Dhampus and Kande: The Two Roadside Starts for Mardi Himal and Australian Camp

Kande is where our Mardi Himal trek starts. Dhampus, reached from Phedi, is where our two-day Australian Camp trek starts. They are two different roadside starts above Pokhara, both at roughly 1,700 metres, and both lead up to the same viewpoint at Australian Camp. People mix them up all the time, so here is how they differ and which one you will actually stand in on the first morning.

Is the Mardi Himal trailhead Dhampus or Kande?

For us it is Kande. On our Mardi Himal Trek, 5 days from Pokhara, day 1 is a short drive to Kande and a walk of 4 to 5 hours to Forest Camp at 2,520 metres, passing Australian Camp at 2,060 metres on the way. Our 7-day Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek from Kathmandu starts its hill section the same way, with a drive of about thirty minutes from Pokhara to Kande on day 2.

Dhampus is the start of a different, shorter walk. On our Australian Camp Trek, 2 days from Pokhara we drive to Phedi and walk uphill through Dhampus village to Australian Camp. Dhampus is also a well-known route to Mardi Himal in general, which is why you will see both names in guidebooks and on maps. We simply use Kande for Mardi and Dhampus for the short trek.

Where are Dhampus and Kande?

Both are in Kaski District, on the hills north of Pokhara. Pokhara itself sits at 820 metres. Dhampus is at about 1,680 metres and Kande at about 1,710 metres, so you begin each walk roughly 850 to 900 metres above the lakeside before you have taken a step. Phedi is the small roadside stop below Dhampus, and some maps label it Dhampus Phedi. Some maps also spell Kande as Kade. If your phone shows Kade, it is the same settlement.

	Kande	Dhampus (from Phedi)
Height	About 1,710 m	About 1,680 m
Used on our	Mardi Himal treks (5 days and 7 days)	Australian Camp trek (2 days)
Drive from Pokhara	A short drive, about thirty minutes on our 7-day itinerary	A short drive to Phedi
First night	Forest Camp, 2,520 m, teahouse	Australian Camp, 2,060 m, lodge
Walking on day 1	4 to 5 hours	Most of the day at an easy pace

What is Kande like?

Kande is a small settlement on the road to the Australian Camp viewpoint. It is not a place you stay. You step out of the vehicle, sort your day bag and start climbing. The path goes up through terraced farmland and Gurung homesteads before it enters rhododendron and oak forest. Our guide and porters meet you here, loads are sorted, and you are walking within minutes.

Do your shopping in Pokhara, not here. Buy water, snacks, sun cream and anything you forgot before the drive. Our things to do in Pokhara guide will help you find your way around town.

What is Dhampus like?

Dhampus is a hill village, with houses, lanes and terraced fields, and its place on the Mardi Himal route is why it appears on so many maps. On our Australian Camp trek we do not rush it. We drive to Phedi, start walking uphill, and pass through the village on the way up. The walk takes most of the day at an easy pace, which suits a village where you want time to look around.

The views widen as you climb. From Australian Camp you look across the valley to Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre, the Fishtail peak.

What is Australian Camp?

Australian Camp is a grassy clearing at 2,060 metres on the ridge, with views of Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. It is where the two routes come together. Mardi Himal trekkers pass through it on day 1. Australian Camp trekkers stay the night in a lodge, watch the sunset on the range, get up early for the sunrise and then walk down towards the road. A vehicle meets them and takes them to their Pokhara hotel by early afternoon.

It is a good first mountain night for anyone nervous about altitude, because you sleep at 2,060 metres and the effort is modest. It is also a sensible short walk before a longer trek.

How does day 1 work on the Mardi Himal trek from Kande?

You drive from Pokhara to Kande, then walk for 4 to 5 hours, climbing through farmland and then forest, past Australian Camp, to Forest Camp at 2,520 metres. You sleep in a simple teahouse. The next days run like this on our 5-day trek:

Day	Route	Height and time
1	Drive to Kande, walk to Forest Camp	2,520 m, 4 to 5 hours
2	Forest Camp to High Camp, past Low Camp (2,970 m)	3,580 m, 5 to 6 hours
3	Mardi Himal Base Camp and back to High Camp	4,500 m, full day on the ridge
4	High Camp to Siding	1,885 m, 6 to 7 hours
5	Drive from Siding to Pokhara	820 m, 3 to 4 hours

Day 1 is the easy day, but it still climbs about 800 metres from Kande to Forest Camp, so walk slowly and drink water. Mardi Himal is much quieter than the Annapurna Base Camp route on the other side of the valley, and you feel that from the first morning in the forest. For the full route, see our Mardi Himal trek guide, the High Camp guide and the month-by-month best time.

Which start should you choose?

Choose by days and by height, not by the first morning. Both walks begin low and both pass Australian Camp.

• Two days free: Dhampus via Phedi, Australian Camp, back in Pokhara by early afternoon on day 2.
• Five days free and you want a high viewpoint: Kande, Forest Camp, High Camp and Mardi Himal Base Camp at 4,500 metres.
• Seven days with Kathmandu: the 7-day Mardi Himal Base Camp Trek, which adds the drives to and from Pokhara.

If you want to know what each costs, our Mardi Himal trek cost guide sets out the tiers and what you pay. The Australian Camp trek takes up to 12 people and the Mardi Himal trek up to 20. Solo is possible on both.

What should you do before leaving Pokhara?

Pack your day bag at your hotel, with water, sun protection and a warm layer, because the climb begins straight from the road. What you carry afterwards depends on your tier. On Budget there is no porter, so you carry your own bag. On Standard there is one porter for every two trekkers at 20 kg per porter, with private rooms and all trek meals. On Luxury you have your own porter, private deluxe rooms with an attached bathroom where available, all meals, fruit and nuts and unlimited soft drinks. A solo Standard trekker has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg. A licensed guide walks with you on every trek.

Hotel nights in Pokhara are not included in the trek price. We can book them for you to fit your own dates. Buy your travel insurance at home, and make sure it covers trekking to 5,000 metres, including helicopter rescue. The deposit is 10 per cent and non-refundable. If your plans change we reschedule free with at least 72 hours' notice, to any date within one year. You pay the balance on arrival in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, cash or card, with 3.5 per cent added on card.

Questions people ask

Are Dhampus and Kande the same place? No. They are two different roadside starts above Pokhara, about 1,680 and 1,710 metres. Australian Camp at 2,060 metres is where the routes from both sides meet.

Why do some maps say Kade? It is the same settlement as Kande, spelled differently.

Where is Phedi? It is the roadside stop below Dhampus, where we leave the vehicle for the Australian Camp trek.

How high is Australian Camp? It is 2,060 metres, a grassy clearing with views of Machhapuchhre, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli.

Can I do Mardi Himal from Dhampus? The route can be reached from Dhampus, but our Mardi Himal treks start from Kande, and that is the plan we run.

Do I need a permit? Yes. The Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card are included in the trek price on both treks, and we arrange them for you. Our permits guide explains the paperwork.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.