• Director(s):

    TERREL (Paul)

  • Producer(s):

    LES FILMS EN VRAC, ARTE FRANCE, SCREENSHOT PRODUCTION, POLE PRODUCTION ET COMMUNICATION

  • Territories:

    Worldwide.

  • Production year:

    2015

  • Language(s):

    German, French

  • Rights:

    TV, DVD, NON-THEATRICAL, INTERNET, VOD

It was a long-term dream of ours to take our daughter to Nepal to observe the last surviving Red Pandas. This extremely rare animal, which many photographers dream of capturing on film, is very difficult to approach. 

We headed to Kathmandu, and from there, braved the Himalayan foothills. The Red Panda lives on the high plateaus, at an altitude of over 5,000 metres. We took a 20-hour bus journey on potholed roads that overlook a sheer drop. We then travelled 4 hours by jeep, in the driving Monsoon rain, before having to continue on foot when the wheels started spinning in the mud.

We finally arrived at the hamlet of Kaiyakat, Tassi’s home. Tassi is a biologist, forest ranger and an expert on Pandas. He offered us his hospitality, which we shared with his cow - a very efficient source of heat at that altitude! With Tassi, we set out in search of the elusive pandas, walking for days on end in the rain and clouds.  We even managed to climb above the clouds, and were rewarded with a wonderful present on arrival.