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Mardi Himal: a still from my film

Annapurna region, Nepal · February 2020 · Solo

Mardi Himal

51.2 KM · 4 DAYS · 3,225 M

4 days on the ridge below Machapuchare in Nepal.

Watch the film 14:50 · 1.4M views

At a glance

Where
Annapurna region, Nepal
Distance
51.2 km (31.8 miles)
Days
4 days
Climbing
About 10,580 ft (3,225 m) up and 9,800 ft (2,988 m) down
Season
March to May or September to November. I went in early February, with snow above Low Camp
Difficulty
A steady climb on good trail, then snow and ice on the ridge in winter. Not technical
Route
Kande to Sidhing
When I went
February 2020
Relief map of the Mardi Himal route: 4 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Kande, Sidhing, Mardi Himal and High Camp.
1Day 2Day 3Day 4Highest 13,060 ft (3,979 m)

Elevation, start to finish: highest 13,060 ft (3,979 m), lowest 5,610 ft (1,709 m).

My GPS recording on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts. The GPX files come with the guide.

Everything I made about it

The films

Photos

  • Lodges at Pothana at dawn, where Day 1 ends.
    Lodges at Pothana at dawn, where Day 1 ends.
  • Snow in the forest below Low Camp on the afternoon of Day 2.
    Snow in the forest below Low Camp on the afternoon of Day 2.
  • The snowy ridge at High Camp on the morning of Day 3.
    The snowy ridge at High Camp on the morning of Day 3.
  • The ridge above High Camp at sunrise on Day 4, with Machapuchare.
    The ridge above High Camp at sunrise on Day 4, with Machapuchare.
Machapuchare, Fishtail Mountain, from the ridge below Badal Danda on the morning of Day 3.
Machapuchare, Fishtail Mountain, from the ridge below Badal Danda on the morning of Day 3.

The guide · 49-page PDF + GPX files · 2027 season edition

Do it yourself

4 days on the ridge below Machapuchare in Nepal.

  • All four days
  • My GPX files
  • Permits and the guide rule
  • Getting there and home
  • Teahouses and costs

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Look inside the guide

Free sample

Try Day 2 free

The whole Day 2, Pothana to Low Camp page from the guide as a PDF, plus my hut-to-hut packing list: the 35 things I carry, with a note on each. Both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

Gear on this trip

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What I carried in 2020

Filming kit

  • CameraSony a7 IIIWith four extra batteries.
  • LensSony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM
  • Wrist strapPeak Design Cuff Wrist Strap
  • TripodManfrotto Element tripod
  • DroneDJI Mavic 2 ProWith two extra batteries. No longer made.
  • PhoneApple iPhone 11 ProWith a battery pack.
  • MicRode VideoMic ProIt stopped working a few hours in, because the camera's audio port broke, so I used the camera's own microphone.

What I'd take now

My current kit

Everything I use, in Tools

Asia bundle

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Short answers

How many days does the Mardi Himal Trek take?
I walked it in 4 days: an afternoon from Kande to Pothana, then three full days, 31.8 miles with 3 nights in teahouses. You can also stretch it out to a week and stop at every camp. Add at least a day in Pokhara at each end.
When is the best time to hike Mardi Himal?
March to May or September to November. I went in early February, with snow above Low Camp, clear mornings and cloud from about noon. From about December to March you need microspikes on the ridge.
Where do you sleep on the Mardi Himal Trek?
In teahouses. I slept at Pothana, Low Camp and High Camp and paid NPR 300 (about $3) a night for a room in 2020. The rule is that you eat where you sleep.
Do you need a guide and a permit for Mardi Himal?
You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit, NPR 3,000 in 2026, and it costs double at a checkpoint. The Nepal Tourism Board also lists Mardi Himal among the treks that need a licensed guide and an agency TIMS card. I went solo in 2020, before that rule.
How do you get to the start of the Mardi Himal Trek?
From Kathmandu, fly to Pokhara in 25 to 30 minutes or take a tourist bus, usually 7 to 9 hours. Local buses to Kande leave Pokhara's Baglung Bus Park about every 30 minutes and take about an hour. At the end, I shared a jeep from Sidhing back to Pokhara.

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