Chitwan National Park

Kathmandu Valley

A ridgeline hill station an hour from Kathmandu, built almost entirely around one thing: a 180-degree Himalayan sunrise, from Dhaulagiri to Everest on a clear morning. Lodges cluster along the viewpoint ridge, and the walk down to Changu Narayan, the valley's oldest temple, makes a genuine half-day hike rather than just a drive-up view.

Spring · Autumn · Winter

Annapurna Region

A stone-roofed Gurung village terraced into the hillside two days' walk, or one long day, from Pokhara, with Annapurna South and Machhapuchhare filling the skyline above the rooftops. It works as a short trek in its own right or the first stop on the way to ABC. The Gurung Heritage Museum and the village's own war-veteran history give it a cultural depth most trailhead villages don't have.

Spring · Autumn · Winter

Pokhara Valley

Nepal's second city sits at 820m on the shore of Phewa Lake with a mirror reflection of the Annapurna massif. The lakeside area is lined with cafes and adventure companies. It is the calm before or after the storm of any Annapurna trek.

Spring · Autumn · Winter