This book grew out of our deep fascination for the Himalayas and their wildlife. The Himalayas (meaning ‘the abode of snow’ in Sanskrit) include the highest mountains on our planet, and the region is sometimes considered ‘the third pole’ because of its massive ice and snow deposits. The Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan Plateau also have innumerable high-altitude lakes. Visiting some of these wetlands, teeming with birds, and trekking to reach them was exciting and adventurous. We crossed high passes, traversed vast expanses of dry plateaus, waded through strong Himalayan torrents, walked across the steepest slopes and ploughed through deep snow. We saw Lammergeyers flying high, Robin Accentors flitting from boulder to boulder, Horned Larks feeding their downy young on tawny slopes and flocks of Yellow-billed Choughs indulging in high-altitude acrobatics. We also heard passerines such as Rosefinches singing the most melodious songs.