Water purification tablets or a filter

• Hand sanitizer and toiletries

• Power bank and charging cable

• Leech socks or repellent if you travel in wet conditions

Start about eight weeks before you travel. The trek has eight walking days in a row, so the aim is stamina more than speed.

Practice going downhill, since Days 6 and 10 are long descents. If you have health concerns, talk to your doctor before you travel, and don't rely on fitness alone to prevent altitude sickness.

Adding an extra night on the ridge is one of the best ways to make this itinerary more comfortable, so ask us if you'd like a more gradual plan. Let Trip Highland know how many extra days you have, and we'll adjust the itinerary to fit.

For more than 16 years, Trip Highland has been guiding trekkers through Nepal's mountains. We're based in Pokhara, so both of these trails start practically on our doorstep, and the people who plan your trek know the villages, the lodges and the weather on both ridges.

• 16+ years of experience: Benefit from our knowledge of Nepal's trekking routes, mountain conditions, and local communities.

• Local Annapurna expertise: Walk the Ghorepani and Mardi Himal trails with guides who know them well.

• Safety-first guiding: Your guide checks for altitude symptoms every day and adjusts the plan if conditions aren't right.

• Personalized trekking: Discuss your travel dates, interests, fitness level, and budget to find a plan that suits you.

• Authentic Nepali hospitality: Stay in family-run teahouses and Gurung villages.

• Responsible mountain travel: We respect local communities and the protected environment of the Annapurna Conservation Area.