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the Annapurna Range seen in Pokhara includes Annapurna I to IV and Annapurna South. Though it’s not the tallest, the sharp triangular peak of Machhapuchhre stands out distinctly from the pack of mountains. Some of the other peaks are higher, but being farther away they are dwarfed by its fishtailed pinnacle.

The magnificent massif of Machhapuchhre has not been conquered. Consequently, the pyramidal façade of this 6993-metre mountain marvel can only be admired, and that’s what tens of thousands of domestic and foreign visitors do each year.

It’s doubtful that there is any place other than Pokhara where so many great Himalayan peaks can be seen from such a close position. Annapurna I is just 50 km away, while Machhapuchhre is 30 km down the road. A sense of awe swept over me as I stood at the lakeside vantage point 900 metres above sea level gazing at an icy summit nearly 7 km high.

It was mid March and the rhododendrons were in full bloom, adding splashes of red to the white of mountain snow and the blue of the sky. March and April are ideal times to visit Pokhara as the winter chill has gone. The only disadvantage is that afternoons can be cloudy with occasional thunderstorms.

Though colder, midOctober to December is the other optimum period.

Autumn is the season when Nature wields a colourful brush of transition over the landscape. Oranges, reds and yellows and patches of pure gold enliven the scene.

I’ve visited Pokhara in both seasons and prefer spring as it’s warm and sunny. It’s comfortable to sit and leisurely gaze at mountains reflected in the glassy waters of Phewa Lake, a 2½ km long body of pure