Ella Maillart was, alongside Annemarie Schwarzenbach and Nicolas Bouvier, the most significant travel writer in Switzerland. For decades, the native Genevan lived in the mountain village of Sinailles in Valais. When Nepal opened up to tourists, she set out to discover whether the lifestyles, customs, and traditions of the people of Valais could be found among the Sherpas in the Himalayas. Wherever she went, she encountered curiosity and sympathy; she describes the Sherpas as people with a great sense of humor and spiritual devotion, who calmly endure the hardships of their life in the mountains. Maillart wrote a vivid, engaging account of her experiences, accompanied by impressive photographs.