8 Facts to know about Holy Grail of Treks, Annapurna Circuit

1. 8 Facts to know about Holy Grail of Treks i.e. Annapurna Circuit The Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the most popular treks in Nepal, so much so that it has almost become synonymous to the word trek itself in the country of mountains and adventure! The 128 miles route has so much to offer to the travelers that anyone who travels here for once becomes its admirer for a lifetime. Between some of the most beautiful valleys, deepest gorges, and the highest passes, you are sure to lose yourself once and for all. The trek brings you face to face with the tenth highest mountain in the world, Annapurna. The mountain stands at 8091 meters and is regarded as the God of Harvests by the locals. The other major peaks that add to the beauty of the trek are Annapurna I, II, III and IV, Annapurna South and Gangapurna. The Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake is an added attraction. Tilicho Lake is often regarded as one of the highest lakes in the world for its size. The beautiful lake area is popularly used as a side trip for acclimatization by the trekkers. Even though the Annapurna Circuit Trek is one of the most popular and the busiest trails in Nepal, there are a few facts about it that are not known to a lot of people, possibly not even to those who have already trekked it. Here are a few little known facts about the very popular Annapurna Circuit Trek in Nepal: 1.Both the Annapurna Circuit Trek and the Annapurna Base Camp Trek are the most popular trails in Nepal. These trails are also relatively popular around the world. The spring and autumn are the most favorable weathers here and make the trail quite busy. 2.The Kali Gandaki Gorge that lies on the trail between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna Range is the deepest Gorge in Nepal and also one among the deepest gorges in the world. 3.The death rate among trekkers attempting to summit Annapurna I is 38% which is even higher than the death rate in Everest which is about 6.5%. 4.The Annapurna Conservation Area is spread across a massive 7629 square kilometers which makes it the largest protected area in the country of Nepal. It was established in the year 1985 and includes Mustang, Myagdi, Manang, Kaski, and Lamjung. 5.Another feather in the cap for the Annapurna Region is the Tilicho Lake at an altitude of 4919 m. The lake is definitely the highest in Nepal and is also counted as one among the highest lakes around the world (for its size). The trekkers usually trek to this beautiful

2. lake for acclimatization which is also a popular tourist spot and a major attraction in itself. 6.The trail also has some popular pilgrim spots such as the ancient Muktinath Temple and Braga’s oldest monastery. The Muktinath Temple is a popular site of religious reverence for both Hindus and Buddhists. 7.A few villages in the Mustang region like the Thini and Lupra still practice the Bon religion. Bon is a Tibetan religion that identifies itself very different from Tibetan Buddhism even though the teachings in both religions are the same. Apparently, these regions are among the last ones to continue with this age-old practice. 8.Last but certainly not least; we have the most interesting fact about the Annapurna. Just like the Everest and Dhaulagiri I, the top of Annapurna is also formed of Limestone which means that the mountain was formed on the ocean floor and then gradually pressed by natural forces to the original condition.