Mountains and great volcanoes

There are two volcanos near Berastagi that can be trekked; Sibayak (2,212 m) and Sinabung (2,450 m). The latest being the tallest one with the best view. The start of the trail can be difficult to find, but else fairly easy to follow to the top, where the stunning views are waiting. There are steep sections, where the use of hands is necessary. The trek can be done in one day from Berastagi town, but remember to get down from the summit in time before dark. Keep in mind that Mt. Sinabung is an active volcano, which can erupt anytime.

The volcano Fujisan is the icon of Japan and something you have to at least see, but even better hike. Its symmetrical cone is easily visible from Tokyo on a clear day and it's only getting more impressive the closer you get. The trek to the summit is fairly easy (though cold) and there are huts and tea houses along the routes that are open in the season (1st July to 27th August). It's probably the most trekked mountain in the world with more than 200,000 trekkers per year, but it only adds to the pilgrim experience to do it in crowds.

Mount Kenya (5,199 m), second only to Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) in Africa, actually consists of several peaks, the third highest (Point Lenana, 4,985 m) of which can be scaled without ropes. The park is stunning, with a wide variety of habitats. There are a number of approaches, with the slightly longer Chogoria being the most beautiful. Sirimon is a good alternative, and the two can be combined for a 5/6-day walk. The walking begins around 3,000 m, and if you are coming from Nairobi (1,500 m), be sure to take the high altitude into account. The summit is best experienced at sunrise; the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro can be seen on clear mornings. The hike is tough, and many visitors have to turn back before they reach the top. Hiring porters and a guide will increase your chances of success, and decrease the risk of getting lost. Also beware of the weather – the top of Mt Kenya has a permanent glacier, and temperatures on the mountains fall well below freezing on most nights. Too much rain or snow can make the experience unpleasant and dangerous. On a clear day, however, there are few places that can claim to be more beautiful.

Sary Moghul village is less visited than its neighbour Sary Tash, which lies 30 km away on the Pamir Highway connecting Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. However, the detour here rarely disappoints. The area offers spectacular views of year-round snowy mountains, including Lenin Peak (7,134 m), Kyrgyzstan's second highest and the world's easiest mountain to scale over 7,000 metres. You can trek to the top of Lenin Peak with no actual climbing or need for ropes, the only problems being altitude sickness and very unpredictable weather. Even if you're not a mountaineer, Sary Moghul is well worth a visit in itself. The people here are very strict Muslims. Unusual for Kyrgyzstan, when the call to prayer begins, you will see even young children in the streets drop to their knees to prostrate themselves. People observe Ramadan strictly even when it falls in summer, depriving themselves of food and water all day while they work in the fields in blistering heat. There are plenty of trekking opportunities to lakes, yak herders' yurt encampments and mud-built farmsteads in the surrounding mountains.

One thing that makes Mt. Kinabalu stand out from other mountains is the fact that it is possible to take in its full scale. On a clear day you can splash around in the South Chinese Sea along Borneo's shore and see Mt. Kinabalu's grey dome rise dramatically above the green and lush jungle less than 50 km inland. Today, no skills are required to trek it and the tracks are well marked. It can be done in a very long day, but two days are strongly recommended. This way you can get some rest in one of the huts below the bald granite, before heading for Low's peak, which is the highest point, in total darkness to watch the sunrise light up Borneo.

Ama Dablam is one of the most beautiful mountains of Sagarmatha National Park in the Himalayas. When you look at the Everest mountain range for the first time, Ama Dablam (and not Mount Everest) definitely is the most conspicuous and impressive sight. The steep snowy peak was climbed for the first time in 1961 and is among the most popular and most technically difficult mountains to climb. The characteristic double peak, (the highest peak is 6,812 m and the lower peak, 5,563 m), makes the mountain a great bearing compass when you trek to the Everest Base Camp or around the region.

Sagarmatha National Park is on the Natural World Heritage List and covers an area of approximately 1,150 km² in the Himalayan mountains. The park's mountains have heights ranging from 2,800 to 8,840 m (Mount Everest peak), and it is this area you trek through if, for example, you go to Mount Everest Base Camp. You get nothing less than a breathtaking moment when, after many hours of hard trekking - typically from the town of Namche Bazaar, you spot the first sight of the Everest mountain range and Mount Everest itself. The best time to trek in this area is in October, when you will have the best chances of fine weather and sunshine.

Hushe Valley is the gateway to K2 (8,611 m), however you can't see K2 from the valley, but the views of the Masherbrum massif (7,821 m) are spectacular. The K2 base camp is several days' hike away, but most trekkers will spend about 14 days for the return hike to the base camp. Hushe Valley is literally the end of the road, and you will cross several wooden bridges just wide enough for your 4x4 (which is necessary). Hushe Valley will usually be visited on a day trip from Khaplu, but there are guest houses.

Nanga Parbat is the 9th highest mountain in the world and the second highest in Pakistan after K2 (8,611 m). The name means "naked mountain" due to the bare slopes, but its nickname is "Killer Mountain" due to the many deaths of climbers and sherpas. It was first climbed in 1953 (one month after the first ascent of Mt. Everst), but was first climbed during winter in 2016.

Rakaposhi (7,788 m) is "only" the 27th highest peak in the world, but it has the longest unbroken slope on the planet. From the viewpoint at the Karakoram Highway at 1,950 m the peak is 11 km away, but the rise in altitude is almost 6,000 meters, which you have uninterrupted views of. At the foot of the snow covered peak runs Ghulmet glacier, which feed the gushing river below. There are a couple of cafés and shops at the viewpoint.