Your guide knocks on the door at about 3:45 am. After tea and biscuits the group leaves High Camp in a line of headtorches, following a steep, narrow path up the grassy crest. There are a few exposed sections where the ridge is only a couple of metres wide, and in autumn the frost makes the grass slick, so poles and slow steps help. The first hour is the steepest. By the time the sky starts to grey, most groups are close to the top of the first rise.
The upper viewpoint at about 4,250 m is where many trekkers stop. It looks straight onto the south face of Machhapuchhre and up to Mardi Himal, with Annapurna South, Hiunchuli and the long wall of the Annapurna massif to the west. If the weather is clear and everyone feels well, the trail continues across rougher ground to the base camp at about 4,500 m, a further 1–1.5 hours. There are no buildings, just stones, prayer flags and the peaks.
The descent is where the day becomes long. From the base camp it is about 3 hours back to High Camp for a late breakfast, then another 2–3 hours down to Low Camp at 2,990 m, where we sleep to recover. Total walking can reach 9 hours. Carry 2 litres of water, snacks, sunscreen and a warm layer, as the sun is fierce once it clears the ridge and the wind picks up after 10 am.
Good for
- Photographers
- Solo
- Couples
- Groups
Questions travellers ask
Do I have to go all the way to Mardi Himal Base Camp?
No. Many trekkers turn around at the upper viewpoint at about 4,250 m, which already gives the full close view of Machhapuchhre and Mardi Himal. Continuing to the base camp at about 4,500 m adds 2–3 hours return over rougher ground. Your guide will judge on the day based on weather, time and how everyone is coping with the altitude.
How cold is it at the Mardi Himal viewpoint at dawn?
In October and November expect around −5 to −10 °C before sunrise, colder with wind chill on the ridge. In March and April it is usually a few degrees warmer. Wear a down jacket, a hat, warm gloves and a buff, and keep your phone battery in an inside pocket, because cold drains it quickly and you will want photos at first light.
Is the ridge to Mardi Himal Base Camp dangerous?
In good conditions it is a steep but non-technical walk. The risk comes from frost, ice or fresh snow on the narrow sections and from strong wind later in the morning. We do not go up after heavy snowfall, we start early so the descent happens before the worst wind, and the guide decides the turnaround point. Good boots and poles make a real difference.
