After weaving through snaky, snow-laced trails and crossing two camps, we reached ‘Strenpass’ (5,258m), from Thini in Jomsom, Mustang. The air was cold and the hills, claustrophobic. From its great height, Strenpass overlooked the sprawling, pristine Tilicho lake.

Small specks of clouds were reflected on the lake’s sky blue surface, as if they were floating on the water, bound by some kind of sorcery. The water was flirting with the wind, quietly and mysteriously. This lake scene, enclosed by mountains from all sides, seemed more like a beautiful painting than a part of nature. One struggles to find the right words to describe the atmosphere around the lake. Once by the lake, I began to have romantic feelings about how life could be if only I could stay there forever.

But this is not all about the trip to Tilicho. The lifestyle and culture of the people inhabiting these lands, along with the climate and wildlife, are bound to change your perspective on life itself.

Even though the journey does pose some difficulty for someone dwelling in the cities, the fruit of the struggle is sweet.

Here are some photographs chronicling one such trip to majestic Tilicho lake.

Despite the hard land, farming is still a major occupation for locals.

Cows graze in the foreground with the Niligiri peak in the back.

The ‘sky caves’ of Mustang are man-made caves built onto the side of valleys.

 Homes in Thinigaun are still built in traditional styles. 

 Domestic tourists on a horse ride to Tilicho.  

Sheep and mountain goats are left to graze in arid Mustang’s few grasslands.