Nepal Annapurna Sanctuary Winter

Annapurna Region, Nepal · Nepal

Extreme10 daysAsia~£900 est.

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Overview

In winter the Annapurna Sanctuary becomes a different proposition entirely. The Modi Khola gorge — the only way in — threads beneath avalanche paths that load with every snowfall, and above Deurali you move through a white amphitheatre where the 3,000 m south face of Annapurna I and the fluted spire of Machapuchare preside over near-total silence. Reaching Annapurna Base Camp at 4,130 m in January, with a handful of other trekkers at most, is as close as a trekking route gets to a mountaineering experience. The gorge is the variable that matters: after heavy snow the avalanche corridors between Deurali and Machapuchare Base Camp can close the route for days, and several lodges shut or run skeleton service. Check conditions in Chhomrong daily, move early while the snow is frozen, and be genuinely willing to turn around. Carry microspikes or crampons and a minus-20 bag in case of an unplanned night out. Ten days from Pokhara at around £900 with a guide — hiring one is standard in the Annapurna region anyway, and in winter it is simple good sense.