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Annapurna
Annapurna I (left) and Fang (right) from the west
Elevation	8,091 m (26,545 ft)  Ranked 10th
Prominence	2,984 m (9,790 ft) [1][2]
Listing	Eight-thousander Ultra
Location
Annapurna Central Nepal
Range	Himalayas
Coordinates	28°35′18″N 83°49′11″E / 28.58833°N 83.81972°E / 28.58833; 83.81972Coordinates: 28°35′18″N 83°49′11″E / 28.58833°N 83.81972°E / 28.58833; 83.81972
Climbing
First ascent	1950 by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal
Easiest route	snow/ice climb

Annapurna (Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा) is a series of peaks in the Himalayas, a 55 km (34 mi)-long massif of which the highest point, Annapurna I, stands at 8091m, 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 Himalayas by the Kali Gandaki River, which separates it from the Dhaulagiri massif. (Dhaulagiri I lies 34 km west of Annapurna I.)

अन्नपूर्णा Annapūrṇā is a Sanskrit name which literally means "full of food" (feminine form), but is normally translated as Goddess of the Harvests. In Hinduism, Annapurna is a goddess of fertility and agriculture and an avatar of Durga.

The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the 7,629 km² Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the first and largest conservation area in Nepal, established in 1986 by the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation. The Annapurna Conservation Area is home to several world-class treks, including the Annapurna Circuit.

The Annapurna peaks are among the world's most dangerous mountains to climb, with a fatality rate of more than 40%.^[3]

Geography

The Annapurna massif contains six major peaks over 7,200 m:

The Annapurna Himal from the northeast. Left to right: Annapurna II and IV (close together); a major col; Annapurna III and Gangapurna; Annapurna I.

Climbing expeditions

Annapurna I

The south face of Annapurna I

Annapurna I was the first 8,000-metre (26,200 ft) peak to be climbed. Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, of a French expedition led by Maurice Herzog (including Lionel Terray,Gaston Rébuffat, Marcel Ichac, Jean Couzy, Marcel Schatz, Jacques Oudot, Francis de Noyelle), reached the summit on 3 June 1950.^[4] (See the documentary of the expedition "Victoire sur l'Annapurna" by Marcel Ichac). Its summit was the highest summit attained on Earth for three years, until the first successful ascent of Mount Everest. (However, higher non-summit points—at least 8,500 metres (27,900 ft)—had already been attained on Everest in the 1920s.)

The south face of Annapurna was first climbed in 1970 by Don Whillans and Dougal Haston, members of a British expedition led by Chris Bonington which included the alpinist Ian Clough, who was killed by a falling ice-pillar during the descent. They were, however, beaten to the second ascent of Annapurna by a matter of days by a British Army expedition led by Henry Day.

In 1978, The American Women's Himalayan Expedition, a team led by Arlene Blum, became the first American team to climb Annapurna I. The first summit team, comprising Vera Komarkova and Irene Miller and Sherpas Mingma Tsering and Chewang Ringjing, reached the top at 3:30 p.m. on October 15, 1978. The second summit team, Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz and Vera Watson, died during this climb. (Vera Watson was survived by her husband, the computer scientist John McCarthy.)^[5]

On 3 February 1987, Polish climbers Jerzy Kukuczka and Artur Hajzer made the first winter ascent of Annapurna I.^{[citation needed]}

On April 29, 1995. Carlos Carsolio got the mountaintop to be the first Mexican ascent. To Carsolio would be his tenth eight-thousander of his fourteen.^[6]

As of 2005, there have been only 103 successful summit attempts, and 56 lives have been lost on the mountain, many to the avalanches for which it is known. Climbers killed on the peak include famed Russian climber Anatoli Boukreev in 1997, Christian Kuntner in 2005 and Iñaki Ochoa in 2008 ^[7]

The first solo climb was October 2007 on the South Face by Slovenian climber Tomaž Humar This is a testament to the difficulty of Annapurna; 57 years after it was first climbed, Tomaz Humar soloed it.^{[8][9][10][11]}

The other peaks

Annapurna South from Annapurna Base Camp (4,130 m) before sunrise.

Annapurna II, the eastern anchor of the range, was first climbed in 1960 by a British/Indian/Nepalese team led by Jimmy Roberts, via the West Ridge, approached from the north. The summit party comprised Richard Grant, Chris Bonington, and Sherpa Ang Nyima. In terms of elevation, isolation (distance to a higher summit, namely Annapurna I, 30.5 km/19.0 mi) and prominence (2,437 m/7,995 ft), Annapurna II does not rank far behind Annapurna I. It is a fully independent peak, despite the close association with Annapurna I which its name seems to imply.

Annapurna III was first climbed in 1961 by an Indian expedition led by Capt.Mohan Singh Kohli, via the Northeast Face. The summit party comprised Mohan Kohli, Sonam Gyatso, and Sonam Girmi.

Annapurna IV, near Annapurna II, was first climbed in 1955 by a German expedition led by Heinz Steinmetz, via the North Face and Northwest Ridge. The summit party comprised Steinmetz, Harald Biller, and Jürgen Wellenkamp.

Gangapurna was first climbed in 1965 by a German expedition led by Günther Hauser, via the East Ridge. The summit party comprised 11 members of the expedition.

Annapurna South (also known as Annapurna Dakshin, or Moditse) was first climbed in 1964 by a Japanese expedition, via the North Ridge. The summit party comprised S. Uyeo and Mingma Tsering.

Hiunchuli (6,441 m/21,126 ft) is a satellite peak extending east from Annapurna South, Hiunchuli was first climbed in 1971 by an expedition led by U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer Craig Anderson.

Machapuchare (6,993 m/22,943 ft) is another important peak of the Annapurna Himal, though it just misses the 7,000 metre mark. Machapuchare and Hiunchuli are prominently visible from the valley of Pokhara. These peaks are the "gates" to the Annapurna Sanctuary leading to the immense south face of Annapurna I.

Trekking

Millet fields in the Annapurna-region, playing a major part in local agriculture.

Marsyangdi Valley

The Annapurna Conservation Area is a well known trekking region.

There are three major trekking routes in the Annapurna region: the Jomson Trek to Jomsom and Muktinath (increasingly disturbed by a road-building project); the Annapurna Sanctuary route to Annapurna base camp; and the Annapurna Circuit, which circles the Annapurna Himal itself and includes the Jomson route.^[12] The town of Pokhara usually serves as a starting point for these treks, and is also a good starting place for other short treks of one to four days, such as routes to Ghorepani or Ghandruk.

The Mustang district, a former kingdom bordering Tibet, is also geographically a part of the Annapurna region, but treks to Mustang are subject to special restrictions.

About two-thirds of all trekkers in Nepal visit the Annapurna region. The area is easily accessible, guesthouses in the hills are plentiful, and treks here offer incredibly diverse scenery, with both high mountains and lowland villages. Also, because the entire area is inhabited, trekking in the region offers unique cultural exposure and experience.

See also

Other articles

• Tilicho lake
• Annapurna also refers to some breath-oriented techniques of meditation.

Sources

• Herzog, Maurice, Annapurna, Jonathan Cape, 1952.
• Ohmori, Koichiro, Over the Himalaya, Cloudcap Press, 1998. ISBN 0-938567-37-3
• Neate, Jill High Asia: An Illustrated History of the 7000 Metre Peaks, Mountaineers Books, ISBN 0-89886-238-8

References

External links

• Recommended Expedition Organizer in Nepal
• Map of Annapurna Range
• Annapurna on Peakware
• Annapurna I on summitpost.org
• Ascent and Fatality Statistics for Annapurna I
• The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP)
• Mountian Sherpa Trekking & Expedition
• 5500 photos (1280x960) of Annapurna Circuit trek (2009), published by author

From Wikitravel

View of Annapurna Mountains from Ghorepani

The Annapurna region is an area in western Nepal where some of the most popular treks are located. The region is generally taken to include areas around the Annapurna Range (Annapurna Himal), the Dhaulagiri Range and the Kaligandaki River valley. Peaks in the Annapurnas include 8,091m Annapurna I, Nilgiri (7,061 m) and Machhapuchchhre (6,993 m). Dhaulagiri I (8,167 m) is just to the west of the Annapurnas, Most of these peaks are visible throughout the region on clear days.

The Annapurna Conservation Area is also located in the region.

Among the popular treks in the region are the Annapurna Circuit trek which circles the Annapurna Range, the Kaligandaki River Valley trek which brings you up the world's deepest valley and the Annapurna Sanctuary Trek up to the Annapurna Base Camp. There are many more trails for shorter treks. The region includes the Trans-Himalayan areas north of the main Himalayan Ranges, where the land is arid and the culture more Tibetan than Hindu.

Regions

The Annapurna region, as travellers know it, is not an administrative region. The area is located in two zones - Gandaki and Dhaulagiri. The districts in the Annapurna region are Baglung, Kaski, Lamjung, Manang, Mustang and Myagdi.

• Chitre
• Ghasa - guesthouses & restaurants at upper end of the Kaligandaki's steep gorge between the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiris. You will have wonderful nepali-village hotels here. If you stay here, you can see wonderful natural sights and village life of Nepal which will encourage to villagers. Please use only village products foods, do not use junk and ready-made biscuits, noodles, chocolates. Have a foods of villagers and help to rise their ecomonic life.
• Ghorepani - "Horse Water" - guesthouses; the high point on the way to Tatopani on the Kaligandaki River from Pokhara. Base for day trips to Puna Hill. Puna Hill Tower is about 30 minutes upward from Ghorepani.
• Jomsom - airstrip in the upper Kaligandaki valley. Most basic services can be found here; end (or start) of the Jomsom Trek. Ghasa to Jomsom Bus travel is also available (NRs 300 for Nepali and NRs 600 for foreigners), but you will have a heaven images in traking.
• Kagbeni - monastery in Kaligandaki valley half-a-day from Jomsom
• Kalopani - guesthouses & restaurants
• Larjung
• Manang - usual stopping point for elevation-acclimation on the Annapurna circuit trek.
• Marpha - half a dozen guesthouses and restaurants, and a small store with basic supplies; center of apple growing in the region.
• Muktinath - pilgrimage site for Buddhists and Hindus high above Kaligandaki valley near the Thorong La pass into Manang. Jomsom to Muktinath bus fee: NRs 150 (for Nepali), NRs 300 (for foreigners).
• Ongre - Manang's airport
• Tatopani - "Hot Water" - named for its hot springs; several hotels by the river at the lower end of the Kaligandaki's steep gorge through the main Himalayan range. Entrace Fee for hot bathing: for nepalese: NRs 10, foreigners: NRs 40.
• Tirkhedunga - guesthouses
• Tukuche - Center of Thakkali culture, important trading village, hotels and restaurants.
• Ulleri - guesthouses; second-night stopping point for Jomsom trek.

• Muktinath - Between the upper valley of the Kali Gandaki and the Annapurna Range, this pilgrimage objective has 108 fountains where the faithful bathe and perpetual flames fed by natural gas. This region is also famous for Shaligrams -- fossil ammonites said to be a manifestation of the god Vishnu.

Understand

Annapurna is a subrange of the Himalaya. Annapurna I reaches 8,091 m (26,538 ft), making it the 10th-highest summit in the world, one of fourteen over 8000 meters in the Himalaya and Karakoram ranges. It extends east from a huge gorge cut through the Himalaya by the Kaligandaki River to the Marsyangi River. The Dhaulagiri Range rises west of the Kaligandaki. 8,167 meter Dhaulagiri I is only 34km (21 mi) from Annapurna I, making the valley between over 20,000 feet (6,000 meters) deep.

Annapurna is a Sanskrit name, literally "full of grain" which can also be translated as "Goddess of the Harvests". She is an avatar (alternative form) of the goddes Durga.

Get in

A permit is required to enter the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) which encompasses most of the region. Permits are issued in Pokhara and Kathmandu. You will need to show the permit at police stations in several towns along the trail. However on visiting the region in Oct 2003 the Conservation Police were not checking permits due to the Maoist presence,and in fact around Poon Hill Maoists were charging for their own 'permits'.

In 2006 it became standard to purchase a permit from the Maoists while on the trek; these currently cost 100 rupees per day.

By bus

Most buses into the area arrive from Pokhara and drop off at Birethanti. If you can, try to ride on the roof of the bus. Even in the rain it's better than being inside and the views are great. Just be careful to duck each time a power line crosses the road - they hang fairly low. And hang on, as the driver may slam the brakes on for a duck crossing the road.

By plane

The only other option for entering the area is by plane to Jomsom. There are several daily flights to/from Pokhara but they are very dependent on weather. The airport is extremely primitive with no paved runway or electricity.

Get around

There are no paved roads, only foot trails, through the area. Carry a good map or guidebook for guidance as it can be difficult at times for foreigners to distinguish the trekking main trail from any number of local trails.

See

Itineraries

Consider the Annapurna Circuit trek.

Do

Trekking

While the Everest range has higher mountains, the Annapurnas are far more accessible. The range rises a short distance north of Pokhara. Within a few days walk trekkers can be surrounded by nearby high peaks. While the Himalayas and Nepal's northern border generally coincide east of Kathmandu, in western Nepal the mountains come farther south, giving trekkers opportunities to travel from low-lying forests into the mountains and on to the Tibetan plateau without leaving Nepal.

Eat

Dal-bhat-tarkari (lentils over boiled rice with curried veggies) may be an acquired taste, but it is ubiquitous, safe, nutritious and cheap. Western-style dishes can range from pretty darn good down to definitely ersatz, depending on the ingredients and the cook having some idea how things are actually supposed to come out. Imagine feeding your Aunt Tillie's interpretation of Chow Mein to someone from China. That might be a test of someone's forbearance too.

Tea (with milk and sugar), Indian biscuits and noodles are available in most teahouses for quick snacks along the way. For something a little more indigenous try asking for "kha-ja" which is something near popcorn, although local varieties of maize don't always "pop". Nevertheless it's cheap, filling and pretty tasty.

If you can find local spirits in the high valleys it's more likely to be "daru", distilled from grains and definitely less rough than normal raksi made from fruit. Chang (beer made from millet) is not to be passed up if you can get it made with boiling hot water. Otherwise you are taking a big chance.

Stay safe

The Jomosom trek is substantially protected from mountain sickness and hypothermia by not going over 10,000' (3,000 m), and with comfortable lodging along the way. Treks into Annapurna Sanctuary and across high passes between the upper valley of the Kaligandaki and Manang are more exposed to these risks. Trekkers should take precautions for themselves and all support staff.

Flights to Jomosom are not completely risk free. The Kaligandaki valley is subject to gusty winds and there has been at least one serious crash at the Jomosom airstrip.

There have been reports of robberies and fraud by locals against tourists in Manang. Manangis have a reputation as sharp businessmen and may not be averse to a quick profit by unethical means.

The Kaligandaki is effectively a caravan route with a significant transient element in addition to local population. The sort of precautions one might take at a truck stop would not be out of order.

Get out

The various treks are about as out there as most people care to get. Circuit treks around the Dhaulagiri Range take things to a higher level but are only for the highly experienced, thoroughly conditioned and well acclimated.

Trekking west through Beni, up the Myagdi, across an easy pass and into the Dhorpatan area is less committing. From Dhorpatan it is possible to continue around the western extension of the Dhaulagiris into Dolpa, but that is extremely remote country where help might not be forthcoming in an emergency. Continuing west from Dhorpatan to Jumla is less committing and there are air connections from Jumla to Nepal's larger towns.

From the upper Kaligandaki valley it is possible to trek up to base camps used to climb Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri I. This may involve altitudes over 17,000' (5,000 m) with significant risks of hypothermia and altitude sickness.