Annapurna Machapuchare View Trek

Drive or fly by Kathmandu to Pokhara flights. Explore Pokhara and have brief knowledge about trekking.

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.

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.

As we climb the flora changes into classic cloud forest with mosses and litchin, tree ferns and orchids. Now and then there are windows through the woods that look that look out onto the thrilling panorama, towards Hiuchuli 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 too fast. The afternoon is at leisure, camped at 3400m (11020 ft.) and through the forest, we have mesmerizing views of the ever-closer Machhappuchare.

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 afternoon at leisure to acclimatize, 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.

Breakfast will be earlier than usual and with packed lunches, we set off to reach our objective. Conditions being favorable 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 ice fields and blue glaciers of the Sanctuary Wall lie below and Annapurna I. By 1pm we need to descend back to High Camp.

After a relaxed breakfast we make an unhurried descent down through 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.

The trail from siding now follows the contour of the river valley, gradually down between the pastures and through Tamang and Gurung villages at 1,160m (3,800 ft.).

With just a few hours of walking, we meet the road and our transport takes us Pokhara within a lunch time, afternoon drive back to Kathmandu.

Our representative will drop you to the International Airport (TIA) to assist you for your final departure to your destination or alternatively the next destination.