Annapurna is the World’s tenth-largest mountain located in Nepal on the east of Gandaki River, the deepest gorge in the World. It also separated Annapurna from Dhaulagiri. The Pokhara valley bounds it on the south side. The entire Annapurna massif is protected under the Annapurna Conservation Area. Annapurna peaks are one of the most dangerous climbs with high altitudes and steep faces. It consists of one peak, which is over 8000 m, 13 peaks over 7000 m, and 16 over 6000 m. Annapurna’s name comes from the Hindu goddess, the giver of food who was believed to be residing there. Annapurna 1, which is the highest peak, was first climbed in 1950.
Over the years, multiple expeditions have been led by numerous trekking/expeditions groups from across the World. The first solo expedition to the south face was made in October 2007 by Tomaz Humar. In 2013, Ueli Steck, a Swiss climber, soloed the Lafaille route. Herzog and Lachenal, after their first northwest face attempt, called it cauliflower face. They climbed it their first try, but that made both of them pay a heavy price. They had to get their fingers amputated owing to frostbite. Its Conservation Area, popularly known as the trekking region, has numerous routes for climbing the steep mountain ranges. There are three main trekking routes: the Jomson Trek, the Annapurna Sanctuary route, and the Annapurna circuit. The total length of the Annapurna Circuit trek ranges between 160-230 km that needs crossing two river valleys. Its seven hills trek is a top-rated trek in the region that is less traveled.
The Annapurna range is a traveler’s paradise who love to explore the unexplored and one of the most dangerous paths to reach the top. The Annapurna area saw visits from foreign trekkers in 1977 after specific differences were settled. There was no network connectivity in the area until a few years ago when the connection was set up in the region. Annapurna’s rocks are made of Limestone, which depicts of tectonic movements in the past, which gave birth to these highest mountain ranges of the World. In 2014, a terrible trekking disaster took away the lives of at least 43 people and injured over 175. There were snowstorm around the Annapurna region and was considered one of the worst trekking disasters in Nepal due to its disastrous implications. The Annapurna trek offers a view of lush, fertile farmland and untouched natural forests with different ethnic communities and offers diverse experiences. These factors make it one of the most loved treks in the Nepal region. One can also have the experience of mountain biking, meeting new people, mountain viewing, and of course, trekking.
The Annapurna area with massive peaks and multiple ranges is breathtaking and scary simultaneously, but mountaineering lovers cannot resist to trek across the fields. With a fatality rate of 32%, it won’t be unfair to say that it’s dangerous, but the lovers of adventure would not like to have it any other way.
