What’s Special About the Annapurna Sanctuary

The ABC trek takes travellers inside the conservation area known as the Annapurna Sanctuary. While base camp is where climbers undertake their Annapurna summit bids, the Sanctuary is the spiritually significant area surrounding the mountain’s glacier basin. Tourists and locals alike experience the sacredness of the mountains when walking above 4000 meters to the base of Annapurna, one of the world’s highest mountains.

Making the way up to the base camp from Ghandruk, the sacredness of the mountains can be felt. The sacred stories and spiritual connection while being so close to the mountain ranges feels out of the world. Lord Shiva, one of the principal deities of Hindusim is believed to reside in the Annapurna ranges. The locals thus associate the holiness of the mountains to Lord Shiva. Locals claim that Shiva lives in the Annapurna Sanctuary, and that’s why no-one has ever been able to summit Machhapuchhare, the fish-tailed mountain within the sanctuary. They believe this is also why Annapurna is one of the most treacherous mountains to climb. It has the highest fatality rate of the higher peaks in the region.

Reference: What’s Special About the Annapurna Sanctuary – Inside Himalayas