Maverick Life

Rediscovering Nepal: Trekking the Himalayas through forgotten film negatives

Photographer and Daily Maverick subeditor Ian Wolstenholme trekked across Nepal’s Himalayas with a film camera in hand. Decades later, he digitised the forgotten negatives — revealing a vivid, time-capsule view of Kathmandu, Pokhara and the iconic mountain trails of Langtang and Everest. All photographs were taken by Ian Wolstenholme.

[caption id="attachment_2717445" align="alignnone" width="2560"] A general view of Kathmandu from Swayambhu temple.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717481" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Inside Swayambhu temple.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717471" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Sleeping man, Kathmandu.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717468" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717466" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Public bathing area.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717465" align="alignnone" width="1716"] Street scene, Kathmandu.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717463" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Phewa Lake, Pokhara.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717461" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Caulking a boat, Phewa Lake, Pokhara.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717459" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Boat rides, Phewa Lake, Pokhara.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717511" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Soccer, Pokhara.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717575" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Annapurna Circuit.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717507" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Annapurna, just before sunrise.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717499" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Taken on a day trip to a monastery on the Annapurna Circuit, somewhere between the Kali Gandaki Valley and Jomsom.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717497" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Marpha, Mustang District.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717494" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Firewood stored on roofs in Marpha.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717491" align="alignnone" width="1738"] Siblings, Marpha.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717436" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Family making breakfast, Khumbu region.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717486" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Porter, Khumbu region.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717484" align="alignnone" width="2560"] A monastery in the Khumbu region.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717502" align="alignnone" width="2560"] Carved and painted rocks, Khumbu Region.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717501" align="alignnone" width="1721"] Namche Bazar, Khumbu region.[/caption] [caption id="attachment_2717476" align="alignnone" width="1721"] Gokyo Valley, looking down on to the Ngozumpa Glacier, the largest in Nepal, Khumbu region. DM[/caption]