The last yak herders of Nepal's Mustang Valley

Unlike their lowland cousins, yaks are a difficult lot. In the silence of these towering mountains where clouds come to die, Tsering’s 60 yaks grunt in symphony, the steam from their nostrils leaving behind a vapour trail in the cold air. As seasons came and went, herd animals would tread all over mountain trails, and for herders like Tsering’s father and grandfather—all of whom raised yaks—borders were inconsequential. “During our father’s time, they would go into Tibet for a whole month with their herds, conduct their pilgrimages, and bring back chyangra goats to sell here," Serab says. In November 2023, China and Nepal agreed to open up Korala for Nepali citizens living in upper Mustang, roughly equivalent to the old Lo kingdom’s boundaries.