The remote beauty of a hidden Himalayan valley.

Spending a few weeks amid the vaulted peaks of the Himalayas is a requisitepilgrimage for any serious travel trekker or nature enthusiast. Isolated valleys girdled by snowcapped mountains engender a sublime trepidation, as if one were trespassing upon an inhuman landscape fit only for the gods and demons adorning the walls of local temples. Each time one returns one feels humbled by the sheer immensity of these natural marvels. Here, heaven touches the earth and gives the Himalayas its undisputed title as the roof of the world.
The heart of the Himalayas straddles the border between Tibet and Nepal. An extended string of massifs – including Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Manaslu, Cho Oyo, Qomolangma (Mount Everest), Makalu, and Kochenjunga – form an 
imposing wall of 8,000-meters-plus peaks that draw some of the most intrepid (and some say slightly insane) climbing teams in the world.
The best views of a mountain are never from its summit. Instead, I prefer the
valleys hidden among these hulking mounds of ice and rock where one can stay in local villages and bask in all the surrounding grandeur.
This great magnetism drew me back to Nepal to explore one of the last untouched gems of the Himalayas: Mustang. Abutting the Tibetan border, communities within this ancient kingdom shared a longstanding linguistic and religious heritage with Lhasa. Although culturally bound to Tibet, Mustang also maintained close ties with Kathmandu and aligned itself to Nepal in 1951. Over the next 40 years Mustang became a cloistered valley and fiercely guarded the sanctity of its ancient way of life.
It was only when the King of Mustang first permitted tourists into the region in 1991 that the valley slowly opened to the outside world.
Even then, the number of foreign visitors allowed entrance was capped at 1,000 per year, and all required to purchase permits (they persist to this day). Mustang consequently earned the moniker the "Last Forbidden Kingdom" and prided itself on nurturing a distinct and unbroken heritage.
For two weeks I crossed mountain passes offering vistas of villages penned in by irrigated fields of golden grains. These settlements split the arid valleys in a riot of color that was only intensified by the blue skies. Then, at the end of each day, I settled into a local lodge. After tucking into daal and rice, I put down a few glasses of chaang, the fermented beverage of choice, and wandered the surrounding cobblestone alleys.
Lo Manthang, the walled capital of Mustang, is the best place for exploring with its warren of streets and courtyards. Whitewashed adobe houses crowned with fluttering prayer flags were interlaced by channels of water diverted from the surrounding hills. Except for a number of restoration projects, not much has changed here over the centuries.
While the altitude of the region can leave you short of breath, the trek into Mustang is best described as a "walking holiday". Horses can also be rented for those who wish to break up the hike with some equestrian activities. Springtime before the monsoon offers some of the best scenery, as this is when wildflowers burst into bloom. In all, this region of the Himalayas is not to be missed and continues to change with each passing year..

HOW TO GET THERE
You can fly to Kathmandu on Air China via Lhasa, or on China Southern Airlines via Guangzhou. Visas can be obtained on arrival at the airport.

TREKKING ABOUT
For permits and guides in Nepal, arrange for an agent, for example Rajan, at Earthbound Expeditions (www.earthboundexp.com.np). 
Expect to pay around USD1,500 per person for two weeks for guides, porters, and ins and outs.

WHERE TO STAY
Accommodation options within Kathmandu are plentiful, but we recommend the Ganesh Himal with its convenient location near Thamel and Swayanabath (USD20 per night). On the hike, options 
are more limited (read: you go 
where the guides take you).