A temporary settlement of the last nomadic tribe of Raute in the far-west of Nepal. Normally the tribe stays only two to three months in one place, unless there is a death (when they will leave immediately the next day.) Photographer Ram Paudel spent five weeks photographing the lives of the last hunter-gatherer tribe of the Himalayan foothills. This nomadic Raute tribe subsists mainly by hunting monkeys, gathering food from the forests, and selling woodcrafts they make. (Ram Paudel)

Documentary photographer Ram Paudel, 30, recently returned to his country of birth, Nepal, to document the lives of the nomadic Raute tribe. Living in the forests of the Himalayan foothills, these hunter-gatherers call themselves the “Kings of the Forest,” and they have subsisted for centuries by hunting monkeys, gathering food from the forest, and selling crafts they make out of wood.

After reading that the tribe was becoming more open to outsiders, Paudel began planning his trip to photograph them. He reached out to a Kathmandu-based NGO for help locating them, then traveled for three days by bus along a treacherous road to find one of their forest camps.

(MORE: Infrared Photos of Nepal Create a Psychedelic Wonderland)

Paudel spent five weeks photographing the Raute tribe. Because he was not allowed to spend the night in their camp, he slept in a nearby village with farmers, and would wake at dawn every day and hike to their camp. “Taking photos, I always had a fight on those sunny days,” Paudel told weather.com. “I wanted to take portraits of individuals in their natural background without having [too much] sun or shadows. I was always looking for a perfect natural light. That’s why I woke up every day very early.”

Although the tribe speaks its own language, most spoke Nepalese very well, which helped Paudel gain intimate access to their daily lives.

“I have a deep respect towards them for maintaining their nomadic lifestyle in the 21st century. “ Paudel told weather.com. “They are proud, enjoying the freedom of their way of life and their deep connection with nature. I decided to document their lifestyle to bring attention to them from people who don’t even know about their existence. Photography is a wonderful medium to preserve the ancient culture and traditions.”

(MORE: Amazing Photos of Bhutan’s Isolated Yak Herders)

The future for the Raute nomadic tribe is uncertain, as monkey populations decline, cheap plastic goods replace the market for their woodcrafts, and climate change alters the forest in which they live. “Global climate change has strongly affected their living conditions,” Paudel said. “They told me that it will not rain at the right time, which means that the vegetables and other foods they need cannot grow in the forest.”

In addition, while the Raute elders are determined to preserve their unique identity, the younger generations are starting to show interest in the outside world. Paudel said many young men asked him about Kathmandu in hushed whispers, and one even asked if he could join Paudel on his next trip to the city. “These young Raute are curious and interested to learn new things,” Paudel explained. “They might also be interested in socializing and integrating with non-nomadic societies but, I think there are some leaders in their society who do not agree and forbid them to go out.”

Paudel said he is hoping to publish a book of his photographs of the tribe in the near future. To see more of his work, visit his websiteand Facebook page.

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Amazing Destinations You Probably Didn’t Know Existed