Machapuchare mountain in Nepal
Machapuchare or Machhaphuchhare is a mountain in the Annapurna Himal of north central Nepal. It is revered by the local population as particularly sacred to the god Shiva, and hence is off limits to climbing. Machapuchare is at the end of a long spur ridge, coming south out of the main backbone of the Annapurna Himal, that forms the eastern boundary of the Annapurna Sanctuary. (The Sanctuary is a favorite trekking destination, and the site of the base camps for the South Face of Annapurna and for numerous smaller objectives.) The peak is about 25km north of Pokhara, the main town of the region. [edit] The Annapurna Circuit is the popular name for a 300 kilometre trek in Nepal around the Annapurna mountain range in the Himalayas. The trek reaches an altitude of 5,300 metres on the Thorung La pass, touching the edge of the fabled Tibetan plateau. The magnificent mountain scenery, seen at close quarters includes Annapurna 8,091 metres which was the first 8,000 metre peak to be climbed, the magnificent ice pyramid Dhauligiri 8,167 metres, once the home of the legendary Buddhist guru Padmasamba, and Machhupuchhare 6,993 metres, considered by many to be the most beautiful mountain in the world. The trek follows ancient paths used as trade routes between Nepal and Tibet. These paths have long facilitated the flow of cultures and religions in this remote and formerly inaccessible region. Today Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduism and the mysterious Bon-Po religion still coexist and interpenetrate one another in this region which contains many pilgrimage sites. The unusually wide range of climatic zones in such a small area as the path ascends from 900 metres to 5,300 metres provides a chance to see many different plants and animals, and the different ways of life of the many peoples who live there.
Size: 3349px × 5023px
Location: Nepal,
Photo credit: © Thomas Boehm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
Keywords: annapurna, blue, circuit, fishtail, glaciers, green, heaven, lush, machapuchare, nepal, pokhara, sky, snow, trek, trekking, view
