Hiunchuli
6,441m peak, an extension of Annapurna South at the mouth of the Sanctuary
Hiunchuli is a 6,441 metre peak, effectively an extension of the neighbouring Annapurna South massif, standing at the narrow entrance to the Annapurna Sanctuary. Together with Machhapuchhre on the opposite side, it forms the gateway through which the Modi Khola river drains out of the Sanctuary.
The name means snow covered in Nepali. The gap between Hiunchuli and Machhapuchhre that the Modi Khola drains through is only a few hundred metres across at its narrowest, which is why the Sanctuary went unexplored until Jimmy Roberts walked into it in 1957. Hiunchuli is the peak standing directly above Ghandruk, and from there it looks higher than Annapurna South behind it purely because it is closer.
Highlights
6,411m peak, an extension of Annapurna South
Marks the entrance to the Annapurna Sanctuary
Trips that visit Hiunchuli
Practical Info
In This Destination
Kaski
Pokhara's lakeside bliss and the legendary gateway to Annapurna
On the itinerary