Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill and Mardi Himal in 15 Days: Route, Cost and Who It Suits

Last updated 14 October 2026.

Short answer: You can walk Poon Hill, Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal in one trip, and we run it as the Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill and Mardi Himal Trek, 15 Days. It starts and ends in Pokhara, reaches 4,500 m at Mardi Himal Base Camp, and has a rest day in Pokhara between the two halves. It costs from USD 1,490 per person on Budget for two to four guests, USD 2,430 on Standard and USD 4,690 on Luxury. That is about the same as booking the three treks one after the other. It suits a fit walker with two weeks to spend who wants the whole Annapurna foothills in one go. If you have a week, take the Annapurna Base Camp trek alone.

I am Shreejan. Many people write to me wanting all three famous short treks. It is not silly, but it is long, and some days are hard. This page sets out the route day by day, the live prices as I read them on 14 October 2026, and an honest view of who should do it.

What is in the 15-day Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill and Mardi Himal trek?

What does each day look like?

On day 8 we take the quieter path to Jhinu Danda instead of climbing back to Chomrong, so you skip the staircase on the way down and can use the hot springs. The first half is the same walk as my Poon Hill guide until Tadapani, where the Poon Hill trail meets the base camp trail.

Why is there a rest day in Pokhara in the middle?

Because the two halves are different mountains. You leave the Annapurna Conservation Area at Nayapul and enter it again at Kande, which is why you need a permit for each half. The hotel nights on days 9 and 10 let your legs and your washing recover after eight days, and they are in the price.

How hard is it, honestly?

It is graded Moderate, but I do not want you to read that as easy. You need to be happy walking five to six hours a day for two weeks. Three days go past my own guideline of raising your sleeping height by no more than 300 to 500 m a day above 3,000 m: Chomrong to Deurali (1,004 m), Deurali to Annapurna Base Camp (956 m) and Forest Camp to High Camp (1,060 m). Nothing in the plan breaks those climbs into two. We take them slowly, your guide checks everyone's oxygen level every evening, and if a reading is low we do not go higher.

The Chomrong staircase is about 2,500 stone steps, and the descents on days 7 and 14 are hard on the knees. Bring trekking poles. My honest notes are in the Annapurna Base Camp difficulty guide and the Mardi Himal guide.

How much does it cost?

These are per person, the same whether you trek privately or in a group of that size, and I read them from the live package page on 14 October 2026. The page says they hold for 2027.

Budget has no porter and trek meals are not included, so you pay for your own food in the teahouses. Standard has all meals, private rooms and one porter for every two trekkers. A solo Standard trekker has no porter and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Luxury has a dedicated porter for every trekker, and the deluxe Pokhara hotel. An extra porter costs USD 25 a day plus 13 per cent VAT and the 3.5 per cent bank charge. Kathmandu hotel nights, flights, visa, insurance and tips are not included. Our family homestay in Kathmandu is USD 15 per person a night.

Is the 15-day trip better value than doing each trek alone?

Here are our live trips for two to four guests. The three treks in the first group start and end in Kathmandu and include the long road to Pokhara and back. The rest start and end in Pokhara.

If you added up the three Pokhara trips, you would get USD 1,515, USD 2,510 and USD 4,705. The 15-day trip is a little under that at two to four guests, and slightly over it for a solo trekker. So the saving is small. What you really gain is one plan, one set of permits and a rest day built in. Adding Poon Hill to the 12-day Annapurna Base Camp and Mardi Himal trip costs USD 430 more on Budget, USD 620 on Standard and USD 1,200 on Luxury. Adding Annapurna Base Camp to the 9-day Poon Hill and Mardi Himal trip costs USD 635, USD 1,020 and USD 2,080 for six more days. The two shorter combinations are in my guides to Annapurna Base Camp with Mardi Himal and Poon Hill with Mardi Himal.

Who should choose the 15 days, and who should not?

Not sure which sunrise you prefer? Read Poon Hill versus Mardi Himal. My honest warning is that Mardi day 2 climbs about 1,060 m with no rest night. I keep it because the ridge only works that way. If two such days in one trip sounds too much, take the 9-day trip first and come back for the base camp.

When should you go in 2027?

Pokhara figures are 1991 to 2020 averages. There is no weather station on the Mardi ridge, so what I say about it comes from our guides. They are not forecasts.

For 2027 I would pick mid October to mid November, or March and April. Dashain is expected around 6 to 10 October and Tihar around 29 to 31 October, but the government confirms the dates each year, so avoid the Dashain days. See the base camp month-by-month guide and the Mardi Himal one.

What about the Pokhara to Baglung road?

Our Pokhara trailheads are on that road. It lost about 150 m at Sahasradhara on 27 September 2026, and repairs began on 29 September. That was the latest position when I wrote this. We check 48 hours before departure, and if the road is not open we move your dates free of charge. Pokhara flights can be delayed by cloud, so keep a spare day before your international flight.

Buy your insurance at home, covering trekking to 5,000 m and helicopter evacuation. Do not buy it in Nepal. My insurance guide explains why.

Questions people ask

How many days do you need for Annapurna Base Camp, Poon Hill and Mardi Himal? Fifteen days from Pokhara to Pokhara, with thirteen days of walking and a rest day in Pokhara. Add a day or two for getting from Kathmandu to Pokhara and for a spare day before your flight home.

Is it too much to do all three in one trip? It is a lot, and I say so on the page. If you can walk five to six hours a day for two weeks and you are happy at 4,000 m, it is fine. If not, take the 9-day or 12-day version.

Do I need two sets of permits? Yes. We buy an Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000) for each half, and both are in the price.

Can I do it solo? Yes. The solo prices are in the table, and a licensed guide is with you throughout. A solo Standard trekker has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg.

Is Kathmandu to Pokhara included? No. The trip starts in Pokhara. The tourist bus takes 7 to 8 hours and the flight about 25 minutes, and we can book either at cost.

Which is the best month? Mid October to mid November, then March and April. Both base camps are cold at night in every season. Read my packing list.

What are the terms for this trek?

Group size is 1 to 20, and you can also trek solo. The deposit is 10 per cent and it is non-refundable, with no refund if you cancel. You can reschedule free of charge with at least 72 hours notice to any date within one year. The balance is paid on arrival in Kathmandu in USD or EUR, cash or by card. Card carries 3.5 per cent and cash in Kathmandu carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign clients.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and whether you want all three or just two. I will tell you which tier and which route I would choose, and send you the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.