Week 31 - Mardi Himal + Pokhara 3.0

The Mardi Himal Trek usually lasts four days and the destination is the Mardi Himal Base Camp (4500m). Unfortunately, the bad air followed us for the first two days and the last day up to 3500m, but in the end it was totally worth it for the view. Since you only have to drive an hour out of Pokhara, it was very hot at the beginning and we walked long stretches through the forest to the Forest Camp and the next day to the High Camp. The group (Katie-USA, Hannah-England, Ayana-German) somehow worked really well and everyone was visibly relaxed and enjoyed the hike. In the High Camp we got a four-person room for €2 a night, which was practically impossible to step in, but you don't need to. Hannah and I lay in the double bed under four blankets like the grandparents from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The next day starts again at 3 a.m., as the sky is clearest early in the morning and it can quickly cloud over afterwards. My legs feel heavy, but I'm slowly getting higher and this time it's not quite as cold as at the pass. There are sooo many stars to see and Katie's iPhone 14 can show that quite well:

Most of the time we all walked separately and I really enjoyed not seeing anyone in front of or behind me. In comparison, the Mardi Himal Trek is definitely emptier than the Annapurna Circuit. It is slowly getting lighter and the mountains are glowing beautifully (I am 90% sure that the mountain is Annapurna Dashkin, it sometimes remains a mystery without a guide). When we arrive at the upper viewpoint, the sun finally comes over the mountains and I feel simply euphoric as the landscape around me lights up. After 3.5 hours I suddenly meet the others and we are a little way behind the base camp with the best view. There we take a break, snack, take photos and enjoy ourselves. On the way back we took another half hour break so that we could enjoy the moment for as long as possible and breathe the fresh air. At midday we were back in the high camp and after a big lunch we all took a nap. This was one of the best days here in Nepal so far!

On the last day we started the return journey and that meant walking downhill for 3-4 hours. Unfortunately, this path was almost entirely made up of steps, which made the descent a little unpleasant. I was very happy to finally arrive in Sidhing, where we shared a jeep with a couple who took us back to Pokhara.

The Kiwi Backpacker Hostel in Pokhara has become my home and they know me in the Juicery next door. We treated ourselves to a group dinner there in the evening (my Beast Burger with buffalo meat was excellent). My big appetite is finally back after the food poisoning!