Mardi Himal is the small peak hanging off the south ridge of Machhapuchhre, and the trek that shares its name has become one of the most loved short walks in the country — a narrow forested ridge that climbs out of rhododendron into a viewpoint standing almost underneath the fishtail summit. The climb continues past where the trekkers stop: base camp on the moraine, then a north-west face of moderate snow and ice with a fixed line on the steeper band, and a short summit ridge. It is the lowest peak in this tier and the friendliest introduction to real fixed-rope climbing, in probably the best scenery available for the effort.
TerraBlaze runs this climb end to end: the NMA permit and park fees, the trek in, a fully staffed base camp, a licensed climbing guide and a climbing Sherpa on summit day, fixed rope on the steep ground and an evacuation plan filed before you land. You bring the fitness — we handle everything else.
Three things that set this permit apart — the mountain itself, and the support that gets you up it.
Five days along a forested ridge that ends with Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli standing directly over your camp.
Steeper ground than a beginner peak: a headwall or ridge where you ascend a fixed rope with a jumar and come back down it on an abseil.
A night in a tent above base camp and a start in the dark — the rhythm of a real expedition, compressed into one summit day.
Climbs are planned in phases rather than fixed days — the mountain and the forecast decide the exact schedule. Every confirmed booking gets a full dated itinerary before departure.
You are met on landing and taken to your hotel in Kathmandu.
We complete the climbing permit paperwork, introduce you to your guide and go through your personal equipment item by item. Anything missing can still be bought or hired at this point.
The team reaches the mountain by a drive to Pokhara and Kande and a five-day ridge trek through Forest Camp and High Camp to the base of the Mardi glacier.
The walk-in is paced for acclimatization rather than speed — short days, controlled altitude gain and rest days where the profile needs them.
We establish Mardi Himal Base Camp (4,500 m) with dining, kitchen and toilet tents, and run a full practice session on the fixed line — jumar, abseil, crampon technique and crevasse rescue — before the first rotation.
Your climbing permit — NMA Group B trekking-peak permit — is arranged and paid for long before you arrive.
The team moves up to establish high camp, carrying loads and sleeping high before dropping back to rest.
Meanwhile the climbing Sherpas fix rope on the steeper ground above.
When the forecast gives a usable window the team leaves high camp in the dark for the summit of Mardi Himal (5,587 m) via the North-west face and ridge.
After the summit we descend all the way to base camp the same day.
We strip the high camp and carry everything off the mountain — nothing is left behind.
The return retraces the approach at a faster pace, ending with a celebration dinner in Kathmandu and your climbing certificate.
The same transparent structure we use on every trek and expedition — you know exactly what is in the number before you commit to anything.
From the day you land until the day the last load comes off the mountain, the logistics and the safety net are ours.
Every climb is planned by staff who have stood on these summits themselves
Climbing permit, park fees and liaison paperwork arranged end to end
A real training day on snow, not a ten-minute briefing at the last lodge
Rest days paced to the mountain, never squeezed to shorten the trip
Boots, crampons, axe, harness and down kit available in Kathmandu
Emergency oxygen, pulse oximetry and an evacuation plan filed before you land
A high guide-to-climber ratio on summit day, every departure
One transparent quote — permits, camp, crew and support all included
"You climb it looking straight up at the fishtail. There is no better backdrop in Nepal."
— Mardi Himal, 5,587 m
Scenes from the ranges we climb in — click any photo to view it full size.
Mardi Himal — the objective
Prayer flags on the walk-in
Base camp on the moraine
The summit-day panorama
The last lake before the ice
The approachSend us whatever you have walked or climbed before and your preferred season. We reply within 24 hours with a written, itemised quote — and an honest view on whether this is the right peak for you right now.
Fully licensed Nepali agency — Regd No: 125496/078/079
Boots, crampons, axe, harness and down kit available in Kathmandu
We will tell you if a different peak suits your experience better
Mardi Himal Climbing • 15–17 Days • Free quote within 24 hours
