Khumai Danda gives you the Mardi view without the Mardi traffic
A parallel ridge at 3,682 m looking at the same Machhapuchhre face, four days from Lakeside and still almost empty.
By the Lakeshore team · 6 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
About ten years ago, Mardi Himal was the quiet alternative to Poon Hill. It isn't quiet any more. High Camp fills up in October and there's a queue on the ridge at sunrise.
Khumai Danda is what Mardi used to be. It climbs a neighbouring ridge on the same side of the valley to Korchon Danda at 3,682 m, faces the same Machhapuchhre and Annapurna South, and sees a tiny fraction of the people.
The trek takes four days, the walking is straightforward, and we're a little reluctant to write about it.
The route
You start from the Ghandruk or Landruk side and climb steadily through forest of oak, rhododendron and a lot of moss. It's the same damp, green belt that makes the lower days on Mardi feel ancient.
The trees thin out around 3,000 m and the ridge opens up. From there to Korchon Danda at 3,682 m you walk on grass, with the drop into the Modi Khola on one side and Machhapuchhre filling the view ahead.
The ridge runs roughly parallel to Mardi's, so you can often see the Mardi trail across the valley, a line of tiny figures on the skyline, while you have your own ridge to yourself.
How it compares to Mardi
Mardi goes higher, with High Camp at 3,550 m and the push to the Upper View Point toward 4,200 m. It also has better infrastructure, more lodges and the more dramatic final ridge.
Khumai tops out a little higher than Mardi's High Camp but has no upper section, so the drama peaks a notch lower. What you get instead is solitude, and a shorter, cheaper trip. If you have five or six days and want the famous ridge, take Mardi. If you have four days, or you've done Mardi and want the same country without the company, take Khumai.
Practicalities
Accommodation is basic, with only a handful of lodges, and some of them are seasonal. A few close in the shoulder months, so don't plan to improvise here. We check what's open before we send anyone.
Water is scarce high on the ridge, as it is on Mardi. Fill up before the final climb and carry two litres.
Above the tree line there's no reliable phone signal and no charging beyond the odd solar panel. Bring a power bank, and tell people at home you'll be offline for a night or two.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Can I combine Khumai with Mardi?
Yes, and it makes an excellent seven to eight day loop, up one ridge and down the other. It isn't a standard package, so ask and we'll build it for you.
How hard is it?
Moderate: four days, a lot of climbing on days one and two, nothing technical. The descent is long and steep, which is where poles earn their keep, and you can rent them from us.
Is it suitable for a first trek?
It can be, if you're reasonably fit and don't mind simple lodges. If you want comfort and company on your first Himalayan trek, Poon Hill is the better introduction.
When should I go?
October to April. Come in spring for rhododendron in the forest belt, or late autumn for the cleanest air. The monsoon gives you cloud, leeches and no Machhapuchhre.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates and how much walking you've done, and we'll tell you whether Mardi Himal Trek is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830