Aubrey Fox

Thanks to the Travel Enrichment grant I was able to go on a trekking adventure in the Himalayas, within the largest Conservation area of Nepal. The Annapurna Conservation Area is the first and largest protected wildlife area in Nepal. 

It is host to a variety of unique species of plants and animals and is rich with culture and tradition. 

The Annapurna Conservation range is also a popular site for hiking, trekking, and various other outdoor recreational activities. The travel enrichment grant allowed me to go on a short five day trek within the conservation area and observe the wildlife there.

The Annapurna Conservation area was established in 1985 and has since become a famous tourist destination for trekkers and outdoors enthusiasts. 

The area is surrounded by some of the tallest mountains in the world including the Machapuchare and Annapurna South peaks. The trek that I took was a called the Ghorepani to Ghadruk Loop, which had beautiful views of these mountains. Due to being surrounded by such large mountains, the area gets very little direct sunlight, which causes the area to have very unique wildlife. The area includes the largest Rhododendron forest in the world and one of the largest bamboo forests.

The Annapurna range is also one of the few inhabited conservation areas in the world. Because of this, the area is rich in culture, as well as wildlife. The trekking paths led me through various mountainside villages and I was able to see a bit of local culture. 

Because of this grant, I was able to see a brand new culture, meet new people, and see some of the most beautiful wildlife in the world.