Sightseeing · Nepal
Annapurna I
The tenth-highest peak at 8,091 metres and the first eight-thousander ever climbed, summited by a French team in 1950.
Annapurna I, at 8,091 metres, is the world's tenth-highest mountain and holds a unique place in history as the first eight-thousander ever climbed, in 1950. It is the highest summit of the Annapurna massif north of Pokhara.
Overview
Annapurna I is one of Nepal's eight eight-thousanders and the centrepiece of the Annapurna Conservation Area, the country's largest protected region and one of its most popular trekking destinations. It faces Dhaulagiri across the deep Kali Gandaki gorge and rises behind the sacred Machhapuchhre, the Fishtail peak that guards the entrance to the Annapurna Sanctuary. The name means goddess of the harvests, and the mountain has long been revered by the people of the surrounding valleys. Its place in mountaineering history is unmatched: it was the first of all the eight-thousanders to be climbed.
Height and location
At 8,091 metres (26,545 feet), Annapurna I ranks tenth in the world. It stands at roughly 28.60° N, 83.82° E in north-central Nepal, north of Pokhara and entirely within Nepali territory. The wider Annapurna massif is a long chain rather than a single peak, also including Annapurna II, III and IV and several other high summits that ring the natural amphitheatre of the Annapurna Sanctuary. Annapurna I itself, the highest of them, sits at the western end of this great wall of mountains.
First ascent and climbing
The first ascent was made on 3 June 1950 by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal of a French expedition, the first time any 8,000-metre peak anywhere on Earth had been summited, and three years before Everest. The achievement came at a heavy cost: both climbers suffered severe frostbite on the gruelling descent, and Herzog lost fingers and toes. His best-selling book about the climb became one of the most famous mountaineering accounts ever written. Annapurna I is now notorious for having one of the highest fatality-to-summit ratios of any eight-thousander, owing to extreme avalanche danger and unstable slopes, which makes it one of the most feared mountains to climb.
How to see it
The classic way to stand beneath Annapurna I is the Annapurna Base Camp trek, which leads into the natural amphitheatre of the Annapurna Sanctuary, a high glacial basin ringed by a circle of peaks and filled by the Annapurna Glacier. For distant panoramas, the lakeside city of Pokhara and the Sarangkot viewpoint frame the whole massif at sunrise, while the gentle Poon Hill trek offers another famous dawn view. No climbing is required to enjoy some of the grandest mountain scenery in Nepal.
Fast facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Height | 8,091 m (26,545 ft) |
| Rank | 10th highest in the world |
| Location | Annapurna massif, north-central Nepal |
| First ascent | 3 June 1950, Herzog and Lachenal |
| Distinction | First eight-thousander ever climbed |
| Best access | Annapurna Base Camp trek |
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Frequently asked questions
How tall is Annapurna I?+
Annapurna I stands 8,091 metres (26,545 feet) high, making it the tenth-highest mountain in the world.
Where is Annapurna I located?+
Annapurna I rises in north-central Nepal, east of the Kali Gandaki gorge and north of Pokhara. It is the highest summit of the Annapurna massif within the Annapurna Conservation Area.
Who first climbed Annapurna I?+
A French expedition led by Maurice Herzog made the first ascent on 3 June 1950, with Herzog and Louis Lachenal reaching the top. It was the first of the world's fourteen eight-thousanders ever to be climbed.
Why is Annapurna I considered dangerous?+
Annapurna I has one of the highest fatality-to-summit ratios of any eight-thousander, owing to severe avalanche danger and unstable slopes on its main routes. It is regarded as one of the most hazardous mountains to climb.
How can I see Annapurna I?+
The Annapurna Base Camp trek leads into the Annapurna Sanctuary at the very foot of the peak, while Pokhara and viewpoints like Sarangkot give superb distant views of the whole massif.
