The Himalayan regions of India are, in many respects, lands apart from the rest of the country. Inaccessible for much of the year, the convoluted valley systems rising from the Gangetic Plains to the gleaming ice peaks of the Great Himalayan range offer a fascinating counterpoint to life at sea level. In the northwest, the states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, and regions of Kashmir and Ladakh, each have their own distinct landscapes and cultural traditions, while in the far northeast, beyond Nepal, Sikkim retains the feel of a traditional Himalayan kingdom. Whether you’re flying, driving or trekking into the world’s highest mountain range, prepare to enter another world.