Dolpo – People and Landscape

Writers, film directors, scientists and tourists have all described Dolpo as a
‹last paradise›, the land of the snow leopard, full of myths and magic; a home
to untouched nature and unspoilt Buddhist and Bon culture. One of the most
remote mountain regions in the world, Dolpo is among the least-developed rural
regions of Nepal. A culturally Tibetan region in the upper Dolpa district of
north-western Nepal, Dolpo lies along the border with Tibet (China) and has
been closed to foreigners for decades.

A breathtaking backdrop of snow-capped peaks, rugged ridges and barren, brown-
grey mountains contrasts with the green irrigated pastureland in the region’s
glaciated valleys. Sitting in the rain shadow of the Dhaulagiri massif, Dolpo
receives very little annual rainfall, and its agriculture depends on
irrigation. Largely ignored by the government, the people of Dolpo have
developed a self-sufficient lifestyle that involves hard work, daily risk
taking and a constant fight for survival.

In Dolpo: People and Landscape, Gerda Pauler explores the individuals,
communities and culture that makes Dolpo one of the most fascinating regions
of the Himalaya. Interviews with Dolpo’s inhabitants, meticulous research and
stunning photography make this book a must-read for anyone with an interest in
Central Asia and Nepal.