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Western Nepal is significantly
different than the rest of the
country, partly due to its
remoteness and that it is the
least know area. The landscape
is well forested with long
ridges, dry, yet extremely poor
- that is until you reach
Pokhara Valley and tranquil
Pokhara Lake. Historically, this
region of Nepal has served as a
Himalayan crossroads, merging
various religions and cultures
together, and for trekkers today
offers some of the best
experiences that one should not
miss - but only with a
seasonally guide and plenty of
provisions. if you are looking
for a little more adventure,
then Nepal's "Wild West" may be
just the area.
The Annapurna Range consists of
the massifs of Annapurna I, II,
III, IV and the Annapurna South
peaks. The range also includes
the famous Macchapuchhre, the
"Fish-Tail" Mountain - the
mascot of Pokhara. The trek's
major highlights are the
settlement of Manang, Thorong-La
(Pass) which was the ancient
mid-western salt route between
Nepal and Tibet, the temple of
Muktinath, and the Kali Gandaki
gorge - the deepest in the
world. On crossing the Thorong-La
pass, one can see the Tibetan
plateau to the north, Annapurna
Range to the south, and the
"forbidden Kingdom" of Mustang
to the west. |
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