The Annapurna Base Camp trek is a favorite among trekkers. The principal peaks of the western portion of the great Annapurna Himal, including Hiunchuli, Annapurna South, Fang, Annapurna, Ganagapurna, Annapurna III, and Machhapuchhare, form a circle about 10 miles in diameter with a deep glacier-covered amphitheater at the center. From this glacier basin, known as the Annapurna Sanctuary, the Modi Khola carves its way south through a narrow gorge 12,000 feet deep. Further south, the gorge opens into a wide and fertile valley, home to the Gurungs.
The middle and upper portions of the Modi Khola offer some of the best short trekking routes in Nepal, easily combined with treks into the Kali Gandaki region to the west. Despite the great heights of the surrounding peaks and ice walls, the valley floor between 12,000 and 14,000 feet provides comfortable camping spots in good weather. The Annapurna Base Camp Trek is an advanced, spectacular hiking route within the Annapurna Sanctuary National Park. The route begins with beautiful forests and terraced rice fields, climbing to Annapurna Base Camp at 4,100 meters. As you ascend, the landscape rapidly changes from tropical forests to thin snow and spectacular snowy peaks.
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