MUSTANG IN NEPAL

Mustang is from Tibetan Mun Tan (Wylie smon-thang) which denotes fertile plain. Mustang, (former Kingdom of Lo), is part of Nepal and one of its districts (see Mustang District), in the north-east of that country, bordering China (Tibet) on the Central Asian plateau between the Nepalese provinces of Dolpo and Manang. It is roughly 80 km long (north-south) and 45 km at its widest, and is at an elevation of over 2500 m. Mustang is also known as a "Tibet outside the Tibetan Border" for it survived the Chinese invasion of 1951 and hence it fosters the original Tibetan culture, although now politically in Nepal. Life in Mustang meant animal husbandry and trade. The region being the easiest corridor through the mighty Himalaya linking the Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia with the tropical Indian plains, it enjoyed a trans-Himalayan trade. Because of its strategic importance it went through many wars, and hence various cultural and religious practices thrived in parallel in Mustang.

Climate

It is largely dry and arid (annual precipitation is in the range of 250-400 mm) due to its position in the rain shadow of the Annapurna massif towards the south.

Demographics

The population is around 9,000, spread between three towns and approximately thirty smaller settlements; the people are either Thakalis or Tibetan.

Most of the population of Mustang live near the river, 2-3,000 m above sea level, but the tough conditions cause a large seasonal migration into lower regions of Nepal. The administrative centre of the district is at Jomsom (Dzong Sampa), population 5,363 (1998), which has had an airport since 1962 and has become the main tourist centre since the area was opened to tourism in the 1970s.

Geography

The main feature of Mustang is the Gandaki River, its valley and tributaries. The river runs north-east to south-west towards Nepal Terai, bisecting the territory. It once served as the major trade route between Tibet and India, especially for salt. Part of the river valley, the Thak Khola, forms the deepest gorge in the world.

History

Mustang was once an independent kingdom, although closely tied by language and culture to Tibet. From the 15th century to the 17th century, its strategic location granted Mustang control over the trade between the Himalayas and India. By the end of the 18th century, the kingdom was annexed by Nepal.

However, the monarchy ceased to exist as the Kingdom of Lo in Upper (northern) Mustang, with its capital at Lo Manthang on October, 7th, 2008 by Nepali Government order.^[1] The last king (raja or gyelpo) was Jigme Palbar Bista (b. 1930), who traces his lineage back to Ame Pal, the warrior who is said to have founded the Buddhist kingdom in 1350 ^[2].

Tourism

Even though foreign visitors have been allowed to the kingdom since 1991, tourism to Upper Mustang is regulated. Foreigners need to obtain a special permit to enter, which costs US$500 per 10 days per person.

In 2007, a shepherd in Mustang discovered a collection of 55 cave paintings depicting the life of Buddha.^[3]

POKHARA NEPAL

Pokhara (पोखरा) is a city of close to 200,000 inhabitants in central Nepal located at 28.25 N, 83.99 E,, 198 km west of Kathmandu. It is the third largest city after Kathmandu and Biratnagar. It is the Headquarter of Kaski District, Gandaki Zone and the Western Development Region. It is also one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal.

Geography

Pokhara is situated in the northwestern corner of the Pokhara Valley, which is a widening of the Seti Gandaki valley. The Seti River and its tributaries have dug impressive canyons into the valley floor, which are only visible from higher viewpoints or from the air. To the east of Pokhara is the municipality of Lekhnath, another town in the valley.

In no other place do mountains rise so quickly. In this area, within 30 km, the elevation rises from 1000 m to over 7500 m. The Dhaulagiri, Annapurna and Manaslu ranges, each with peaks over 8000 m, can be seen from Pokhara and there is a lake named Phewa Lake, three caves (Mahendra, Bat and Gupteswor) and an impressive falls(Patale Chhango or Devi's Fall) where the water from the Phewa Lake thunders into a hole and disappears. Due to this sharp rise in altitude the area of Pokhara has one of the highest precipitation rates of the country (over 4000 mm/year). Even within the city there is a noticeable difference in the amount of rain between the south of the city by the lake and the north at the foot of the mountains.

The climate is sub-tropical but due to the elevation the temperatures are moderate: the summer temperatures average between 25 - 35°C, in winter around 5 - 15°C.

In the south the city borders on Phewa Tal (a lake of 4.4 km² at an elevation of about 800 m above sea level), in the north at an elevation of around 1000 m the outskirts of the city touch the base of the Annapurna mountain range. From the southern fringes of the city 3 eight-thousanders (Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu) and, in the middle of the Annapurna range, the Machapuchare (Nepali: Machhapucchare: 'Fishtail') with close to 7000 m can be seen. This mountain dominates the northern horizon of the city and its name derives from its twin peaks, not visible from the south.

History

Pokhara lies on an important old trading route between Tibet and India. In the 17th. century it was part of the influential Kingdom of Kaski which again was one of the Chaubise Rajaya (24 Kingdoms of Nepal) ruled by a branch of the Shah Dynasty. Many of the mountains around Pokhara still have medieval ruins from this time. In 1752 the King of Kaski invited Newars from Bhaktapur to Pokhara to promote trade. Their heritage can still be seen in the architecture along the streets in Bhimshen Tol (Old Pokhara). Hindus, again, brought their culture and customs from Kathmandu and settled in the whole Pokhara valley. In 1786 Prithvi Narayan Shah added Pokhara into his kingdom. It had by then become an important trading place on the routes from Kathmandu to Jumla and from India to Tibet.

When the citizens of Bhaktapur came to pkr they brought many cultural dances like, "BHAIRAB DANCE, TAYA MACHA, LAKHE DANCE" and many more which helped in the tourism sector of pkr. Before only Newari people used to live here. After the British camp was shifted here Magar and Gurung people also used to live here.

From 1959 to 1962 some 300,000 refugees came to Nepal from neighbouring Tibet, which had been annexed by China. Four refugee camps were established in the Pokhara valley: Tashipalkhel, Tashiling, Paljorling and Jambling. These camps have evolved into settlements. Because of their different architecture, prayer flags, gompas and chorten, these can easily be distinguished from the other settlements.

Until the end of the 1960s the town could only be reached by foot and it was considered even more a mystical place than Kathmandu. The first road was finished in 1968 after which tourism set in and the city grew rapidly. The area along the Phewa Lake developed into one of the major tourism hubs of Nepal.

Structure

Pokhara spans 8 km from north to south and 6 km from east to west but, unlike Kathmandu, it is quite loosely built up and still has much green space. The Seti Gandaki flowing through the city from north to south divides the city roughly in two halves with the down-town area of Chipledunga in the middle, the old town centre of Bagar in the north and the tourist district of Lakeside (Baidam) in the south all lying on the western side of the river. The gorge through which the river flows is crossed at five points, the major ones are (from north to south): K.I. Singh Pul, Mahendra Pul and Prithvi Highway Pul. The eastern side of town is mainly residential.

About half of all tourists visiting Pokhara are there for the start or end of a trek to the Annapurna Base Camp and Mustang. For Nepalese, Pokhara has become the most favorite place to live in the country.

The Annapurna range from the World Peace Pagoda above Phewa lake

Phewa Lake was slightly enlarged by damming. It is in danger of silting up because of the inflow during the monsoon. The outflowing water is partially used for hydro power. The dam collapsed in the late 1970s and it was rebuilt by the Chinese. The power plant is located about 100 m below at the bottom of the Phusre Khola gorge. Water is also diverted for irrigation into the southern Pokhara valley.

The eastern Pokhara Valley receives irrigation water through a canal running from a reservoir by the Seti in the north of the city. Phewa Lake is also used for commercial fishing. The tourist area is along the north shore of the lake (Lake Side and Dam Side). It is mainly made up of little shops, little hotels, restaurants and bars. The larger hotels can be found on the southern and south-eastern fringes of the city, from where the view of the mountains, mainly Mt. Fishtail is seen best. To the east of the valley are few smaller and few bigger lakes, the largest being Begnas Tal and Rupakot Tal. Begnas Tal is also known for its fishery projects. There are no beaches in the valley, but one can rent boats in Phewa and Begnas Tal(Lake). Pokhara Photo Gallery Divided Pokhara into 5 different parts.

Tourism and Economy

After the annexation of Tibet by China the trading route to India became defunct. Today only few caravans from Mustang still arrive in Bagar.

Pokhara has become a major tourist hub of Nepal, more than making up for the loss of its trading importance. The city offers a combination of nature and culture with a distinct tourist district in the southern subdivisions of Baidam, Lakeside and Damside. It is mostly known as starting and ending point for Annapurna treks.

Bindhyabasini Temple in the evening

Pokhara is quite a modern city with only few touristic attractions in the town itself. Most interesting is the old centre in the north of the city (purano bazar) where still many old shops and warehouses in the Newari style can be found. Mule caravans still arrive there from Mustang.

Temples worth visiting in the older part of town are Bindhyabasini temple and Bhimsen temple. Another temple, Barahi temple, is located on an island in the Phewa Lake. It is accessible only through boats available at the shores of the lake.

The modern commercial city centre at Chiple Dhunga and Mahendrapul (now called Bhimsen Chowk, named after a Shahid(Martyr) in Jana-aandolan II, April, 2006) is halfway between the lake and Purano Bazar, the old centre. Apart from this there are several subcentres in other parts of town: in the north in Bagar, in the south between Prithvi Chok and Srijana Chok (mainly hardware stores), and in the east, on the other side of the Seti, in Ram Bazar.

On a hill overlooking Phewa Tal from the south is the World Peace Stupa (at 1,113 m) QTVR built in 1996 with a view of the lake, across the city and of the snow peaked mountain range consisting of namely, Fishtail, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himals (mountains).

The best viewpoint of Pokhara is Sarangkot (1600 m )and Thulakot (in Lekhnath a part of famous Royal Trek from where four lakes Phewa, Begnas, Khaste and Dipang and whole annapurna range is seen) to the west of the city. Paths and a road lead to the top from where one can enjoy spectacular views of the Annapurna range, Manaslu, Dhaulagiri and the city itself. In the top of the hill of Sarankot, there is a beautiful Buddhist stupa/monastery, which also attracts many tourists.

The shortage of touristic sites in Pokhara is made up by its scenic views in and around town. Most of them are not mentioned in any guide or map. The Seti Gandaki (White Gandaki) and its tributaries have created spectacular gorges in and around the whole city. The Seti gorge runs through the whole city from north to south. At places it is only a few metres wide, but 100 m deep with a water depth of 20 m.

In the middle of the city, the gorge widens to a canyon looking like a crater. In the north and south, just outside town, there are awesome canyons, in some places 100 m deep. These canyons extend through the whole Pokhara Valley. Impressive views are possible from the Prithvi Narayan Campus and from the other side at the foot of Kahu Danda (conjunction of several rivers and canyons). Behind the INF-Compound one can see the Seti River disappear into a slit in an almost 100 m wall, especially impressive in monsoon.

Another place worth visiting is the Patale Chhango (Hell's Falls), more commonly called "Davis Falls", named after a tourist who fell into the gorge. The water of these falls comes from the Fewa Lake flowing to the Seti. The falls plunge into a hole and disappear. In monsoon this sight is most spectacular. Nearby, across the street is a little cave (Gupteshwor Cave). A more exciting cave is at the opposite end of the city in Batulechaur (Mahendra Cave). Betulechaur is known for the musicians caste of the Jains.

Pokhara is the gate way to the world's best trekking route "Round Annapurana". which is usally a trek of 25 days.

Airports

Pokhara Airport

There is only one airport in Pokhara which is Pokhara Airport which is situated in the middle of town serving flights to Kathmandu, Jomsom, Manang, Bhairahawa and Bharatpur. Helicopters to Manang and Jomsom are also available for charter.

An interesting institution of Pokhara is the British Gurkha Camp in the north of the city. It has been established as a recruitment camp for Nepalis as Gurkha soldiers. About 370 are selected annually in December out of a pool of over 20,000 applicants. About 140 eventually join the Gurkha Contingent in Singapore while the rest join the British Army.

Tourists Places in Pokhara

Mahendra Cave (Gufa or Gupha in Nepali)

Mahendra Cave resides in Batulechaur. Its a 10 minute drive from chipledhunga the central market place of the Pokhara city. Mahendra cave has been named as per the Late King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev. This is also one of the most demanding tourist attraction center here in pokhara. It resides in the northern settlements of the valley.

This cave is a natural tunnel which is provided with artificial lighting systems. Bulbs are used by the cave incharge so that the visitors can visit it without any difficulty. But do take a torch light with you just in case the electricity goes off.

Mahendra cave is rich for its rock types and different stones that glitters when a beam of light is striked in it. This natural formation is to see not to strike with sharp digging objects.

Devi's Falls (Patale Chhango In Nepali) Pokhara is the only city in Nepal which is famous for water falls. As we drive by the river sides below the hills we can see several beautiful and dashing water falls flowing downhill and finally flowing to the rivers. The highway to Baglung consist of several water falls. The city itself has a Witness a unique waterfall that lies 2 Km from central Pokhara City. The water fall directly goes into a deep and narrow canal with no ends. It is believed that this deadly waterfall took the life of a tourist named David, who fell down into the canel and was never found, and hence the name David waterfall, named in his memory by the people of Pokhara. This place has many nick names like Davy's Fall, David's Fall or Davis's Fall, all mean the same thing `The Davis Water Fall'

Pokhara Stupa's photo.

World Peace Stupa. Recently built atop a hill overlooking Phewa Tal, the Stupa offers a great place to see the sun set over Pokhara. It can be accessed by hiring a boat and rowing across the lake and climbing a sometimes leech-infested track, or by foot from the road that passes Devi Falls.

Phewa Lake and Lakeside view from Sarangkot

Sarangkot. The perfect pre-trek warm-up. Head up Sarankot in the late afternoon (be prepared, it's steep and hard work) find yourselves a warm guest house before sunset, go up the top for sunset and again for sunrise... you won't be disappointed. Great views, spectacular images and a great way to get a taste of what it's like to be trekking. Beware demented water buffaloes on the way out of town!

Other places to visit in Pokhara are Barahi temple, situated in the middle of Phewa lake, Pokhara Museum, Annapurna Museum, Bindhyabasini temple, and World Peace Pagoda.

Lakes & Rivers

Phewa Lake in 1982

Phewa Lake or Fewa Lake is a lake of Nepal located in the Pokhara Valley near Pokhara and Sarangkot. It is the second largest lake in Nepal and lying at an altitude of 784 m (2,572 ft) it covers an area of about 4.43 km² (1.7 sq mi) with an average depth of about 8.6 m (28 ft) with maximum water depth is 19 m (62 ft). Maximum water capacity of the lake is approximately 46 million cubic meters (37,000 acre feet) ^[1]. Annapurna looms in the distance from the lake and the lake is famous for the reflection of Mount Machapuchare on its surface. The holy Barahi mandir (temple) is situated on the island located in between in the lake.

The Seti River is a river running down from the Himalaya in north-west Nepal. It is one of the largest river in Nepal.

List of Lakes & Rivers in Pokhara :

• Phewa Lake
• Begnas Lake
• Rupa Lake
• Seti River
• Gandaki River

Universities and Schools in Pokhara

• Vindhyabasini Secondary School,Berpaten,Pokhara-2
• Prithvi Narayan Campus/Tribhuvan University- Pictures' Link: http://pokharaphoto.com/pncampus.htm
• Pokhara University
• Manipal College of Medical Sciences
• Adarsha English Boarding School
• Himanchal Boarding School
• Gandaki Boarding School
• Little Step Higher Secondary Boarding School
• Hill Side English Boarding School, nayapool, kaski
• Janapriya Uccha Madhyamik Vidhalaya
• krishna prasad devkota higher secondary school,lumle kaski
• Mount Annapurna Schoolnd a lot of singers,
• Kumudini Homes
• Global Collegiate Higher Secondary School
• Mount Everest Boarding School
• Nepal Adarsha Awasiya Vidhyalaya
• Pokhara Academy
• Pragati English Boarding School
• Ram Prathamik Vidhyalaya
• Step By Step Boarding School
• Bidur English Boarding High School
• S.O.S Hermann Gmeiner School
• Gyan Ganga Vidhya Pith A School for Children.
• Srijana higher secondary school

Famous residents

Famous people lived and born in Pokhara include:

• Raj Ballav Koirala Actor,
• Miss Nepal 1997 Nilima Gurung,
• Miss Nepal 2004 2nd runner up Anita Gurung and
• a lot of singers like:Hari Devi Koirala & Ali Miya.

Kathmandu capital of Nepal

The Kathmandu Valley (Nepal Bhasa: नेपाः स्वनिगः Nepāḥ Svānigaḥ), located in the Nepal, lies at the crossroads of ancient civilizations of Asia, and has at least 130 important monuments, including several places of pilgrimage for the Hindus and the

The city of Kathmandu is named after a structure in Durbar Square called Kaasthamandap. In Sanskrit, kāṣṭh (काष्ठ) = "wood" and maṇḍap (मंडप/मण्डप) = "covered shelter." This unique temple, also known as Maru Satal, was built in 1596 CE by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla. The entire structure contains no iron nails or supports and is made entirely from wood. Legend has it that the timber used for this two story pagoda was obtained from a single tree.



History

The Kathmandu Valley may have been inhabited as early as 300 BCE, since the oldest known objects in the valley date to a few hundred years BCE. The earliest known inscription is dated 185 CE. The oldest firmly dated building in the earthquake-prone valley is almost 1,992 years old. Four stupas around the city of Patan are said to have been erected by a certain Charumati, a purported daughter of Ashoka the Great, a Mauryan king, in the 3rd century BCE attest to the ancient history present within the valley. As with the tales of the Buddha's visit, there is no evidence supporting Ashoka's visit, but the stupas probably do date to that century. The Kirats are the first documented rulers of the Kathmandu Valley, the remains of their palace are said to be in Patan near Hiranyavarna Mahavihara (called "Patukodon"). The Licchavi Dynasty whose earliest inscriptions date back to 464 CE were the next rulers of the valley and had close ties with the Gupta Dynasty of India. The Malla Dynasty, who ruled Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding area from the 12th century CE till the 17th century CE when the Shah Dynasty under Prithvi Narayan Shah conquered the valley as he created present-day Nepal. Most of ancient Nepali architecture present in Nepal today is from the Malla era.
The temple of Pashupatinath.

Newars

The Newars, generally acknowledged to be the original habitants of the valley, are understood to be the descendents of the various ethnic and racial groups that have inhabited and ruled the valley in the 2-millennia history of the place. Although in today's state of Nepal, the Newars stand apart ethnically from the other groups on the basis of their composite Hindu-Buddhist religious culture and Nepal Bhasa, today spoken by all Newars as their mother tongue, the multifarious castes in the numerous caste systems within Newar society betray a surprising racial diversity. The similarities between the various cultural traits and complexes within Newar culture and those of many other ethnic groups in the Indian sub-continent lead us to hypothesize the occurrence of both vibrant circulations of peoples and cultures around the sub-continent during the last 2 millennia and a continuous and steady of diffusion of these ideas into the valley. Indologists/anthropologists and Newarologists describe Newar society as a "pre-dominantly Mongoloid people practicing an Indo-Aryan culture."


Syambhunath Stupa




According to Swayambhu Puran, Kathmandu Valley was once a lake. The hill where the Swambhu stupa rests, had lotus plants with beautiful lotus flowers abloom. One story says that the god Manjusri cut a gorge at a place called Kashapaal (later called Chobhar) with a sword called Chandrahrasha and drained away the waters to establish a habitable land.

According to Gopal Banshawali, Krishna cut the gorge with his Sudarshana Chakra to let the water out. He then handed the drained valley to the Gopal Vansi people, who were nomadic cow herders.

Geography

The valley is made up of Kathmandu District, Lalitpur District and Bhaktapur District. The valley consists of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Lalitpur Submetropolitan City, Bhaktapur municipality, Kirtipur Municipality, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality and several villages which present a high style of Newar art and architecture. The valley is a cultural and political hub of Nepal. Mixed with all the other cultures, many of whom have recently arrived from different parts of Nepal, Newar culture still exists very vibrantly. Kathmandu valley was accorded the status of a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1979.

Through Kathmandu Valley flows the Bagmati river.

Places to see

Important monuments of Kathmandu valley include:

* Kathmandu Durbar Square
* Patan Durbar Square

* Bhaktapur Durbar Square
* Thimi Durbar Square
* Changu Narayan
* Swayambhunath Stupa
* Boudhanath Stupa
* Pashupatinath temple
* Balkumari Temple/Thimi
* Wakachhen Mahadev/Thimi
* Golden Window/Thimi
* Chabahil
* Manjushree Temple in Majipa, Manjushree Tole
* Aditnath Temple in Chobhar[1] hill village
* Palanchok Temple in kavre, east from middle of Kathmandu


Present

This valley hosts an UNESCO World Heritage Sites composed by seven different Monument Zones: The centers of the three primary cities, Kathmandu Hanuman Dhoka, Patan and Bhaktapur, the two most important Buddhist stupas, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath and two famous Hindu shrines, Pashupatinath temple and Changu Narayan. Since 2003 the site has been inscribed in the World Heritage List as being "in danger" out of concern for the ongoing loss of authenticity and the outstanding universal value of the cultural property.

In the past the Tibetan Buddhist Masters, to name a few, like Marpa, Milarepa, Rwa Lotsava, Ras Chungpa, Dharma Swami, XIII Karmapa, XVI Karmapa and several others visited and traveled in the Kathmandu valley. However the largest group of Tibetan came in the 1960’s. Many settled around the Svayambhu and Baudha Stupas. Many other famous Lamas known throughout the world have their Buddhist monasteries and centers in the Kathmandu Valley. [1].

Musical inspiration

Cat Stevens wrote a song titled "Katmandu" which appeared in his 1970 album, Mona Bone Jakon.

Rock musician Bob Seger wrote a song titled "Katmandu" which appeared on his 1975 album, Beautiful Loser.

A Russian rock band Krematorij had a song titled "Kathmandu" on their 2000 album Three Springs.

The Argentinian musician Fito Páez has a song called Tráfico por Katmandú ("Traffic through Kathmandu" in English)

New age guitarist Will Ackerman has a song called "A Happy Home in Kathmandu" on his 1993 album The Opening of Doors.

The group Tantra recorded a song called "The Hills of Katmandu" in the early 80's.

The world-famous Banjo player Béla Fleck has a number called "Kathmandu"

David Hughes, bass player from Sweden, included a track titled "Kathmandu" on his 2007 release "Foreign Shores".

Some recent travelogues refer to the valley as the "Emerald Valley".


The palace in the Kathmandu Durbar Square.


Bhairava sculpture, Durbar Square market place 1972.


A view of Kathmandu Durbar Square from 1920. Bhairava in the background.


Same as the picture to the left but from 2007, shot for comparison.

Small stupa in Kathmandu


Stone carving in Kathmandu street





View over Kathmandu


A seller warming himself up in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal (pre-prohibition)

Boudnanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal








Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal





Pedicab driver in Kathmandu near Durbar Square

Two Sadhus, or Hindu Holy Men, near Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.




Two girls seeking shadow on Bodnath Temple.

Machapuchare

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.

Location

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.

Notable features

Due to its southern position in the range, and the particularly low terrain that lies south of the Annapurna Himal, Machapuchare commands tremendous vertical relief in a short horizontal distance. This, combined with its steep, pointed profile, make it a particularly striking peak, despite a lower elevation than some of its neighbors. Its double summit resembles the tail of a fish, hence the name "Fish's Tail." It is also nicknamed the "Matterhorn of Nepal".

Climbing history

Machapuchare has never been climbed to its summit. The only known attempt was in 1957 by a British team led by Jimmy Roberts. Climbers Wilfrid Noyce and A. D. M. Cox climbed to within 50m of the summit via the north ridge, but did not complete the ascent; they had promised not to set foot on the actual summit. Since then, the mountain has been declared sacred, and it is now forbidden to climbers.

Trekking Nepal

River course

It rises in the southern slopes of the Himalayas in Tibet, in the glaciers of Mapchachungo, at an altitude of about 3962 metres (13,000 ft) above sea level. The river flows south through Nepal as the Karnali River (flows through one of the most remote and least explored areas of Nepal). A 202 km long, Seti River, its feeder stream, drains the western part of the catchment, and joins the Karnali River in Doti north of Dundras hill. Another feeder stream, 264 km long Bheri river, drains the eastern part of the Catchment and meets the Karnali River near Kuineghat in Surkhet.[3].



Cutting southward across the Siwalik Hills, it splits into two branches, first Geruva on the left and Kauralia on the right near downstream Chisapani) to rejoin south of the Indian border and form the Ghaghra proper. Other tributaries originating in Nepal are the Rapti and the little Gandak. Another important tributary of Ghaghara in India is the Sarayu river, famous for the location of Ayodhya (the capital of Dasarath’s Kingdom) on its banks. It flows southeast through Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states to join the Ganga downstream of the town of` Chapra, after a course of 1080 km. It carries more water than the Ganga before its confluence. Sarayu river is stated to be synonymous with the modern Ghaghara river or as a tributary of it.





The Karnali basin lies between the mountain ranges of Dhaulagiri and Nanda Devi, in the western part of Nepal. In the north, it lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas.The basin formed by the river has a total catchment area of 127,950 km² of which 45% is in India.[2].

The growth and development trends of various indicators related to demographic, socioeconomic and development programmes in the Basin in Nepal are briefly explained.[4]

The population of Basin districts in Nepal increased from 1.9 million in 1971 to 4.7 million in 2001, almost a 250% increase over three decades.Similarly, the average population density of the Basin area increased from 87 persons/km2 in 2001 from 53 person/ km2 in 1981.There is steady growth in the economically active population in Basin districts.

The average literacy rate of Basin districts has increased from a mere 7.5% in 1971 to 45% in 2001.The social status of the households living on a permanent basis in Basin districts increased from 24% in 1991 to 31% in 2001.

The Basin has a total road length of 2,640 km.The pace of road development is very slow in the Basin districts.

Glaciers

The Nepal Himalaya has revealed 3,252 glaciers and 2,323 lakes above 3,500 m above sea level. They cover an area of 5,323 km2 with an estimated ice reserve of 481 km3. Out of this, the Karnali River basin has 1,361 glaciers and 907 lakes, with glaciers covering an area of 1,740.22 km2 and an estimated ice reserve of 127.72 km3.[5].

Administrative Zones/Districts

In Nepal, Karnali basin is one of 14 zones of Nepal in the northwestern mountainous region, the most remote region of Nepal, and is not yet accessible by road. As the largest zone in Nepal, it occupies about fifteen percent, about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2), of Nepal’s total area. The headquarters of the Zone is Jumla. It is divided into 5 districts – a) Dolpa District b) Humla District , c) Jumla District , d) Kalikot District and e) Mugu District.[6].

The Karnali has the lowest population density in Nepal. There are no large towns or cities on its banks and in Nepal it is only crossed by one major road the Mahendra Highway through Karnali Chisapani and now the new road is under construction to Jumala.[7].

In India, the administrative districts in the Ghaghra catchment are Ambedkarnagar, Azamgarh, Barabanki, Basti, Ballia, Bahraich, Deoria, Faizabad, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Sant Kabir Nagar, Jaunpur, Kheri, Lakhimpur, Sitapur of Uttar Pradesh and Siwan district in Bihar.

Important towns in India include Akabarpur, Ayodhya Faizabad, Bahraich, Barabanki, Basti, Deoria , Dohrighat, Gonda, Gorakhpur, Khaililabad, Sitapur, Siddharthnagar, Saint Kabir Nagar and Tanda in Uttar Pradesh and Chapra, Deoria, Siwan, Saran and Sonepur in Bihar.
The Lake and Tibetan Himalayas - source of Karnali/Ghaghara river
Source of karnali/Ghghrara river

National parks



Karnali basin hosts some of Nepal's famous National Parks.The protected area constitutes nearly 14% of the total Basin area. The Basin area includes 4 out of the 9 National Parks, 1 out of 3 Wild Life Reserves, the only Hunting Reserve, and two out of 6 Buffer Zones of Nepal ((Table 2.19). The Basin and its influence area alone constitute 27% of the total Protected Area, 63% of National Park, 25% of the Buffer Zone, 100% of the Hunting Reserve and 31% of Wildlife Reserve.The significance of a few imporatnt Protected Areas in the Basin is summarised below:[4].

Shey Phoksundo National Park[8] in Dopa, established in 1984, is situated in the trans-Himalayan region of Northwestern Nepal and represents the Tibetan plateau ecosystem. The park covering an area of 35.55 km² contains luxuriant forests mainly composed of blue pine, spruce, cypress, poplar, fir and birch and is habitat for the endangered snow leopard and the blue sheep and many species of birds such as Impeyan pheasant (danphe), blood pheasant, cheer pheasant, red and yellow billed cough, rave, jungle crow and snow partridge.It is a religious Buddhist site.

Rara National Park,[9] located in northwest Nepal, about 500 kilometers from Kathmandu, in Mugu district, with a small area in Jumla district too, is the smallest park in Nepal (106 km²) in the mountain region, was established in 1976. But it includes the biggest lake in Nepal called Rara Lake (10.8 km²) at an elevation of 2990 m. The lake is oval shaped and has a maximum length of 5 km and a width of 3 km.

The flora of the park comprises mainly coniferous trees. The area around the lake is dominated by Blue Pine up to 3200 meters; the other plants that are common include Rhododendrons, Black Juniper, Himalayan Spruce, Oak and Himalayan Cypress.

The fauna habitat consists of Musk deer, Himalayan Black Bear, Leopard, Goral, Jackal, Himalayan Tar, Yellow Throated Marten, Wild Dog, Wild Boar, Languor, Rhesus Macaque and Otter. The Most common species birds are Gallinaceous Birds and Migrant Waterfowls, Coots in the lake, Great-crested and Black-necked Grebes, Red-crested pilchards, Mallard, Common Teal, Merganser, Gulls, Snow Cock and Partridges.
caption = Location of the Royal Bardia National Park.

The Royal Bardia Wildlife Park[10] is the largest and most undisturbed wild area of the Terai region of the Nepal Himalayas. Bardia, once a royal hunting reserve (till 1846-1950), was declared a wildlife reserve in 1976, first measuring 134 square miles (350 km2) and expanded in 1985 to 374 square miles (970 km2). it is bordered to the south by the Babai River, to the north by the Shiwalik or Churia Hills, to the west by the Girwa River (a tributary of the Karnali), and to the east by a section of the East-West Highway which bisects the park. The Terai is only in the southwest corner of the park. Much of Bardia is on the southern slopes of the Shiwalik Range where the hills rise to over 4,000 feet (1,200 m). At Chisapani Gorge, the swift-flowing Karnali River emerges from the Shiwalik Range onto the broad plain and flows purposefully through the semi-tropical jungle.

The park is famous for last known herds of wild Elephants (largest of the herd is called “Thulo Hati”, which means "Big Elephant" in the Nepali language) in South Asia, greatest number of deer species; Gaur, the largest wild oxen in world; wild Boar, an omnivorous black-coated creature with large tusks; the agile sloth Bear, a shaggy black bear with a distinctive white "V" on its chest; Blue Bull or Nilgai, the largest Antelope on the Indian subcontinent; and Himalayan Tahr. Serow and Goral, two goat-Antelope members.

It makes a spectacular gorge near Chisapani which contains diverse kinds of trans -Himalayan and sub-Himalayan fish species.

Two species of crocodiles swim in the Karnali, Girwa, and Babai Rivers - the blunt-snouted Marsh Mugger and the fish-eating gharial with its long thin snout. These creatures share the water with the fresh-water Gangetic Dolphin. The Karnali also supports the great mahseer, which weigh up to 90 lb (41 kg), an angler's prize catch.

The Karnali provides the upper range for the Gangetic river dolphin (Platanista gangetica), the largest freshwater mammals found on the Indian subcontinent. They are considered vulnerable species under CITES Appendix 1 and are classified as endangered on the IUCNRedlist (IUCN, 2004). The river dolphins are legally protected animals in Nepal as endangered mammal and fall under Schedule I of the protected list of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1973. Living at the upstream range limit, dolphins in the Karnali River are particularly vulnerable to threats from habitat degradation. Dolphins need deep pools of water. They are often found in places where human activities are most intense and they are sometimes accidentally caught by the local people who live in the lower Karnali basin. The Karnali River supports the last potentially viable population of the Ganges River dolphin in Nepal. These dolphins are at their farthest upstream range and isolated by the Girijapur Barrage (a low gated dam), located about 16 km downstream of the Nepal/India border.[11].

A high dam has been planned for some time just upstream of the dolphins' current (or at least recent) range in the Karnali River, Nepal. If built, this structure would almost certainly eliminate the small amount of dolphin habitat in Nepal’s last river with a potentially viable dolphin population. Disturbance and environmental degradation associated with geotechnical feasibility studies and bridge and road construction for the dam already may have contributed to a decline in the number and range of dolphins orsusuabove the Nepal-India border.[12]. The Ghaghara is the furthest upstream in the dolphin range.
Gangetic Dolphin

Other important protected areas and their biological and religious significance are a) Khaptad NP (2.25 km²), 1984 - Oak, Fir, Conifer, Musk deer, Leopard, Black Bear. Ashram of late Khaptad Baba (sage), Shiva shrine, Khaptad daha - a shallow lake; b) Dhorpatan HR (13.25 km²), 1987- Fir, Hemlock, Spruce, Birch, Junipers, grassland. Game hunting reserve; and c) Royal Suklaphanta - WR (1976) at Kanchanpur (3.05 km²) in the Terai Sal, Acacia, Sisso, extensive grassland, Elephant, Swamp deer, Tiger,Hispid hare, Bengal florican. [4]



The raft of the ride and river.

White water rafting means cruising down a rushing river in an inflatable rubber raft or white kayak over crashing waves and swirling rapids for the excitement of a lifetime In river rafting terminology. The Karnali River offers, over a length of 180 km, white water thrills and it is rated Grade 4 to 5 and huge volume restricted by canon walls (rafting suitable for expert rafters). Huge volume of water bullet down these canyons in a series of wild rapids. It is so intense that it can only be tackled at low and medium water.


In Nepal

The Karnali basin is the first to arouse keen interest in Nepal's vast hydropower development study. There are several attractive sites for the generation of cheap hydroelectric energy in this basin.[13].

The Master Plan Study for Water Resource Development of the Upper Karnali River and Mahakali River Basins (1993) identified 32 potential hydropower projects in the Karnali Basin. Despite the high potential of hydropower development (32,000 MW) in the Basin, only 2,245 kW capacities (from eight micro hydel schemes) has been developed so far.

Considering the pace of hydropower development in Nepal (Out of 83,000 MW potential, only 314.6 MW capacity hydropower projects were targeted for completion by 2007) in general and in the Karnali Basin in particular, harnessing the total hydropower potential of the Basin is envisaged to take a long time. Based on recent water resources development planning and project progress, the likely large scale hydropower projects that will be operational in the Basin by 2025 are predicted to be: West Seti HEP (750 MW); Upper Karnali HEP (300 MW); Bheri-Babai Multipurpose Project (48 MW); and Lohore Khola HEP (58 MW).[14].


West Seti HEP (750 MW)

The proposed West Seti HEP is located on the Seti River in the Far-Western Development Region of Nepal. The West Seti HEP catchment covers the upper 4,022 km² of the Seti River Basin.The West Seti HEP is a large storage project with a rated capacity of 750 MW. The power station is located approximately 63 km upstream of the Seti River confluence with the Karnali River, with the dam site located a further 19.2 km upstream. All project sites, excluding the reservoir area and transmission line corridor, are located in either Doti and/or Dadeldhura Districts. The reservoir area is located in Doti, Dadeldhura, Baitadi and Bajhang Districts. The transmission line corridor is located in Doti, Dadeldhura, Kailali and Kanchanpur Districts. The project has been allocated for development as BOOT project under private sector.

Upper Karnali HEP (300 MW)

The proposed Upper Karnali HEP is located on the main course of the Karnali River and has a catchment area of 20,120 km². This project is one of Nepal's most economically attractive runof- river diversion schemes (300 MW), with daily peaking capacity and high firm energy. Project facilities will be located in three districts: Surkhet, Dailekh and Achham. Project hydrology is based on data from station 240 at Asaraghat. The river is snow fed and the mean annual estimated flow at the headworks is 500 m³/s.The project has been allocated to GMR of India for development on BOOT basis.

Bheri-Babai Multipurpose Project (48 MW)

The Bheri-Babai Multipurpose Project is an inter-Basin water transfer project prioritised for the development of irrigation in Bardia District . The The intake of the Bheri-Babai (BR-1) diversion scheme lies on the Bheri River 45 km upstream of the confluence with the Karnali River. The tailrace outlet is located in the Babai River 20 km upstream of the existing Babai irrigation project diversion weir. The Bheri-Babai project aims to generate electricity and supply additional water to the Babai Irrigation Scheme in the Terai by diverting 40 m3/s of water from the Bheri River into the Babai River. project is yet to undergo a feasibility study.

Lohore Khola HEP (LR-1) – (58 MW)

The Lohore Khola HEP is a proposed reservoir storage project situated on the Lohore Khola, a tributary of the Karnali River in Dailekh District. The project is located a few kilometers downstream from the confluence with Chham River and upstream of Dungeshowr. The catchment area of the Lohore River at the reservoir site is 733 km². Based on the isohyetal map of the Karnali River Basin, average annual rainfall for the Basin is estimated to be 1,539 mm. As there is no stream gauge on the Lohore River, its flow was estimated using data from Station 240 (1963-2000) located on the Karnali River at Asaraghat with a catchment area of 19,260 km2. The sediment flow into the river is estimated to be 2.4 million tonnes per year. As the economic internal rate of return (EIRR) for the project is highest for the draft rate of 0.7, the flow for power generation was estimated for this draft rate. The riparian flow was assumed to be 10% of the monthly minimum flow (i.e. 0.53 m3/s).


Karnali (Chisapani) Multipurpose Project (10,800 MW)

The Karnali (Chisapani) Multipurpose Project site is located in the Karnali Gorge, immediately upstream of the Terai. The project has a catchment area of 43,679 km², covering nearly 30% of Nepal. The long-term average river flow is 1,389 m3/s, with an average dry season flow (November–May) of 451 m3/s and an average wet season flow (June-October) of 2,690 m3/s. The Karnali (Chisapani) Multipurpose Project is a potential mega multipurpose storage project on the Karnali River at Chisapani, envisaging a 270 m high dam, with reservoir area of 350 km², with power station operating under a design head of 185 m to operate 18 units of 620 MW capacity each ( 10,800 MW installed capacity) and with a reregulating wier downstream with power plant of 84 MW capacity operating under a head of 13.5 m. A Large scale irrigation development is also envisaged - 2,380 km² in Nepal and 32,000 km² India. Project planning commenced in 1960, although the feasibility study for the project was only completed in 1989. Before this project is developed a number of significant underlying issues have to be resolved. These issues include: Nepal and India reaching a bilateral agreement on the downstream benefits of regulated river flows; the resettlement of over 60,000 people; the impact on and restoration of habitat within Bardia National Park; and, above all, the financial arrangements for project funding. Accordingly, it is predicted that the chances of this project being implemented before 2025 are very slim, although increasing international pressure on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the energy generation sector may assist project initiation. While the likelihood of this project being developed by 2025 is low, Nepal and India could cooperate to develop this project to meet India’s growing energy demand from renewable resources.

Irrigation in Nepal

The major existing river use by volume in the Karnali Basin is irrigation. Three areas on the Nepal Terai and two areas in India are irrigated from the Karnali River. Within Nepal, two areas are irrigated in Bardia District (23.2 and 183.4 km²) and a single site is irrigated in Kailali District (139.25 km²). The total demand for irrigation water from the Karnali River by these three areas represents a very small proportion of existing total annual river flows, amounting to a mean annual rate of 54 m3/s. This is equivalent to 3.9% of the 1,370 m3/s mean annual Karnali River flow into India.[15]

Irrigation in India

In India, water is diverted from the Karnali River at the Girijapur Barrage into the Sarda Sahayak Irrigation Scheme and the Saryu Nahar Irrigation Scheme, which have command areas of 20,000 km² and 12,000 km² respectively. The combined annual irrigation demand of these two schemes is approximately 10,000 million m³.[15].

The Sarda Sahayak Irrigation Project, which utilizes the combined flows from the rivers Ghaghra and Sarda, comprises a barrage called the Girija Barrage built across the Ghaghra river (catchment area - 45,500 sqkm) , about 9 km downstream of Khatria Ghat Rly station and 16 km from Nepal border in Bahraich district which is linked to the Lower Sarda Barrage built across the Sarda river (catchment area 17,818 sqkm), about 28 km North East of Lakhimpur Kheri Rly station in Lakhimpur Kheri district. The link canal from Girija Barrage to the Sarda Barrage is 28 km long and designed to divert a discharge of 480 m³/s from gandak to sarda river. The feeder channel taking off from the Lower Sarda Barrage is 258.8 km long, feeds five branches (Dariyabad Branch,Barabani Branch, Haideganj Branch, Raei Bareil branch and Purva Branch) and is designed to carry a discharge of 765 m³/s. The Sarda Sahayak feeder channel meets the Haidergarh branch at 171 km and Raibareli branch at 187 km. The entire cana system is designed to provide irrigation to a Culturalable Command Area (CCA) of 20,000 km² ( considered largest in Asia) to cover 14 districts in 168 blocks with a gross command area of 40,000 km².

On account of high silt flows during the flood season, Sarda Sahayak supplies (from Karnali) are suspended for 100 days between June and October, when the Lower Sarda Canal (feeder canal) draws water from the Sarda River, which is then in floods.[16] and [17].

Navigation

In the past the Karnali River was considered to be attractive for the development of navigation right from the Indo-Nepal border till the confluence of this river and the Ganges. The lower reach of this river – called the Ghaghra in India was used in the past for navigation by steamers. Apart from in the foothills of the Himalayas where most of the streams were simply fast-moving water throughout the greater part of the year and not navigable when flowing rapidly, most of the rivers with steadier currents had boats on them. The Ganga, the Ghaghra, the Yamuna, the Gomti, the Sharda and the Rapti were the most important navigable rivers in the Northwestern provinces and Oudh.

Many items of trade such as timber, food grains, sugar, indigo, cottonseed, poppy seed, and mustard seed were sent through the boats. April, May and June were the most suitable months and were a busy trading period. Different kinds of cargo boats were used on the Ganga, the smaller ones were known as palwars, while the larger ones were known as katris.


In the latter half of the 19th century when the railways came into existence, the significance of waterways as inland trade routes declined, as the railways were faster and safer. With the exception of eastern parts of Bengal where abundance of water in the natural network of channels sustained and continued to provide a suitable mode of transport of goods and people, the railways had almost entirely replaced the waterways as communication lines throughout the country by the end of the 19th century.[18].

The possibilities for further extension of the steamer services to the north had also been explored in the past. The Central Water and Power Commission of the Govt. of India had carried out hydrographical survey of the Karnali River from the Bahramghat to the confluence of this river and the Ganges a distance of 446 km. This survey was done in the years 1943-53 to explore the possibility of improvement and extension of navigation on this river by powered crafts. These surveys revealed that there were only 5 shoals under 90 cm at low water between Burhaj and Bahramghat a distance of about 300 km. The minimum depth was 75 cm. These depths were available without any river conservancy works. All other conditions of navigable channel such as the width and current of flow etc. were also found to be very favourable. The low water stage in this river is only for a short duration. There is a great urgency to carry out detailed study of the Karnali river to develop modern inland waterway by applying various channel improvement technologies.[19]

pathibhara

Pathibhara is a Village Development Committee in Sankhuwasabha District in the Kosi Zone of north-eastern Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census it had a population of 2905 people residing in 607 individual households. [1]The population are predominantly of Limbu descent.
Contents


* 1 Geography
* 2 Religion
* 3 Education
* 4 References
* 5 External links

Geography


Pathibhara is located in the Himilayas in the northeast of the country. Pathibhara borders Pawakhola to the east, Num to the south, Makalu to the west and Hatiya to the north. It lies in proximity to Kanchanjunga (8586 m), the world's third highest peak. The area has an abundance of flora and fauna, with the landscape ranging from Alpine grassland, to subtropical forests.[2]

Religion

The major attraction of note is the Pathibhara Devi temple, commonly a site attended by Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims seeking spiritual fulfilment and to celebrate special occasions. [2] The Pathibhara Festival is held in this respect annually at the end of March and generally lasts a week. [2] Pilgrims flock from all over Nepal and India, often sacrificing animals and bringing gold and silver as offerings. [3] The mountain Pathibhara Devi (3794 m), also takes the name of the temple.

The temple, according to local legend which has passed down from one generation to the next, was founded by shepherds who had led their flock to where the temple lies today. [3] Hundreds of sheep disappeared as they were grazing, and later the shepherds had a prominent dream in which they were instructed by the Goddess of Trust and Faith, Devi, to make a ritualistic sacrifice. [3] When the sacrifice was offered and the temple and the statue of Devi were constructed, the lost sheep were said to have returned. [3]
As of 2001 there were 1824 out of 2905 people which practised the Kirant Mundhum faith.

According to the 2001 census in Nepal, accounting for the permanent population in Pathibhara, 660 people were Hindu, 664 Buddhist and 1824 people were of the Kirant Mundhum faith. [1]

Education

In 2001, there were reportedly 939 people attending school, 545 were male, 394 were female. [1]In total there were 409 children not attending school.[1]In total, 2646 out of the population of 2905 were literate, 1389 were male and 1257 female.[1]However 360 people could read only and not write.[1]

Annapurna

Annapurna (Sanskrit, Nepali, Nepal Bhasa: अन्नपूर्णा) is a series of peaks in the Himalayas, a 55 km (34 mi)-long massif of which the highest point, Annapurna I, stands at 8,091 metres (26,545 ft), making it the 10th-highest summit in the world and one of the 14 "eight-thousanders". It is located east of a great gorge cut through the Himalayas by the Kali Gandaki River, which separates it from the Dhaulagiri massif. (Dhaulagiri I lies 34 km/21 mi west of Annapurna I.) अन्नपूर्णा Annapūrṇā is a Sanskrit name which literally means "full of food" (feminine form), but is normally translated as Goddess of the Harvests. In Hinduism, Annapurna is a goddess of fertility and agriculture and an avatar of Durga.

The entire massif and surrounding area are protected within the 7,629 sq. km Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), the first and largest conservation area in Nepal, established in 1986 by the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation. The Annapurna Conservation Area is home to several world-class treks, including the Annapurna Circuit.

The Annapurna peaks are among the world's most dangerous mountains to climb, with a fatality rate of 40%.[1]
Contents


* 1 Geography
* 2 Climbing expeditions
o 2.1 Annapurna I
o 2.2 The other peaks
* 3 Trekking
* 4 See also
o 4.1 Other articles
o 4.2 Sources
* 5 References
* 6 External links

Geography

The Annapurna massif contains six major peaks over 7,200 m:
Annapurna I 8,091 m (26,545 ft) Ranked 10th; Prominence=2,894 m [show location on an interactive map] 28°35′42″N 83°49′08″E / 28.595, 83.819 (Annapurna I)
Annapurna II 7,937 m (26,040 ft) Ranked 16th; Prominence=2,437 m [show location on an interactive map] 28°32′20″N 84°08′13″E / 28.539, 84.137 (Annapurna II)
Annapurna III 7,555 m (24,786 ft) Ranked 42nd; Prominence=703 m [show location on an interactive map] 28°35′06″N 84°00′00″E / 28.585, 84 (Annapurna III)
Annapurna IV 7,525 m (24,688 ft) [show location on an interactive map] 28°32′20″N 84°05′13″E / 28.539, 84.087 (Annapurna IV)
Gangapurna 7,455 m (24,457 ft) Ranked 59th; Prominence=563 m [show location on an interactive map] 28°36′22″N 83°57′54″E / 28.606, 83.965 (Gangapurna)
Annapurna South 7,219 m (23,684 ft) Ranked 101st; Prominence=775 m [show location on an interactive map] 28°31′05″N 83°48′22″E / 28.518, 83.806 (Annapurna South)
The Annapurna Himal from the northeast. Left to right: Annapurna II and IV (close together); a major col; Annapurna III and Gangapurna; Annapurna I.

Climbing expeditions

Annapurna I
The south face of Annapurna I

Annapurna I was the first 8,000-metre (26,200 ft) peak to be climbed. Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, of a French expedition (including Lionel Terray, Gaston Rébuffat, Marcel Ichac, Jean Couzy, Marcel Schatz, Jacques Oudot, Francis de Noyelle), reached the summit on 3 June 1950. (See the documentary of the expedition "Victoire sur l'Annapurna" by Marcel Ichac). Its summit was the highest summit attained on Earth for three years, until the first successful ascent of Mount Everest. (However higher non-summit points—at least 8,500 metres (27,900 ft)—had already been attained on Everest in the 1920s.)

The south face of Annapurna was first climbed in 1970 by Don Whillans and Dougal Haston, members of a British expedition led by Chris Bonington which included the alpinist Ian Clough, who was killed by a falling ice-pillar during the descent. They were, however, beaten to the second ascent of Annapurna by a matter of days by a British Army expedition led by Henry Day.

In 1978, The American Women's Annapurna Expedition, a team led by Arlene Blum, became the first American team to climb Annapurna I. The expedition was also remarkable for being composed entirely of women. Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz and Vera Watson died during this climb. (Vera Watson was the wife of computer scientist John McCarthy.)

On 3 February 1987, Polish climbers Jerzy Kukuczka and Artur Hajzer made the first winter ascent of Annapurna I.[citation needed]

With a fatality rate of 54%, and as of 2005, only 103 successful summits have been made, for the loss of 56 lives, many to the avalanches for which the mountain is known. Climbers killed on the peak include famed Russian climber Anatoli Boukreev in 1997, Christian Kuntner in 2005 and Iñaki Ochoa in 2008 [2]

The first solo climb was October 2007 on the South Face by Slovenian climber Tomaz Humar.[citation needed]

The other peaks
Annapurna South from Annapurna Base Camp (4130 m) during sunrise.



Annapurna II, the eastern anchor of the range, was first climbed in 1960 by a British/Indian/Nepalese team led by Jimmy Roberts, via the West Ridge, approached from the north. The summit party comprised Richard Grant, Chris Bonington, and Sherpa Ang Nyima. In terms of elevation, isolation (distance to a higher summit, namely Annapurna I, 30.5 km/19.0 mi) and prominence (2,437 m/8,000 ft), Annapurna II does not rank far behind Annapurna I. It is a fully independent peak, despite the close association with Annapurna I which its name seems to imply.

Annapurna III was first climbed in 1961 by an Indian expedition led by Capt.Mohan Singh Kohli, via the Northeast Face. The summit party comprised Mohan Kohli, Sonam Gyatso, and Sonam Girmi.

Annapurna IV, near Annapurna II, was first climbed in 1955 by a German expedition led by Heinz Steinmetz, via the North Face and Northwest Ridge. The summit party comprised Steinmetz, Harald Biller, and Jürgen Wellenkamp.

Gangapurna was first climbed in 1965 by a German expedition led by Günther Hauser, via the East Ridge. The summit party comprised 11 members of the expedition.

Annapurna South (also known as Annapurna Dakshin, or Moditse) was first climbed in 1964 by a Japanese expedition, via the North Ridge. The summit party comprised S. Uyeo and Mingma Tsering.

Hiunchuli (6,441 m/21,126 ft) is a satellite peak extending east from Annapurna South, Hiunchuli was first climbed in 1971 by an expedition led by U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer Craig Anderson.

Machapuchare (6,993 m/22,943 ft) is another important peak of the Annapurna Himal, though it just misses the 7,000 metre mark. Machapuchare and Hiunchuli are prominently visible from the valley of Pokhara. These peaks are the "gates" to the Annapurna Sanctuary leading to the immense south face of Annapurna I.

Trekking
Marsyangdi Valley



The Annapurna Conservation Area is a well known trekking region.

There are three major trekking routes in the Annapurna region: the Jomson Trek to Jomsom and Muktinath (increasingly disturbed by a road-building project); the Annapurna Sanctuary route to Annapurna base camp; and the Annapurna Circuit, which circles the Annapurna Himal itself and includes the Jomson route. The town of Pokhara usually serves as a starting point for these treks, and is also a good starting place for other short treks of one to four days, such as routes to Ghorepani or Ghandruk.

The Mustang district, a former kingdom bordering Tibet, is also geographically a part of the Annapurna region, but treks to Mustang are subject to special restrictions.

About two-thirds of all trekkers in Nepal visit the Annapurna region. The area is easily accessible, guesthouses in the hills are plentiful, and treks here offer incredibly diverse scenery, with both high mountains and lowland villages. Also, because the entire area is inhabited, trekking in the region offers unique cultural exposure and experience.

Hiking in nepal

Hiking is an outdoor activity which consist in walking in natural environments, often on hiking trails.

The word hiking is understood in all English-speaking countries, but there are differences in usage. In some places, off-trail hiking is called 'cross-country hiking', 'bushwhacking', or 'bushbashing'. In the United Kingdom, hiking is a slightly old-fashioned word, with a flavor more of heartiness and exercise than of enjoying the outdoors; the activity described here would be called hillwalking or simply 'walking'. Australians use the term 'bushwalking' for both on- and off-trail hiking. New Zealanders use 'tramping' (particularly for overnight and longer trips), 'walking' or 'bushwalking'. Hiking in the mountainous regions of India and Nepal and in the highlands of East Africa is sometimes called 'trekking'. Overnight hiking is called 'backpacking' in some parts of the world. Hiking a long-distance trail from end to end is referred to as 'thru-hiking' in some places.

Contents
1 Comparison with other forms of touring
2 Environmental impact
3 Personal safety hazards
4 References
5 See also
5.1 Types
5.2 Related activities
6 External links




Comparison with other forms of touring
Hiking is one of the fundamental outdoor activities on which many others are based. Many beautiful places can only be reached overland by hiking, and enthusiasts regard hiking as the best way to see nature. It is seen as better than a tour in a vehicle of any kind (or on an animal; see horseback riding) because the hiker's senses are not intruded upon by distractions such as windows, engine noise, airborne dust and fellow passengers. Hiking over long distances or over difficult terrain does require some degree of physical ability and knowledge.


Environmental impact

Path from Benaoján to Cortes (Grazalema Natural Park, Spain)Hikers often seek beautiful natural environments in which to hike. Ironically, these environments are often fragile: hikers may accidentally destroy the environment that they enjoy. The action of an individual may not strongly affect the environment. However, the mass effect of a large number of hikers can degrade the environment. For example, gathering wood in an alpine area to start a fire may be harmless once (except for wildfire risk). Years of gathering wood, however, can strip an alpine area of valuable nutrients.

Generally, protected areas such as parks have regulations in place to protect the environment. If hikers follow such regulations, their impact can be minimized. Such regulations include forbidding wood fires, restricting camping to established camp sites, disposing or packing out faecal matter, imposing a quota on the number of hikers per mile.

Many hikers espouse the philosophy of Leave No Trace: hiking in a way such that future hikers cannot detect the presence of previous hikers. Practitioners of this philosophy obey its strictures, even in the absence of area regulations. Followers of this practice follow strict practices on dealing with food waste, food packaging, and alterations to the surrounding environment.

Human waste is often a major source of environmental impact from hiking. These wastes can contaminate the watershed and make other hikers ill. Bacterial contamination can be avoided by digging 'catholes' 10 to 25 cm (4 to 10 inches) deep, depending on local soil composition and covering after use. If these catholes are dug at least 60 m (200 feet) away from water sources and trails, the risk of contamination is minimized. Many hikers warn other hikers about the location of their catholes by marking them with sticks stuck into the ground.

Sometimes, hikers enjoy viewing rare or endangered species. However, some species (such as martens or bighorn sheep) are very sensitive to the presence of humans, especially around mating season. Hikers should learn the habits and habitats of the endangered species, in order to avoid adverse impact.

There is one situation where an individual hiker can make a large impact on an ecosystem: inadvertently starting a wildfire. For example, in 2005, a Czech backpacker burned 7% of Torres del Paine National Park in Chile by knocking over an illegal gas portable stove. Obeying area regulations and setting up cooking devices on bare ground will reduce the risk of wildfire.


Two hikers in the Mount Hood National Forest, USA
Personal safety hazards
Main article: Hazards of outdoor activities
Hiking may produce threats to personal safety. These threats can be dangerous circumstances while hiking and/or specific accidents or ailments. Diarrhea has been found to be the most common illness afflicting long-distance hikers in the United States[1]. (See wilderness diarrhea.)

Dangerous hiking circumstances include losing the way, inclement weather, hazardous terrain, or exacerbation of pre-existing medical conditions. Specific accidents include metabolic imbalances (such as dehydration or hypothermia), topical injuries (such as frostbite or sunburn), attacks by animals, or internal injuries (such as ankle sprain).

Hikers often propose a set of behavioral prescriptions to minimize these threats. A well-known example of such a set of prescription is the Ten Essentials.

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