Annapurna Base Camp

Namaste!

My friend Helen, who is visiting Nepal, and I trekked for 6 days, up the steep valley to reach this spectacular place. It had snowed the night before we climbed up into the Annapurna Sanctuary, so the path was slippery and hard work. Avalanches had blocked the original path and so a new one had been established, crossing the river and then walking through a boulderfield.

We stayed two nights at Machhapulchhre Base Camp and walked up to Annapurna Base Camp on the day in between.  On that morning the sun shone and the mountains in the snow looked sparkling.

Looking down the path that we had climbed from Machhapulchhre Base
Camp to Annapurna Base Camp in the deep snow.

Looking up, with Annapurna South and Baraha Chuli (Twelve Peaks) in bright early
morning sunshine

Huin Chuli (6434 metres) with Annapurna South (7219 metres) behind

One of the other big mountains that surround the Annapurna Sanctuary.

The sky was not quite as deep blue as this. It is the effect of
the contrast of the snow.

Machhapulchhre, Fish-tail mountain (69997 metres) is a holy mountain and
no-one is allowed to climb to the top of it.

We could hear the glaciers rumbling and cracking loudly
all around us.

Helen feeling happy despite the altitude.

Snow had blown onto the roof at Annapurn Base Camp,
but the windows had been dug out.

At 4130 metres, this was the highest I have ever been on earth.  No need for many words on this page - I think the photos say it all.

The chorten above Annapurna Base Camp decked in prayer flags. What a
special place. You can see ABC buildings in the background