Sarangkot or Nagarkot: which Himalayan sunrise?
Two hill villages famous for Himalayan sunrises, a long day's drive apart. How close the mountains are, whether you will see Everest, and which one suits your trip.
Both are hill villages known for watching the sun come up over the Himalaya. They are also far apart: Nagarkot sits on the rim of the Kathmandu Valley, Sarangkot on a ridge above Pokhara, about 200 km away by road. So the real question is usually which one fits your trip. We live in one of them; here is the comparison as fairly as we can make it.
Side by side
| Compare | Sarangkot | Nagarkot |
|---|---|---|
| Near | Pokhara: about 12 km by road from Lakeside | Kathmandu: about 32 km |
| Height | 1,592 m at the viewpoint | About 2,175 m |
| Nearest big peak | Machhapuchhre (6,993 m), about 27 km | Dorje Lakpa (6,966 m), about 56 km |
| The view | Dhaulagiri, the Annapurnas, Machhapuchhre; Manaslu on very clear days | Ranges from Langtang and Jugal to Ganesh Himal, and more |
| Everest | Not in view | A small point on the horizon on clear days, about 140 km away |
Which has closer mountains?
Sarangkot. Machhapuchhre stands about 27 km away and the Annapurnas 31–38 km, so the range fills the northern sky. From Nagarkot the nearest big peaks are 55–60 km off: a longer, more distant line along the horizon.
Can you see Everest?
From Nagarkot, yes, on a clear day: a small point far to the east, about 140 km away. From Sarangkot, no. Everest is nearly 300 km to the east, beyond the ranges you can see.
Crowds
Both get busy on clear mornings in the autumn season. At Sarangkot the crowd comes up from Lakeside by taxi and on the cable car before dawn, so sleeping on the ridge puts you at the viewpoint before them. Our guide to staying the night in Sarangkot weighs it up.
Which fits your trip?
In Kathmandu with a spare night: Nagarkot is the closer escape.
Heading to Pokhara, where many Annapurna treks begin: Sarangkot is on your way, about 12 km from Lakeside (how to get here).
Doing both: Nagarkot at the start or end of your Kathmandu days, Sarangkot from Pokhara.
For sunrise times by month and which Annapurna peaks are which, see our Sarangkot sunrise guide.
Watch the Annapurnas wake up
Five rooms on the Sarangkot ridge, with the range across the valley. Call or WhatsApp +977 974 552 2082, or write to [email protected].
