23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Prayers Among the Mountains

Colorful prayer flags flutter in the cold Himalayan wind above the village of Kyanjin Gompa in Nepal’s Langtang Valley. Below lies the settlement surrounded by snow-covered peaks — a landscape scarred by the 2015 earthquake yet full of quiet strength and endurance. The scene reflects the spiritual bond between the people of the Himalayas and the mountains they worship as living deities.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 03.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Kyanjin-Ri (4773m) near Kyangjing Gompa, Nepal
Camera: iPhone 15 Pro Max
Copyright: © URSZULA KARGOL