Gokyo is a small settlement high in Nepal’s Khumbu region, set beside a chain of turquoise glacial lakes beneath the Himalaya. Its significance is closely tied to trans-Himalayan trade routes and to Sherpa culture, which has adapted over generations to life at extreme altitude.

Niamey, the capital of Niger, sits along the banks of the Niger River and serves as the country’s political, economic, and cultural center. Its riverside setting provides both scenic views and a hub for local activities, from fishing to small boat transport.

This southern Mexican state borders Guatemala. Its mountainous highlands and dense rainforest are dotted with several Mayan archaeological sites and Spanish colonial towns.

Isola Bella sits on Lake Maggiore as part of the Borromean Islands, closely tied to the ambitions of the Borromeo family who reshaped the rocky outcrop in the 17th century.

This 2,000-year-old city, where the Teutonic Order founded one of its first commanderies in the 13th century, lies on the convergence of the Moselle and Rhine Rivers.