This is where the landscape really starts to look like another planet. The trail from Nawal winds through dramatic limestone cliffs and deep valleys, with the massive Gangapurna mountain standing guard on the horizon.

While usually frozen, March reveals Kicho Tal as a glassy emerald pool. The water is so impossibly clear it perfectly mirrors the surrounding pines and the vast Himalayan sky.

Standing at the high point above Nawal, the sheer face of Annapurna IV feels close enough to touch. Colorful prayer flags snap in the crisp mountain wind, sending silent blessings across the massive, sun-drenched glaciers.