Nepal 97 Travelog : the Annapurna range (23/24)

<BODY BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT = "#ABCBBE"> <PRE>We had only two full days to spent in Pokhara ! So not enough time to start any of the popular like the Annapurna Circuit or the Jomsom Trek. But, located 1592 meters above sea level, Sarangkot is the highest peak of the so-called foothills around Pokhara and it offers an ideal one day excursion destination. Only few hours are required to climb the steep and uneven stone steps to Sarangkot.. This site of an old fort is overlooking the entire Pokhara valley and offers incredible mountain views : Not only the beautiful Machapuchare can be seen from there, but the full mighty Annapuma range skyline. Stretching from west to east, this massif includes following peaks : Dhaulagiri 8168 South Annapurna 7219 Annapurna 1 Hiunchuli Machapuchare 6993 Annapurna 3 7555 Annapurna 4 7525 Annapurna 2 7937If you trek more deeper towards the mountains, you could enter the "Annapurna Sanctuary", which is a natural amphitheater, formed by a glacier basin ringed by Annapurna South and I, Varahashikhar, Gangapurna and the Machapuchare. "Annapurna Deothali", as the place is known to the Nepalese, is considered as sacred, though there is no documentation to show how long this state of affair has prevailed. For example, in 1957, an expedition lead by the legendary Colonel Jimmy Roberts, founder of the first trekking company in the world (Mountain Travel), tried the ascent of the Machapuchare. At 50 meters from the top, Roberts had to renonce, because his Sherpas refused to go further on this sacred mountain..</PRE> </BODY>