Sunrise over the Himalaya from Dhulikhel

Dhulikhel's ridge faces north across a deep valley to one of the widest Himalayan panoramas within easy reach of Kathmandu. On a clear morning you can follow the snow line from the Langtang range in the north-west, past Dorje Lakpa and the peaks above the Tibetan border, to Gaurishankar in the east. Our guide carries a peak chart and names each summit as it catches the sun. The view is widest from a hilltop viewpoint above the old town, about 20 minutes on foot or 10 by car.

We meet in the hotel lobby about 45 minutes before sunrise, which ranges from roughly 5.30 am in late spring to about 6.50 am in mid-winter, so the guide confirms the time the evening before. Hot tea and a warm blanket come with us. The first pink light falls on the highest peaks a few minutes before the sun appears, and within half an hour the colours have gone to white. It is quiet at that hour, with only village roosters and the first buses on the highway below.

Clear views depend on the season. From October to December the sky is usually clear at dawn, and February and March are often good too. By April haze builds, and from June to September monsoon cloud usually hides the peaks altogether. We plan the sunrise for your first clear morning rather than a fixed date, and if the mountains stay hidden, the walk back through the waking village is still worth the early start. Breakfast at the hotel follows.