Photos

Due to its southern position in the range, and the particularly low terrain that lies south of the Annapurna Himal, Machapuchare commands tremendous vertical relief in a short horizontal distance. This, combined with its steep, pointed profile, make it a particularly striking peak, despite a lower elevation than some of its neighbors. Its double summit resembles the tail of a fish, hence the name meaning "Fish's Tail" in Nepali language It is also nicknamed the "Matterhorn of Nepal".

The Machapuchare is best viewed from the village of Pothana. One has to note that the sky is clear in the mornings, while in the afternoons, there is a high possibility of the clouds moving in, and the peaks are no longer visible in the late afternoons (during the month of February when I trekked there.)