The Annapurna range whets your appetite for mountain views right from Pokhara. This is even before you start the trek. At Ghandruk, you get distinct views of Machapuchare, Annapurna South and Hiunchuli. Views of different peaks of the Annapurna massif and Machapuchare stay with you all the way till Sinuwa. The tip of Machapuchare teases you at Dovan. As you burst out of the forest past Himalaya and Deurali, Machapuchare appears before you in its full glory.

Machapuchare, the ‘fish tailed mountain’, is revered by the Nepalese for its exquisite beauty. It is believed to be one of the homes of Lord Shiva. It has never been officially summitted! At the Machapuchare base camp, in addition to Machapuchare, you will see Annapurna I, Annapurna South, Gangapurna and Hiunchuli up close.

The Annapurna Base Camp is a small cluster of lodges opposite the Annapurna glacier. As you look up from the edge of the glacier, you come face to face with the Annapurna massif. Annapurna I, III and South, Gangapurna, Gandharvachuli and Machapuchare are all there to meet your gaze when your eyes rest upon them.

The trail takes you through a variety of vegetation. While trekking from Ghandruk to Chomrung you are surrounded by rhododendron, fern and bamboo. Once you cross Sinuwa to enter the Annapurna sanctuary, the forest becomes dense. Tall oak trees become prominent here.

As you move higher up towards Deurali, the thick forests give way to tall grass. Around this area, you will find trees with thick bark called Daphne. This is used by locals to make paper. These trees are commonly found around Sandakphu as well. Closer to Machapuchare base camp, the terrain turns Alpine. You see patches of grass amidst boulders. There are also flowering plants lining the trail at this section.

The trail has 3 sections through forest that is so dense that sunlight barely seeps through. The first one starts right after the villages around Chomrung and extends till New Bridge.

On the trail from Sinuwa, you hear the Modi Khola roaring past right next to you. But the trees around are so dense that you can’t really see the river. The third stretch is after Bamboo and goes all the way to Dovan. The beauty of this trek is that you walk through these forests not once, but twice!

The trek is nestled in the 7,629 sq km Annapurna Conservation Area. This is home to 1,226 species of flowering plants, 102 mammals, 474 birds, 33 reptiles and 22 amphibians. If you’re lucky you might spot an exotic bird or even a marmut.

This trek is a classic tea house trek. You stay in small lodges which typically accommodate 20-25 people. These are run by locals. People also migrate from different parts of Nepal to work here in the tourist season. Interacting with the staff at tea houses, guides and porters on the trail will give you a glimpse into their way of life.

Most people speak English so communication is not a problem. The food served at tea houses is prepared in the Nepalese style. You will notice that a lot of it is quite similar to Indian food.

Ghandruk is the biggest village in this area. As you begin the trek, you walk past several small villages, each inhabited by less than hundred people. This trail is commonly used by the locals to get to their homes and fields. So you’re likely to bump into villagers right till Sinuwa, where the Annapurna Sanctuary begins. The area just outside the villages is cultivated with banana plantations and paddy fields.

The ABC trek attracts mountain lovers from all over the world. In October, when the views are known to be outstanding, expect to hear a variety of languages on the trail. Tea houses become convenient forums to discuss and exchange notes with strangers who could be from anywhere. You experience this kind of diversity on very few treks.