Sarangkot

The view of the Annapurna Himalaya from Sarangkot is almost a religious experience. From here, you can see a panoramic sweep of Himalayan peaks, from Dhaulagiri (8167m) in the west to the perfect pyramid of Machhapuchhare (6997m) and the rounded peak of Annapurna II (7937m) in the east. At dawn and dusk, the sun picks out the peaks in brilliant colours.

The main village is just below the ridge, but a set of concrete steps leads uphill to a dramatic viewpoint in the ruins of an ancient kot (hill-fort).

The fort is currently occupied by the Nepali army, but photography is fine, as long as you don't take pictures of the soldiers.

There's another ruined fort at Kaskikot (1788m), a one-hour walk west of Sarangkot along the ridge road, with similarly jaw-dropping views.