Mardi Expedition: Adventure with Peace

Mardi Himal Expedition

Words are not enough to share the adventure and the ecstasy I had felt from my last trek to Mardi. For a job holder, it is always hard to arrange the holidays but since I am making the trend since last 7 years to go somewhere out on my birthday and easy to get holidays for the birthdays, I managed to get the holidays and this year it had been Mardi.

To be honest, it was not so-so good in a sense that I was accompanied by a couple. So next time, I am planning to go solo if I find no friends. Anyway, headed to Pokhara @ 7 AM hoping if we could reach Pokhara early in order to make it to Dhampus the same day. The luck was taken away by the highway jam. It took us more than 8 hours to reach Pokhara that day leading us to miss the last sumo to Dhampus. Therefore, we headed to Damside to my favorite hotel at Pokhara: Hotel KC. I like this hotel as it is economical and very nice.

way to Pothana

Next day, we headed to Harichowk to get a sumo to Dhampus but the Sumo was going only at 11 AM. Wandering around Hari Chowk, having some breakfast was worthy to kill the waiting time. It took us nearly one and half hours to reach Dhampus and from there the real adventure started.

Note: if your tank gets full, be ready to go behind the bushes! Not applicable to the Foreigners: D

Traveling through the small tiny stone paved way amidst the woods with the fog was absolutely amazing. Staying behind for snapping the pics was not a good idea to me as the sound of something walking in the woods totally freaked me. I literally got pale and frightened and started yelling at my friends and ran in fright. A little further, my friends were waiting and found it was just a dog. However, even so, how would I know the dog would not bite me? That was scary.

Pitam Deurali

SunaKhari

Walked past Pothana. It was already 2 PM and about to rain when we reached Pitam Deurali. But we wanted to reach to Forest Camp that day. Since the team was good at walking, we were motivated that we could reach in about 4 hours. Dreaming to reach Forest Camp sooner, we tighten our shoelaces and started walking. We walked and walked. Up and Down, hill and valley.

This is just to say. It was all the way straight UP! It was getting darker and also started raining. I was about to cry for the reason that I never had walked after evening ANYWHERE. And imagine, it was dark, raining and no distant lights as well to say we are near to forest camp. At 7:20 PM, we finally made it. We reached Forest Camp, 2550M, and all the panic turned into happiness. It was a super tiring day. So, after having the hot daal bhaat, I slept a sound sleep, keeping in mind that there are more uphill to walk.

Forest Camp

Next day, we were determined to go to High camp. We left forest camp at 8 AM and the journey started uphill. I wanted to see the Rhododendrons blooming but the Climate Change has changed the patterns and seasons for the native species. Anyway, so the walk continued. It is good that ACAP has kept the blue and white sign all the way long and the direction signs so that no one gets lost. All the signs were horizontal but at one place the sign was vertical, indicating it is 90 degree up the way that you need to walk.

Low Camp

Finally, the trail led us to Low camp, 2970M where we stayed for a tea break. Badal Dada was about 2 hours walk from there. I was frustrated along the way for the reason that weather was not nice and I thought I will not be able to see the mountains. However, one of the trespassers told me the weather had been blissful in the morning and the mountains are at least visible in the morning. Better to have something than nothing kept my willingness alive and we reached Badal Dada around noon. I did not see the beautiful scenery of the mountains from far as it was snapped in the pictures by others where Badal Dada seems to be sitting happily in the lap of the mountain. We rested at Badal Dada for a while and then started walking towards High Camp, our destination for the day.

High Camp: Poor Visibility

The weather got chilly and foggy. Visibility was very poor. Maybe of 5m distance. At about 1:45 PM, we reached at High Camp and sheltered in. Minutes after we got the room, a blizzard approached. Mardi Base Camp was a NO NO thought. The blizzard continued for more than one and half hours and stayed put, taking the scarf of clouds away and bestowing the best view of Mount Fishtail, Mardi, HimChuli and Annapurna Ranges. My heart started racing. I love mountains so much that even after dying I want to be buried near mountains. I have told my family about this as well so they let me trek for my happiness.

It was freezing but I did not miss any opportunity to see the horses grazing, hot tea, hailstones, cold breeze, the crows flying, clouds going away, people having fun and taking pictures. I am thankful that I got to pee very late at night. It was around 2AM and I saw the stars twinkling so bright and moon shining so brightly and so close. The mountains were white and it was the definition of purity and serenity to me. I wanted to stay there for a bit but it was freezing cold. It was very amazing. I really was at peace. This is why I go trekking. Mountains keep me at peace. When I’m loaded, when I feel burdened, when I am low, mountains are the sources to revitalize me. This is the reason why I trek.

Since the blizzard took away all the doubts for the next day, we started walking towards the Mardi View Point, 4300M at 5 AM in the morning. It was cold and dark. Obvious scenario. I did not have the head torch but the mobile torch was also worthy. No gloves and holding the mobile had turned my hands blue and numb. The way up was steep up and narrow. I literally crawled at many places to make sure I was walking safely. If you miss your step, your life is at stake. One of the guides, the last night of that morning, was telling stories to people that one girl had died while taking a selfie as she missteps on the way. 

Fishtail and Mardi

It took us approximately 3 and half hours to reach the Viewpoint, 4300M. It was freezing there. A lot of people had already reached there; mostly couples and the group of friends. Watching them, seeing them having fun was another fun. I was very close to the mountains. And just the down route was the route to ABC. A lot of Heli were coming and going and were very close. Heli is the only way of food transport to these places. The same day, we headed back to Sidhing Village, 1900M to make our journey back to Kathmandu.

It never is cozy walking down. We left High Camp 3700M at 10:30 AM and reached Low camp at around 12:00PM where we stopped to have the noodle soup. One bowl of noodle soup was NRs 250 and I even could not finish the bowl for my appetite was gone due to too much of walk. It was a hard walk as we needed to come down from 4300M to 1900 M on the same day. Legs were freaking shaky and there is no sign of human but the woods and birds chirping. I did not enjoy that bit because of the tiredness. I was concerned about reaching Sidhing Village and rest. Well at 2PM, we reached Sidhing village and stayed at a nice hotel. I drank wild in order to have a good sleep. The next day, I was fresh and my legs were not hurting as well. Bestowed the blessings :D.

View Point

Sidhing Village has the facility of transport in a Pick Up Van. If you are lucky, you will get a cabin or else you ought to travel riding on the hood. I think the hotel owner liked me for I was funny the other night saying “M O M O momo. मोमो माने भैँसिको मासु”! I even commented on his about to drop jeans. Well, the good thing about alcohol is, you do not hide what you want to say. So, the story connects here as the hotel owner called me and offered to go in the cabin in another vehicle and introduced me to the driver of that vehicle. Lucky thing.

It took NRs 500 each to reach to Hari Chowk from Sidhing and about 2 hours. We departed from Pokhara at 12 PM and luckily it was 5:30 PM when we arrived in Kathmandu. Getting a micro to go home after 6 is a very difficult thing for the residents of Godawari and I happened to be one of them. I called my brother and got a lift to go home and the journey ended.

Trek Itinerary

Day 1: KTM to Pokhara

Day 2: Dam Side to Hari Chowk to Dhampus to Forest Camp

Day 3: Forest Camp to Low Camp to Badal Dada to High Camp

Day 4: High Camp to View Point to Low Camp to Sidhing

Day 5: Sidhing to HariChowk to Pokhara to Kathmandu

Pokhara: Tourist's Paradise

Pokhara from World peace stupa

Pokhara, the country's glory, is situated in the middle of the country. A few months back around January or February, I had been to Pokhara with my friend for 2 nights and a day. We took a tourist bus from Kathmandu at 7:00 am in the morning and headed towards the city of Mount Fishtail (Machhapuchre). It took us about 8 hours to reach the tourist bus park in Pokhara stopping for breakfast and lunch. The way to Pokhara is full of twist and turns of road along the heights of mighty Trishuli, Marshyandi and their tributaries. The magnificent view of the mountains and the rivers that flow along made the trip enjoyable forgetting the length of time that took to reach our destination Phewa Lakeside.

sunset from lake Fewa

It was about 2 pm when we reached the tourist bus park. We walked about 5 minutes from there to reach the Phewa Lakeside avoiding the taxis that were lined up to have any passengers. We reached a hotel where we had booked our stay. After resting for some time, we headed to explore the lakeside in the eve. The lakeside was so calm and really nice when we sat along the coast. People enjoying boating and having fun around. The paragliders all over the sky enjoying their flight, chasing the hawks and eagles, the view of mountains and their images on water, lotuses on the lake. I really enjoyed the atmosphere different from Kathmandu where I live.

Lake Phewa in the eve and paragliders

We tried the lakeside fish with the beaten rice which is one of the famous local menus. It was great. Really lovable. The sunset view aligning to the World's Peace Stupa over the mountain was just awesome. We took a short walk around lakeside to experience the nightlife of the area. It was busier in the night as there are many pubs and discos. The streets are brighter and colorful. The mass of locals and the foreigners resting there and gossiping seems like it is the different place than the place where I had come in the afternoon. Two parts of a place in a day, very interesting.

Great mountain ranges from Sarangkot

sunrise in Pokhara

Another day, we had planned the tour package with the hotel so early in the morning after having a cup of hot tea we were taken to Sarangkot for the sunrise view. Praise the Lord! we were lucky to have such a clear and pleasant view on the morning of the sunrise and the mountains. It was full of the people to see the sunrise view and the mountain ranges of Annapurna and Fishtail including others. Nearby the viewpoint was the paragliding station. We wanted to experience paragliding but we weren't aware that it has to be booked otherwise it might be full and that it was. It was full for the day and next. We then headed to Pokhara International Tourism Museum and learned about the cultures tribes, mountains and many other things related to Pokhara and the mountaineering. Glad to be there. The Tibetan song of "OM MANE PEMBE" was really rejoicing and soulful.

David's Fall

Then the taxi took us to visit the famous David's fall. I was amazed by the landscape of the fall just like a hole in between and the texture of the rock. Another side of David's fall was a pilgrim place leading to the cave that insight the fall of the water from Davids fall. It was slippery being wet and little dark. But it was awesome to be there and witness the wonder of nature. Then we headed to the World Peace Stupa. It was about 20 minutes west drive from David's fall. The way was rough, dry and dusty and on the height. The ride was as if I was riding a donkey. We girls laughed a lot during the ride. Of course, girlish way! We then reached the World Peace Stupa and rested there for some while enjoying the view around. The gigantic mountain view, Seti River, Lake Fewa, and others. The combination of beautiful sight staying from a single place. It is a pilgrim place to all the Buddhist around the world. When they visit Pokhara, they don't forget to pay their visit here. All white and green and peaceful.

World Peace Stupa: Google

The tour made us all hungry and tired so we headed to have our lunch in a Thakali restaurant, one of the locally famous restaurant for the Nepali cuisine. The traditional Dhido with chicken and side curries and in reasonable price. Yummy!!! We were very tired so decided to be back to the hotel room and rested. The very next day we had to be back to home so respecting the time, we headed to have fun and buy some souvenirs for a family in the eve. With such beautiful memories, I headed back home. I still remember the time and cherish. Pokhara has lured me to be there again and again. Really an ultimate destination to be.