The Indian Himalaya

Nothing can quite match arriving in India for the first time… A torrent of sights, sounds and smells blend in their own unique way, unleashing a refreshing sense of (barely) organised mayhem. But head north towards the peaks of the Indian Himalaya and it's a far quieter story. Cut off from the rest of the country for some 8 months of the year, the region is home to perhaps the most starkly beautiful mountainscapes in the world, a relay of one mighty pass and billiard smooth plateaux after the next. Neighbouring Tibet’s influence is strong, with age-old monasteries perched dramatically atop craggy cliffs and a Buddhist culture that’s very much alive – multi-coloured prayer flags flap madly from pass tops and burgundy-robed monks gather for morning prayers.

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