 We start at Pokhara , cross river beds and terraced hillsides, on trails disappearing into blazing rhododendron clusters and oak forest, to picturesque Ghandrung, principal village of the Gurungs. We go on to the deep narrow corridor of Mardi Gorge, entrance to the sanctuary , a spectacular mountain amphitheatre formed by the towering peaks of Annapurna South, Fang , Annapurna I and III , Gangapurna, Glacier Dome and Machhapuchre . We pitch camp at approximately 14,000 ft, in the middle of these awesome surroundings. On return, we descend through the gorge and cross the Deorali Pass from which can be had a birds eye view of the Kali Gandaki valley. On a rest day normally planned for Ghorepani , a short climb up to Poon Hill is worth while to get a sweeping view of the entire western Himalaya, including the giant Dhaulagiri.
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