Planning Mardi Himal — is Pothana really worth it?
I’m planning my first trek to Mardi Himal, and from what I’ve read, Pothana seems to be one of the best parts of the trail and is highly recommended.
The thing is, this is my first proper trek, and I’m not sure if I want to do something longer than 4–5 days. I’m contemplating whether I should extend the trek for Pothana or just stick to a shorter itinerary.
At the same time, I know I’ll get serious FOMO if Pothana actually makes a huge difference to the experience. I really don’t want to skip something that is genuinely worth it just because I wanted to save a day or two, only to regret it later.
For people who have done Mardi Himal, is Pothana actually that much better or is it a little overhyped? If you were doing the trek for the first time and had the option to keep it to 4–5 days or extend it for Pothana, what would you choose?
I’m mainly trying to figure out whether the extra time is genuinely worth it or whether I’ll be perfectly happy with the shorter route.