Mardi Himal
A shorter, quieter alternative to Annapurna Base Camp, with front-row views of Machapuchare.
- Permits
- ACAP
- Guide
- Not required
- Time
- 3–6 days
- Local dog aggression
- Low
- Other dangers
- Altitude
- Can combine with
- Annapurna Base Camp
Overview
Mardi Himal has become the go-to alternative to Annapurna Base Camp now that ABC has got so busy. For the wider background, Wikipedia's Mardi Himal page has the general route and peak details; this page sticks to the dog-specific side of things.
It's a little more rustic than ABC, but on a good day you get great views of Machapuchare (the "Fish Tail" mountain). It's also a really good option if you're short on time, or want to do a trial trek with your dog before committing to something bigger — you can jeep straight to Landruk and go from there: two days up, one day down. That said, I'd recommend the full trek if you have the time for it.
Good to know
We went in December and the dogs loved the snow they found higher up — worth bearing in mind either way, depending on how your own dog feels about the cold.
Photos from the trek
Dog-friendly tea houses on this route
We haven't logged specific tea houses for this route yet — check the Tea Houses page as we add them, or get in touch if you know one that's happy to take dogs.