Pokhara Valley
The Pokhara Valley is located in the geographical centre of Nepal, It is 400 meters lower then Kathmandu. Dominated by the Annapurna mountain chains and the famous Fish-Tail peak (Machhapuchare) to the north. The valley is dotted with lakes. You can find one of the largest lake(Fhewa Tal) amonge them. It’s stunning setting has helped to make this city most popular tourist destination after Kathmandu city.
Trekking from Pokhara tends to be in the north west direction towards the Annapurna Conservation Area. There are 3 classic treks with the Annapurna Circuit trek considered to be the finest in Nepal. The Annapurna Base Camp trek takes you into the amphitheatre where you are surrounded by the Annapurna Group of peaks. In other hand, the Jomosom trek takes you into the dry Manang valley in the northern rain shadow region of the Himalaya. Annapurna was the first of the 8000 meters peaks to be climbed during an expedition led by Maurice Herzog in April 1950. Mt. The west region of Nepal is rarely visited. It is as densely populated as the Kathmandu and Pokhara valleys but much more difficult to access with no metalled roads and few airstrips. Overlooked for centuries because of its bleak geography, Dolpo became part of Nepal 200 years ago when the Gurkhas gained control over the region. Ties of blood and religion made the district a natural refuge for Tibetans who fled the communist takeover of their homeland in 1959.
Climatically and biogeographically, Dolpo and the neighbouring parts of Mustang have much in common with Ladakh, Zanskar and Tibet. Thousand year old Buddhist monasteries dot the Shey and Ban Tshang valleys and people follow a mix of the old pre Budhist Bon religion mixed with Tibetan Buddhism.
Two national parks have been created in the Dolpo region- the Shey-Phuksundo National park and Khaptad National Park that preserves a wide range of high altitude flora and wildlife like the Himalayan black bears, the rare snow leopards and the musk deers.
