Dolpa is a most remote and least developed district in Nepal. Although a few anthropologists and geographers had explored the region, the entire district was closed to trekers until 1989 when the southern part of Dolpo was opened to organised trekking groups, Shey is still closed to foreigners. One story cites the reason for closure as the large-scale theft of  statues from monasteries several years ago. It is possible to visit Tibetan-style “inner Dolpo” villages Tarap and at Phoksundo Lake, but most of the southern part of Dolpo is a region of  Hindu influence.