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The southern slopes of Manaslu and Annapurna ranges are
strew with small villages and covered by terraced fields,
with the exception of the higher regions which support thick forests of rhododendron and fir. This region is the home of Gurungs and Magars (the famous Gurkha people of Nepal).
The small terraced fields on the mountain slopes support crops of millet and wheat, corn and barley and small flocks of sheep and goats. The
people of Manang are traditionally a trading society who
made there living brokering the exchange of good across
the Himlayas. They are Buddhist in religion and Tibetan
in origin, and their architecture and lifestyle are quite different to other
the other ethnic groups in the southern slopes. The trek to the Manang Valley and into the rain shadow of the Annapurna ranges offers dramatic scenery of changing color. We meet Thakalis and Mustang tribes controlling the busy trading and pilgrimage trail along the Kali Gandaki. We also meet Gurungs and Magars when we move through the gap between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna into the water zones. This is one of the classic and most rewarding treks in Nepal
combining diverse scenery with diverse cultures. On the whole trek, you will always have magnificent views of all central Himalayan ranges.
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