Annapurna Sanctuary Trek into the heart of Annapurna Himalaya is intended to fulfill the dream of many people to experience the significant mountain holiday at the base of the world´s famous Annapurna Himal 8,091m, the region’s most beautiful peak Machhapuchhre (6,997m), Annapurna South, Gangapurna and Hiuchuli etc. in the region. The place is high glacial basin lying forty kilometers directly north of Pokhara. This oval-shaped plateau sits at an elevation of over 4,130m, and is enclosed by a ring of mountains, the Annapurna range, most of which are above 7,000m. With the only access a narrow pass between the peaks of Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre, from where Modi Khola River run-off glaciers drain into, the Sanctuary was not penetrated by outsiders until 1956. Because of high mountains on all sides, the Annapurna Sanctuary receives only 7 hours of sunlight a day at the height of summer. The unique combination of heights and depths in the Annapurna Sanctuary give rise to an astonishing diversity of ecosystems. The south-facing slope are “covered in dense tropical jungles of rhododendron and bamboo”, while the north-facing slopes, in the rain shadow, have “a drier colder weather similar to that of the near-by Tibetan Plateau.”
The entire sanctuary was considered as holy to the Gurung people, one of the many resident people to inhabit the area. They believed it was the storage area of gold and a variety of resources left by the Nagas, the serpent-gods known in India. The sanctuary was believed to be the home of several deities, from Hinduism and Buddhism as well the older animistic gods. The peak of Machhapuchhre at the doorway was said to be the home of the god Shiva, and the daily plumes of snow were thought the smoke of his divine incense. Until recently, the local Gurang people forbade anyone from bringing eggs or meat into the Annapurna Sanctuary, and women and untouchables were prohibited from going there as well.
In recent years, the number of trekkers to the Sanctuary has increased substantially, in part because the Sanctuary forms the base of one of the major routes to the peaks of the Annapurna range. The Annapurna Sanctuary is now part of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, which places restrictions on number of outside travelers, gathering of firewood, and domestic animal grazing. This program is only for guidelines so our itinerary is flexible and can be redeveloped as per your interest and time you have.
