BAGLUNG:The arrival of the monsoon rains has prompted local herders to move their livestock into the high-altitude pastures of the Dhorpatan Valley for the summer season.

This annual practice sees farmers from nearby settlements travel up into the valley—the site of Nepal’s lone hunting reserve—to let their cattle, sheep, and buffalo roam and feed freely.

The rainy season triggers rapid growth of nutrient-rich alpine grasses, creating an ideal feeding ground for large herds that would otherwise exhaust lowland food sources.

This seasonal migration is a cornerstone of the local economy.

Herders typically camp in the high country for around four months, tending to their animals before making the journey back down to their home villages in the early autumn.