Nilgiri Himal range - Nepal

The Nilgiri Himal is a series of three peaks in the Annapurna range of Nepal.

It consists of Nilgiri North (7061 m), Nilgiri Central (6940 m) and Nilgiri South (6839 m).

Nilgiri North was first climbed by the Dutch Himalayan Expedition in October 1962 ; the leader of the team was a famous French mountaineer, Lionel Terray. The first ascents of Nilgiri South and Nilgiri Central were made by Japanese climbers in 1978 and 1979 respectively.

Nilgiri forms the cornerstone of "The Great Barrier" on Annapurna I, but it is more than a barrier to 8000 meters of glory. It is indeed a magnificent massive triple peak whose size and relief dominates the floor of the Kali Gandaki valley from south to Tatopani and north to Kagbeni.
The Nilgiris lie on the Himalayan rain shadow line, which separates the rhododendron-rich jungle from the barren desert hills within a few hours' walk. If you go further, or if you are pushed along the valley floor by the constant wind, you get the impression that Nilgiri can separate two planets.

Willem Vandenameele