While not quite the highest of the Mahalangur peaks that straddle the Himalayan borderline between Nepal and the Tibetan Plateau (that honour goes to the mighty Everest), Makalu is certainly no baby. Standing at a whopping 8,485 metres above sea level, this chiselled edifice of rock and ice and glacier remains one of the more formidable of the world’s so-called eight-thousanders, famed for its technically demanding summit routes, requiring numerous near-vertical ascents and plenty of physical endurance to weather the constant buffering of storms flowing over this section of the Himalaya.

But travellers need not risk the climb to appreciate this one’s stupefying beauty. No sir, Makalu tour guides also offer trips through the majestic Barun Valley that sprawls out over nearly 50 kilometres from the base of the great mount itself. Here, cascading waterfalls turn to mist as they drift over rugged gorges, glaciers peer overhead, exotic plants and wild flowers shelter abundant wildlife, and the mystical dome caves of Shiv Dhara draw pilgrims and curious souls aplenty. No wonder the Buddhists consider this one of the seven sacred Beyuls, where life will endure post apocalypse.