Rhinos & Rhododendrons

Explore the less-visited quarters where rickshaws, bicycles and vendors crowd narrow streets lined with stalls selling everything from ceramic pots to pashminas. Feast on street food in the bustling markets, and enjoy a cup of lassi or a cool beer in side-street cafes as you soak up the atmosphere and watch the comings and goings of daily life. Soothe your senses with a sound bath meditation treatment and thali dinner: the perfect way to unwind after a few days trekking.

If you’ve got an extra night to spare, head an hour’s drive out of the city for a breath of fresh air at the Neydo Tashi Choeling Monastery Guest House. Built beside a working monastery, the hotel is infused with a sense of serenity and peace, giving guests a taste of Himalayan monastic life as you dine and meditate alongside the monks. It’s the kind of spiritual simplicity you begin to crave when surrounded by these legendary mountains.

Hike to Sarangkot Hill for the most incredible view of the Annapurnas, or set out for Begnas Lake and the small settlement overlooking the awe-inspiring range for a glimpse of life in one of Nepal’s remote, traditional communities.

The route between two of our favourite properties, the twin Pavilions Himalayas, allows you to dip your toes into Nepal’s famous trekking waters whilst enjoying refreshing respite at either end. The first Pavilions Himalaya, set on an organic farm in Pokhara is a serene place to spend a couple of nights soaking up the bucolic mountain scenery, while a few hours’ hike away, via slopes often blanketed in blooming rhododendrons, the Pavilions Himalayas Lake View gives you space to unwind in lakeside alpine bliss. Picturesque peaks, low-lying lakes, and small villages appear in all their glory along the way, so keep your camera primed.