INDIA // High in the western Himalaya hides a 5km (3-mile) valley of almost mythological reputation. British mountaineer Frank Smythe first popularised the valley in the 1930s, calling it the most beautiful valley in the world. The real draw is botanical; a kaleidoscope of over 300 species of wildflowers carpets the meadows every July and August, cloaking the valley in a lush scent, just as the rest of India is getting pummelled by monsoon rains. Only day hikes are allowed in the national park; a second hike leads to Hem Kund, a glacial lake sacred to Sikh pilgrims.