Ella Maillart

Ella Maillart (1903–1997) was a Swiss travel writer, photographer, and lecturer. She grew up in Geneva and represented Switzerland in single-handed sailing at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. She was also a member of the Swiss national women’s ski team. From 1930 onward, she undertook numerous journeys, including to the Soviet Union, Afghanistan, China, Tibet, India, and Nepal. She initially worked for the newspaper Le Petit Parisien and later published travel accounts in book form. Her best-known works include Turkestan Solo and Forbidden Journey.