Living the high life: The village at the top of the world where inhabitants look down at the clouds

By Rachel Rickard Straus

Published: 11:55 EDT, 14 March 2012 | Updated: 12:49 EDT, 14 March 2012

These villagers really do live the high life because the view from their front doors is right above the clouds.

At a height of 2,195 metres - or 7,200 feet - the Nepalese inhabitants of Nagarkot in the Himalayas can count Mount Everest among their nearest neighbours.

A hardy population of 3,500 people carve out an existence on the slopes of the steep mountains farming for centuries with traditional terraces to stop crops sliding away.

Room with a view: Homes in Nagarkot look out onto incredible mountain views and nestling clouds

Watching the world go by: At times Nagarkot benefits from views of incredible scenery, at others the cloud closes in

On top of the world: The village of Nagarkot peeks out through the clouds

Beautiful even on a cloudy day: When they open their front doors, the inhabitants of Nagarkot are greeted with a vista of clouds beneath their feet

Vivid colours: Sunlight refracts through the clouds behind the mountains viewed from Nagarkot

Renowned: Nagarkot is famous for its incredible sunrises, which tourists from around the world go there to witness

But rather than The Tube or busy traffic when these people go to work they are greeted by this incredible vista of clouds beneath their feet.

Photographer Anton Jankovoy, from the Ukraine, travelled to the amazing district 20 miles east of the Nepal capital Kathmandu.

He said: ‘I live and work the most of the year in Nepal and this village is my favourite place there, a place where I spend almost all my free time.

‘The scenery is stunning and for these people living above the clouds is just a normal day for them despite how amazing it looks to the rest of us.

‘Most of us in the rest of the world spend our lives looking up at the clouds but they have to look down to see them, for me this place is heaven.’

Above the clouds:The village of Nagarkot in Nepal is 7,200 feet above sea level and not far from Mount Everest

Unique living conditions: Inhabitants have to use special farming techniques to deal with the steep terrain

Growing up in the clouds: Children of Nagarkot grow up around thickly vegetated hills and lush green valleys, while, left, fetchers and carriers work the narrow paths

Peaceful way of life: Just 3,500 people live in Nagarkot, growing crops and raising cattle

Young and old: The smiles of the locals tell their own happy story about life in Nagarkot