Annapurna

Annapurna is a series of peaks in the Himalaya, a 55-km-long massif whose highest point, Annapurna I, stands at 8,091 m (26,538 ft), making it the 10th-highest summit in the world and one of the 14 "eight-thousanders". It is located east of a great gorge cut through the Himalaya by the Kali Gandaki River, which separates it from the Dhaulagiri massif. (Dhaulagiri I lies 34km (21 mi) west of Annapurna I.) Annapurna is a Sanskrit name which is translated as Goddess of the Harvests. In Hinduism, Annapurna is a goddess of fertility and agriculture and an avatar of Durga.

The area of Annapurna is famous for its possibilities of trekking. There are three major trekking routes in Annapurna Region: to Jomsom Muktinath , to Annapurna Sanctuary ( Annapurna Base Camp), and a circuit of the Annapurna Himal itself. Pokhara is also a good starting place for short treks of one to four days, such as Ghorepani Trekking, Ghandruk Trekking and others. Mustang is also geographically a part of the Annapurna region, but because treks to Mustang are subject to special restrictions. About two-thirds of the trekkers in Nepal visit the Annapurna region. The area is easily accessible, hotels in the hills are plentiful, and treks here offer good scenery of both high mountains and lowland villages.