Chiselled, chipped and rugged at every crack and crevice, the mighty outline of Dhaulagiri rises above the deepest gorge on earth, the Kali Gandaki valley, to form the seventh-highest summit on the planet. In Sanskrit the name itself means ‘dazzling white’, and it’s easy to see why. Sparkling glaciers twinkle on the mountaintop and shimmering sheets of brilliant snow plaster the sides of the massif as it runs more than 120 kilometers through the very backbone of the Himalayas.

Below the soaring precipices, folksy backwater towns, monasteries and villages lie concealed between the valleys of isolated Mustang. Here, the medieval mud walls of the ancient Lo city offer up treasures like the Thubchen Gompa, while the revered Muktinath Temple represents a popular pilgrimage spot, rewarding trekkers with a lovely darshan and beautiful scenic views. Meanwhile, budding hikers should be sure to engage an experienced Dhaulagiri tour guide, who can help undertake trekking excursions to wondrous spots like the Kopra Ridge, walks through Nepal’s verdant virgin forests and even more daring ascents up to the very roof of this lofty section of the Himalaya.