Mardi Himal and Khopra Danda Trek, 12 Days from Pokhara is a 12-day trek over two Annapurna ridges for fit walkers who want two quiet Annapurna ridges and cannot choose between them. It reaches 4,660 m (Khayer Lake) and is graded Moderate: a steep first leg to 4,500 m, a night in Pokhara, then a second climb to 4,660 m and a very long final descent. It costs from USD 1,245 per person (Budget, couple). The price per person is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size, and it falls as the group grows.
Mardi Himal and Khopra Danda at a glance
| Duration | 12 days from Pokhara to Pokhara (5 days on Mardi Himal, a night in Pokhara, 7 days on Khopra Danda and Poon Hill) |
|---|---|
| Maximum altitude | 4,660 m / 15,289 ft (Khayer Lake). Mardi Himal Base Camp 4,500 m. You sleep no higher than 3,660 m |
| Grade | Moderate. Nine trek days of 4 to 8 hours, several with big height gains. No technical skill needed |
| Best months | Mid October to mid November, then March and April |
| Group size | 1 to 20, always private |
| Starts and ends | Pokhara. Kathmandu to Pokhara is not included (road or a 25 minute flight, we book it at cost) |
| Permits | Annapurna Conservation Area and TIMS for both legs. Included |
| Hotels | 1 night in Pokhara between the legs is included. The night after the trek is not |
| Start dates | You choose. See the windows for 2027 below |
| From price | USD 1,245 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 2,015, Luxury USD 3,810 |
Why I built it this way
Mardi Himal and Khopra Danda are the two Annapurna treks I recommend to people who want big mountains and few trekkers. Mardi Himal is a forested ridge to a base camp at 4,500 m, with Machhapuchhre ahead. Khopra Danda is a high grass ridge at 3,660 m looking straight at Dhaulagiri, with a holy lake above it at 4,660 m. Both start from Pokhara, and most people choose one. This trip does both, with a night in Pokhara between them to rest and wash.
The two legs are the same routes we sell separately, so you can compare them: read Mardi Himal Trek: The Complete Guide to Itinerary, Cost, Permits and Difficulty and Khopra Danda: The Quiet Ridge Above Ghorepani, and Khayer Lake, then ABC vs Mardi Himal: Which Annapurna Trek Is Right for You?. Mardi comes first because it is shorter. The Khopra leg is quieter and higher at the end, with community-run lodges that keep the money in the villages you walk through, and they are simple by design.
It is a long trip for the Annapurna foothills, and it is not easy. Several days gain a lot of height, and the descents are hard on the knees. If you only have a week, choose one leg. Trekking poles help on both.
Hotel nights in Kathmandu are not included, so you choose your own. One Pokhara night is included, between the two legs, and the night after the trek is not. Every booking helps pay the teacher's salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum. The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.
Best time to go, month by month
Temperatures and rain are 1991 to 2020 averages for Pokhara, and the notes on the ridges come from our guides, as set out in our Mardi Himal month-by-month guide. They are not forecasts. There is no weather station on either ridge.
| Month | What it is like | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January | Clear and very cold. Pokhara 19.9 C by day and 7.1 C at night, 21.6 mm of rain. Snow is possible on both ridges, and Khopra is exposed with nights well below freezing. | Only with care, tell me your dates |
| February | Clear and cold, snow can linger on the ridges. Pokhara 22.7 / 9.7 C, 35.1 mm. | Only with care, tell me your dates |
| March | Spring begins. Rhododendron starts on the lower ridge, mornings are clear. Pokhara 27.1 / 13.1 C, 63.7 mm. | Good |
| April | Warm, flowers on the ridges, more afternoon cloud, busier. Pokhara 30.0 / 16.1 C, 141.7 mm. | Good |
| May | Hot low down, cloud and storms build, views are a morning gamble. Pokhara 354.7 mm and 18.3 rain days. | Early May only |
| June | Monsoon: cloud, rain, leeches and slippery trails. Pokhara 648.2 mm. | No |
| July | Monsoon, the wettest month: 941 mm at Pokhara, 25.6 rain days. | No |
| August | Monsoon. Views are mostly lost: 839.4 mm at Pokhara. Pilgrims climb to Khayer Lake around Janai Purnima. | No |
| September | The rains are easing but the trails are still wet and leechy: 635 mm at Pokhara. | No |
| October | Drying out and clearer each week: 159.2 mm at Pokhara. Busy around Dashain. | Best, from mid month |
| November | The best month for clear skies: 17.2 mm at Pokhara. Cold nights at High Camp and Khopra. | Best |
| December | Clear and cold, first snow possible on the upper ridges: 11.5 mm at Pokhara. | Good, if you pack warm |
Mid October to mid November is the best window, and March and April the second. Both ridges are cold at night. Khopra is more exposed than Mardi, with little shelter from weather. One price applies all year.
Starting dates for 2027
You choose your start date, because every trip is private. These are the windows I would pick for 2027. Festival dates for 2027 are the expected ones from public calendars, and the government confirms them each year.
| Window in 2027 | What to expect | My advice |
|---|---|---|
| March 2027 (Holi expected 22 to 23 March) | Clear mornings and cold nights on both ridges. Rhododendron starts low down. | Good |
| April 2027 (Nepali New Year 14 April) | Warmer days and flowers on the ridges, with more cloud in the afternoon. | Good |
| Early October 2027 (Dashain expected 6 to 10 October, not yet announced) | Drying out. Dashain fills the buses and closes some lodges. Khopra lodges are community-run, so ask us what is open. | Avoid the Dashain days |
| Mid October to mid November 2027 (Tihar expected 29 to 31 October) | The best weeks: dry, clear and cold at the top. The busiest weeks on Mardi, much quieter on Khopra. | Best |
| December 2027 to February 2028 | Clear, dry and very cold on the ridges, with snow possible. Tell me your dates and I will say what our guides know. | Only with care |
Because Khopra lodges are community-run, tell me your dates early and I will check what is open. Tell me your dates and I will tell you what I know for that week.
Permits and costs
We apply for every permit and pay for all of them. You send us your passport details early.
| Permit or fee | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annapurna Conservation Area permit | NPR 3,000 | Included, paid for each leg |
| TIMS card | NPR 2,000 (NPR 1,000 SAARC) | Included, we issue it through our agency |
The price per person falls as the group grows, and a child pays the same as an adult. Private or group, the price per person is the same. Here is the full table. These prices hold for 2027.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 guest (solo) | USD 2,245 | USD 2,945 | USD 6,455 |
| 2 to 4 guests | USD 1,245 | USD 2,015 | USD 3,810 |
| 5 to 8 guests | USD 845 | USD 1,655 | USD 3,410 |
| 9 to 12 guests | USD 735 | USD 1,530 | USD 3,300 |
| 13 to 20 guests | USD 730 | USD 1,515 | USD 3,295 |
Not included: international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, paid in cash on arrival), Kathmandu hotel nights, travel insurance, tips, personal spending and any extra porter (USD 25 per day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge). You pay a 10% deposit to book and the balance in Kathmandu. We take US dollars or euros, in cash or by card, and card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge.
Getting there and getting back
The trip starts and ends in Pokhara. From Kathmandu you can take the tourist bus (seven to eight hours) or a 25 minute flight, and we can book either for you at cost. On day 1 a short drive takes us to Kande and we walk. On day 6 a jeep takes us to Ghandruk. On day 12 your vehicle meets you at Nayapul and drives you to Pokhara. The Pokhara to Baglung road lost about 150 m at Sahasradhara on 27 September 2026, and repairs began on 29 September (position as at 7 October 2026). Our Pokhara trailheads are on that road. We check 48 hours before departure, and if the road is not open we move your dates free of charge.
Visa on arrival is USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, and your passport must be valid for at least six months. Read Dhampus and Kande: The Two Roadside Starts for Mardi Himal and Australian Camp and Siding: The Mardi Himal Exit Village and Why We End the Trek There for the trailheads. Pokhara flights can be delayed by cloud, so keep a spare day before your international flight.
Safety and altitude
You sleep at 3,580 m at High Camp on Mardi and 3,660 m at Khopra, and you walk to 4,500 m and 4,660 m. Our own guideline is not to raise your sleeping height by more than 300 to 500 m a day above 3,000 m. Two days go beyond it: Forest Camp to High Camp (1,060 m) and Tadapani to Dobato (790 m). That is why those days are taken slowly, and why the night in Pokhara between the legs is a real reset. Drink plenty of water and tell your guide at once about a headache or nausea. Your guide checks everyone's oxygen level every evening with a pulse oximeter. If a reading is low or symptoms appear, we do not go higher, and if they worsen we go down.
The Mardi ridge is narrow in places, and the Khayer Lake day is the hardest on the trip, 7 to 8 hours at height with weather that turns quickly. The descents to Siding and Swanta, and the long stone steps down from Ulleri, are hard on the knees. Trekking poles help. Buy travel insurance at home that covers trekking to 5,000 m and helicopter evacuation.
What to pack
- Broken-in walking boots (not trainers) and sandals for the lodge
- A down jacket or warm fleece for High Camp and Khopra, thermal layers and a waterproof jacket
- A warm sleeping bag rated to about -10 C, or ask us to lend one
- A warm hat, gloves, sunglasses and SPF 50 sun cream
- A head torch for the pre-dawn starts
- A day pack of about 25 litres. Your duffel goes with the porter
- Trekking poles for the long descents
- Plasters, blister care and any personal medicines
- Cash in rupees for the community lodges, small notes
- Our full list is in Nepal Trekking Packing List: What to Bring, What to Skip, What to Buy in Kathmandu
Budget, Standard or Luxury
All three tiers walk the same route on the same days. What changes is how you sleep, what you eat and who carries your bag. The Khopra community lodges are simple on every tier.
| Budget | Standard | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms | Shared rooms in simple teahouses | Private twin rooms, attached bathroom where the lodge has one | Private deluxe rooms, ensuite where the lodge has one |
| Porter | None. You carry your own pack. An extra porter is USD 25 per day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge | One porter for every two trekkers, 20 kg each in total. A solo guest has no porter: the guide carries up to 10 kg | One dedicated porter for every trekker |
| Pokhara hotel | Simple hotel, twin share | 3-star hotel, private room | Deluxe hotel, ensuite |
| Meals | Not included on the trek | Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, tea or coffee and seasonal fruit once a day | All meals, fruit and nuts, tea, coffee, soft drinks, juice and water whenever you want |
| Vehicle and jeep | Private car or van and shared jeep sized to your group | Private car or van and jeep sized to your group | A more spacious private vehicle |
| Guide | Licensed guide, one per group (a second from 13 guests) | Licensed guide, one per group (a second from 13 guests) | Licensed guide, one per group (a second from 13 guests) |
Read before you book
- Mardi Himal Trek: The Complete Guide to Itinerary, Cost, Permits and Difficulty
- Khopra Danda: The Quiet Ridge Above Ghorepani, and Khayer Lake
- Mardi Himal Best Time: Month by Month, With Rainfall and Sun Figures
- ABC vs Mardi Himal: Which Annapurna Trek Is Right for You?
- Poon Hill & Ghorepani Guide: Sunrise Trek in the Annapurna Region
- Mardi Himal Trek Accommodation: Where You Sleep Each Night, Rooms and Food
The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.
