Mardi Himal after a year of zero physical exercise

Kushal KC (MCOMS)

To heal ourselves a break from our monotonous Life, a dive into nature was what we needed after a year-long lockdown.

Hiking offers enormous mental and physical benefits and everyone should reap the benefits, irrespective of their Fitness level…

We planned for a hiking trip to Mardi Himal after a full year of zero physical exercise during the pandemic…

We started from Pokhara and boarded a bus from Baglung bus park to kande.

The trail from Kande, for the majority of its part, it is more levelled than the one through Siding.

The journey from Kande to Australian Base Camp continued on a jungle trail. After a short lunch break at the Australian camp, we continued on our journey.

Interspersed throughout the route above 1000m various species of Laliguras add to the beauty of the landscape…

The hike is on challenging terrain and the apparently never-ending trail may leave one dejected. For us group singing and laughing over silly talks helped beat the fatigue.

Keeping the hiking bag light is important and maintaining a comfortable pace is essential to save energy for uphill hiking.

Planning is an integral component of a safe and successful trip. Checking on the weather beforehand would help in packing the essentials. The Mardi region gets heavy rainfall almost every day during this season and carrying a raincoat is important.

An exhilarating experience soon turned into a terrifying one for us. Being unaware of the weather in the region, we were caught in a thunderstorm and heavy rainfall in the middle of a forest. It was a pitch-dark night. The clouds rumbled overhead and out of nowhere A lightning bolt that hit the ground just a few feet from us startled us. The adrenaline rush that ensued took away all our exhaustion and we ran through a 2-hour hike through a muddy and slippery trail (mainly due to cow dungs) in less than an hour.

The first day was the most arduous hike of our whole trip..

On routes with a sufficient number of tea houses, you don’t need to worry about bringing a tent or carrying your own food.

On reaching the hotel we laughed off the whole incidence…It was an 8-hour hike on the first day and exhaustion was etched on everybody’s face already. we realized how resilient our Body and mind can be if we learn to adapt to the environment and at the same time how vulnerable it can be if we fail to adjust. Being in harmony with nature is the only way to a healthy life.

We started the second day of our trip at 8 in the morning and walked toward high camp via low camp and Badal danda. We had our meal at Badal danda. The people there are hospitable and their smiles do fill ur heart with warmth…

They don’t boast a wide range of menu but a ravenous appetite after 8 hours of continuous walk would convert even a simple dish to one of the most memorable ones. And the satisfaction one would derive from a simple Dal Bhat Tarkari dish would be unparalleled…

Continuing with the journey we reached 360 view hotel. On the way, one learns to enjoy the journey while keeping an eye on the summit. At above 3000m, one starts having shortness of breath with mild exertion and difficulty falling asleep at night.

During the hike, a feeling of despair does set in when one is exhausted but the majestic view of snow-capped mountain peaks standing, tall and proud inspire one to continue the hike.

Adventures and Life alike have challenges that are different every time, so one cannot stick to one routine, one way of doing things. One has to be ready to adapt, and one should ‘Improvise, Adapt and Overcome.’

The beauty of traveling is that one gets to see new places and get a taste of distant places and cultures just by meeting people from different corners of the world.

Throughout the ascent, one can observe the change in natural vegetation the change in the fauna…

With increasing elevation trees become sparse and small shrubs dominate the terrain. It’s inspiring in a way to see the zeal to live and flourish that can be found even in some of the most hostile environments.

The 3rd day started at 4 am with a walk to the viewpoint. From the viewpoint, the mountains can be seen in their true form, peaceful yet bold, rugged yet refined, near but beautiful yet dangerous.

Covered with snow and caressed by the clouds, one cannot help getting mesmerized by the enchanting view.

The majestic view is a treat to the eyes, mind, and soul.
Each peak Is unique and is beautiful in itself, the beauty that is not to be compared with others.

Once u reach the top, ‘u realize that the hardest mountain to climb is the mountain within’ and how Life itself is a journey to reach the top to enjoy the view and descend down, how every step counts, and how one must not be shy to ask for help and at the same time learn to help and inspire others on their journey…

It teaches us to go through the ups and downs in life without losing passion.

we realize that the trip was not just about exploring nature, it was also about exploring ourselves, about our strength and our limits…

Taking risks and building stamina helps us to develop as a bold person. Adventurous journeys help to develop a better understanding with our companions and strengthen the relationship.

Surely it was a difficult trip but besides having a restorative effect on our minds and body, it taught us lessons about kindness and gratitude and has turned us more into nature lovers.

One cannot help but realizes how much the earth has to offer and how the world is too massive to just stay in one corner.

The trip was a mix of emotions and it will surely be a feather In our caps and, the memories we made will be cherished forever.

We would recommend a trip to Mardi Himal to anyone looking for an Adventurous trip.