Nepal in January

A preserved Newari hill town on a ridge above the Marsyangdi, between Kathmandu and Pokhara.

The two best-preserved Newari cities in the valley — Durbar Squares, courtyards and metalwork alleys.

A short, low-altitude teahouse loop through Gurung villages below the Annapurna South face.

A short teahouse trek to a famous sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna South.

The ancestral seat of the Shah dynasty, with the hilltop Gorkha Durbar and Gorakhnath temple.

Nepal's tea capital — emerald garden slopes, Antu Danda sunrises and Sandakphu views into India.

Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Durbar Squares, and a Himalayan sunrise from Nagarkot.

The birthplace of the Buddha, with the Maya Devi Temple, the Ashoka Pillar and a monastic zone of world temples.

Lakeside town under the Annapurnas — boating, paragliding, cafes and sunrise at Sarangkot.

A historic hill town of Newari traders between Pokhara and Lumbini, with a durbar and metalwork bazaar.

The former Kingdom of Lo — cave cities, red cliffs and the walled capital of Lo Manthang.