Secretive and serene, the Gauri Shankar/Rolwaling trekking area offers an unspoilt, less visited, more authentic Himalayan experience. An inspirational array of climbing peaks lures ever more mountaineers. For some, crossing the Tashi Lapcha pass adds to the magic. The long-forgotten Lapche Valley is a fairytale wonderland, barely accessible on exciting trails that penetrate precipitous canyons and eerie, goblinesque forests. Yak herders, pilgrims, naturalists and curious trekkers are all mesmerised by this valley of the Tibetan sage, Milarepa. Picturesque houses, lush farming terraces, isolated Buddhist monasteries, remote hermitages, colourful Hindu festivals and mystical shaman rituals ensure that cultural interest abounds too. The deep furrows of the Gauri Shankar/Rolwaling region have kept their secrets hidden for long enough; these wild and rugged valleys promise an adventure without equal. With an in-depth description of the cultural wealth of the region, along with details of all the popular and not so well-known trekking trails and climbing peaks in the area, this new guidebook is an indispensable guide to all that the Rolwaling/Gauri Shankar region has to offer.