The morning sun rises over the city of Gorkha. Situated on a high hill overlooking the rivers and fields below, it stands as a sentinel protecting all the eye can see. In ancient times, its kings were the ones to fear. And from their loins came a great king in the 1700s who conquered the entire country of Nepal, thereby keeping it from being a British colony. The city of Gorkha was the capital for King Prithvi Narayan Shah. A warrior king he, with his sword, united the hundreds of tiny kingdoms that dotted Nepal in the mid-1700s. The king had a vision as well as the courage and leadership skills to assert his dominance over a strong-willed people. The city of Gorkha is built on the top of a high hill that affords a commanding view of its surroundings in all directions. At the pinnacle is Gorkha Durbar, the great fortress of the king. Here he could wake up and survey his surroundings. To the north are the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas. Its crown jewel is Mt. Manaslu, rising to an elevation of 8,163 meters (26,781 ft.). Its name means “spirit mountain” and was worshipped by the Tibetans as a god. To the west and south were amazingly fertile valleys which are well watered by fast-flowing mountain rivers. The Gorkha Historical Tour will take you to the top to see the fortress, palace and holy site that is the pride of the people. You will marvel at how they built such a fortress on land that is so steep. In the city below, walk the flagstone streets. Take time to visit the national museum which will detail the amazing history of Nepal’s mightiest king, who’s family ruled until 2008. The devastating earthquake of 2015 has affected the Gorkha Durbar and reconstruction is going on.