Honour and privilege to visit the forgotten kingdom

IT is a unique privilege to visit Samagon.

Situated in the Nubri Valley, in the Manaslu conservation area, it is highly restricted and was only opened to permitted trekking groups in 1992.

Art consultant James Giambrone, based in Kathmandu, has been trying to reach the area for more than 30 years.

"I heard about the Nubri back in 71.

"It was restricted and the Kampas (anti-Chinese insurgents) were based here.

"It is the forgotten kingdom," he said.

Working as a photojournalist for the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) he finally made it.

The upshot of this restriction means the Tibetan settlement is a step back in time.

The people of Samagon are about 40 years behind the Sherpa in the Solu-Khumbu, where tourism is well established.

On the outside, life can appear idyllic living in crisp air under the shadow of huge mountains.

There is no traffic apart from traders passing through with yak herds or children walking to school. But the daily grind of physical work and living in stone houses in a cold climate at altitude is not easy.

According to Greg Childs, who completed a study of the area, infant mortality is about 30 per cent for children under six.

But that is life in Samagon.

- © Fairfax NZ News