Part of the mountainous system of the Gennargentu, the area of Desulo has preserved over the centuries a natural and socio-cultural heritage that is among the most primordial in the whole Mediterranean basin.
This is one region of wild Sardinia made of ragged and inaccessible mountains, steep ravines and remote plateaus, winter landscapes of utmost beauty snow-howdahed for several months a year. The naturalistic heritage is remarkable too and of high scientific interest, rich in shrubs and trees that make the countryside unique. Junipers, ancient yews, oaks, maple and holly trees, along with the foxglove, the valerian, mountain roses and chestnut trees are just a few of the many species encountered. And such a richness in flora could not fail to be paralleled by a unique fauna. Amongst the ragged chasms live the mouflon, the marten along with a significant population of wild boars, wolves and dormice. Sparrowhawk and goshawk, buzzard, peregrine falcon and kestrel also are encountered, and not uncommonly the mighty flight of the real eagle can be spotted. A wide area of great charm, full of mysteries and still unknown in most of its historical and archaeological aspects. Surely inhabited between the IX and VII centuries BCE, it preserves some indications of the first settlements, amongst which domus de janas, nuraghi, and prehistorical villages. Roman ceramics and coins also have been recently discovered.Yet, overall knowledge of this area is quite fragmentary, due to the lack of both methodological studies and, especially, isolation, which has nonetheless favoured the perpetuation of a traditional culture that still nowadays keeps unaltered the habits of an ancient agro-pastoral civilisation, heart and soul of this most ancient part of Sardinia.