Pikey Peak

Pikey Peak rises to 4,065 metres in Solu, the lower Sherpa country south of Khumbu, and it is known for a view: from the summit the Himalaya run from Dhaulagiri in the west through Annapurna, Manaslu, Langtang and Everest to Kanchenjunga in the east, a sweep that Edmund Hillary is often quoted as calling his favourite in Nepal. The trek to it takes five to seven days from Dhap through Sherpa villages, rhododendron forest, yak pastures and gompas, staying low enough that altitude is rarely a problem and quiet enough that you meet few other trekkers, since almost everyone flies past Solu straight to Lukla. Pikey is also a local deity, and the summit carries prayer flags and a shrine.

What you actually see

• The summit panorama - Dhaulagiri to Kanchenjunga on a clear morning.
• Solu Sherpa villages - lower-altitude Sherpa country with gompas.
• Rhododendron forest - the ridges in flower in spring.
• Yak pastures - the high grazing below the summit.

When to go

October to December and March to April. Autumn gives the clearest views; spring brings rhododendrons. Winter is cold with snow on the summit. Monsoon closes the views entirely.

Honest expectations

The summit view is weather-dependent and often absent. Lodges are basic teahouses with fewer comforts than Khumbu. The road access points change as new roads are built. Nights near the top are cold even in autumn.

Nearby

Salleri lies south; Lukla and Khumbu are north.