Destination
A high ridge trek east of the Annapurna Sanctuary, climbing through forest to High Camp (3,550 m) and the Upper Viewpoint (4,200 m) beneath the fishtail peak of Machhapuchhre.
Field guide
Start here
The valley's best two-day escape: sunrise on the Dhulikhel ridge, a monastery morning at Namobuddha, and Newar lanes in Panauti — back in town by Sunday dinner.
Best for
ridge-views, mardi-base, sunrise
Good in
Start with a guide: The valley's best two-day escape: sunrise on the Dhulikhel ridge, a monastery morning at Namobuddha, and Newar lanes in Panauti — back in town by Sunday dinner.
On the map
Ridge-edge lodges below the fishtail, base for the Upper Viewpoint climb.
“It is the only sensible base for a clear-morning climb to the Mardi Upper Viewpoint, in a genuinely spectacular ridge setting.”
A 4,200 m ridge climb to a face-to-face view of the fishtail peak.
“It is the most dramatic short-trek viewpoint in the Annapurnas, putting you almost under Machhapuchhre for a fraction of the time the Sanctuary demands.”
The valley's best two-day escape: sunrise on the Dhulikhel ridge, a monastery morning at Namobuddha, and Newar lanes in Panauti — back in town by Sunday dinner.
An easy one- to two-night escape over the southern rim of the valley: a Newar village homestay in Chitlang, boating on the Kulekhani reservoir, and an optional sunrise detour to Daman's Himalayan view tower.
“It is the most accessible "real getaway" from Kathmandu — village, lake, and big mountains in one short, flexible loop.”
