Central Nepal is dominated by the Annapurna Himal and the village of Pokhara. There are three major trekking routes in central Nepal: to Jomsom, to Annapurna Sanctuary, and a circuit of the Annapurna Himal itself. Pokhara is also a good starting place for short hike and treks of one to four days. About two-thirds of the trekkers in Nepal visit the Annapurna region. The area is easily accessible, hotels in the hills are plentiful, and treks here offer good scenery of both high mountains and lowland villages. According to a recent survey by Modern Maturity (USA) Annapurna region has been recognized as one of the world’s best trekking trails. More than 80,000 tourists annually visit this area. The region introduces us Nepal’s spectacular diversity at its finest: various tribes and castes, a wide range of terrain, wooded alpine pastures from sub-tropical rainforest to hidden valleys, the deepest gorge of the world and windswept desert plateaus. The trails are good, the walking is relaxed and the spectacular 8000m mountains are breathtaking!

Annapurna I (8091m) was the first eight-thousander to be summited, in 1950, when Maurice Herzog and his team turned away from the daunting prospect of the Great White One, Dhaulagiri (8167m). Ever since, tourists have flocked to the lake city of Pokhara to admire the iconic vistas of Machapucchare (6993m) and the peak-studded Annapurna range. The region was designated a Conservation Area in 1992, paving the way for a pioneering model of sustainable tourism.