After six months of winter, the Himalayas are slowly waking up. The villages at the top of the world are once again accessible by driving. The good news spreads throughout the valleys, but humans and animals alike know that the journey is never an easy one.
Praying is sometimes their last hope, especially since some paths require the power of levitation. No matter the difficulty, it's better to laugh about it. Life is brought back with the return to the fields.
This dust is called Himalayan powder, it's nature's make-up! We have nothing here. All we do in life is work in the village.
We didn't have the chance to study, but now that we have the road, we hope that our lives will improve. Roads mean access to knowledge and discovery. However, traveling the Himalayas requires staying in touch with your instincts.
Nepal is like an impregnable citadel. It has eight of the ten highest mountains in the world. This geography hinders its economic development, so the country has embarked on a vast road-building program, but the remote regions are limited to narrow paths.
One mistake and it's over. When the road disappears under the snow, the mules take over. Be careful.
Going back to the village becomes an odyssey. . .
It's too deep, and the mules are sinking. For both animals and people. Hold her hand.
Only look at where you put your feet, nothing else! Its mountains seem hostile, but those who know how to deal with them often find fulfillment. For us, this is the perfect place.
We can concentrate on our prayers and meditation. At least the bad news of the world can't reach us here. In Nepal, you have to keep your chakras open to face the trails that crisscross the mountains.
In the country, some towns are inaccessible by road, such as Simikot, located at an altitude of 2,900 meters. To reach it, you have to take a small plane or walk for three days, following the mule convoys that supply the town. Prajwal is the mayor of a remote village.
He's about to return with an essential delivery. One thousand five hundred inhabitants are counting on him. You have to put all the medicine in this box.
Wrap it up! This load is very important to us. I had to fight to get this medicine and several batches of vaccines from the health authorities.
We have many problems in the Limi Valley. We have neither a doctor nor a hospital. We're cut off from the world.
In the past four years, more and more cars have appeared. The town of Simikot and its villages are now linked by a road, but sometimes the villagers have to swap vehicles for mules and a good pair of shoes. Prajwal and his group face a 100-kilometer journey through the high mountains to reach their village in the Limi Valley.
This track has revolutionized traveling in the region. People used to move around very little. We had no roads.
We never imagined that there would be cars here one day! The first one we received was delivered by helicopter. You can't imagine how crowded it was.
It was the first time people had seen a car. Here, the slightest mistake can cost us our lives. I pray to the gods that nothing happens to us.
Help us clear these rocks! We, the people of Limi, must always be prepared for problems on the road. This does not bode well for the rest of the journey.
Since he became mayor three and a half years ago, Prajwal has been doing everything he can to advance his valley, such as opening it up to tourism. Today, his village only welcomes 40 holidaymakers a year. He would like to see many more.
It's been four months since I left the village and went to Kathmandu. I went to plead our case with the government to secure aid for the village. It's hard to leave your family and friends for so long.
However, if I don't do it, who is going to get the funds to develop the valley? In the meantime, the state has paid for two nurses to accompany him and inject the children with vaccines. In total, there are about ten of them returning to the village.
We stop here. After 30 kilometers, the track ends. It's still under construction.
Now, they will have to walk along a cliffside to reach a road where other cars are waiting for them. [Nepali spoken audio] Can we load this on the mules? It's the vaccines.
Be careful how you handle them. It's not good to shake them too much. The doctors don't go to such remote places.
It's up to me as a nurse to look after these people. The path is steep, so you'll have to be careful. The mules leave an hour early, giving the team time to regain their strength.
They make a diversion to the top of the mountain. To catch up with them, the men take a shortcut, but it's a risky one. Let's not hang around here.
The risk of falling rocks is extremely high. A few hours ago, two people were badly injured. They were evacuated for treatment.
The rocks keep falling, let's go! Come on, come on, let's move! A little further on, it's much worse.
This trail is crazy! I'm very afraid, I'm going to turn back. Hold his hand, I'll secure this side.
Put your stick here. Slowly, slowly. Send the rope to us.
It's your turn. Slowly, slowly. Take small steps.
Put your feet down. Let go of the rope now! Life is very difficult here.
It's paths like these that make our job difficult. After ten kilometers of perilous walking, the group finds the mules. The journey has only just begun.
The Himalayas still hold many surprises for them. Walking in these mountains requires courage, the drivers need even more. Too much speed, and they'll end up in the ravine.
Not enough speed, and they deliver late, resulting in a cut to their salary. Nagendra has resorted to accelerating regardless of the road conditions or the weather. Come on, let's go!
I'm going to be late. We like to play dangerous games. These roads don't scare us.
However, it's not only the ravines you need to be careful of, in town, danger is everywhere. Killing a beast can cost the driver a lot of money. If I run over a chicken, I can get into trouble.
The local people ask €100 to €150 of you if you run over one of their chickens. They say that with one chicken, they could get 15 or 20 chicks. In his trailer, Nagendra carries rice, oil, and petrol, 14 tons of goods he delivers to Gamgadhi, 140 kilometers away, precariously balanced on the edge of a bottomless pit.
He did not choose this job. My father died when I was 15. I had to stop my studies because my mother was too old to work.
It was up to me, the eldest son, to provide for my family and take on the role of a father. It's a shame because I was good at school. My life is like that of a deer going down the cliff.
This is the most dangerous part of the road. If you look to the right, you can't even see the edge of the road. If you slip, there's nothing to hold you back.
We dive straight into the river. The slightest mistake, and it's over. I have three friends who died here.
Praise the Lord, he is with us! There is nothing but emptiness all around. The poor state of Nepal's roads isolates entire regions and keeps the country in poverty.
To improve its infrastructure, the authorities have joined their Chinese neighbor's project to build the new Silk Road. For the past four years, construction sites have been popping up all over Nepal, but in remote valleys, like where Nagendra drives, the money only arrives in dribs and drabs. The track is still king.
Tired men and machines. Fortunately, solidarity is strong among drivers. A friend asked Nagendra to come and save him.
His truck had been broken down for several days. Hi, how are you? I'm fine.
Hold the ropes tight. We'll slide him under the board. Hold it tight.
Let go of the ballast. They have been here for four days. They have been here for four days.
I brought the part from Surkhet, so now they can fix it. After a long hill, my truck started vibrating, and the driveshaft broke. Look, here is the shaft.
When it broke, it also damaged the gear. Brother, do you have a 14-millimeter spanner? I'll take a look.
They've been driving for seven hours without stopping. There's nothing like a good meal or a song of good omen to cheer them up. [Nepali spoken audio] The trucks reached our village, but they never left.
The mechanics can't fix it. Nagendra tries to help them, even if he may be late with his delivery. On the road to the Limi Valley, after having crossed a perilous passage, Prajwal and his team were picked up by cars that dropped them off at this hostel.
It was their last night with some comfort. Where is the second bag? Look at it!
Let's put them together. Prajwal is on edge. They still have about 50 kilometers to go, with two treacherous passes at 4,500 and 5,000 meters in altitude to cross.
It's going to be cold. If there is heavy snowfall it will be very difficult to cross the pass. To everyone's relief, a stretch of track is once again passable by a 4x4, but it's out of the question to separate from the mules.
It's a safety measure. If the cars can't pass, the animals will still be able to pass with the cargo and medicine. Pull the strap.
The road is pretty good so far, but it might get complicated up there. As they arrive at an altitude of 4,000 meters, the earth gradually gives way to ice. I think it should pass.
Is the river frozen there? Yes. Be careful.
Turn left instead. Go like this. That was superb.
However, not for long. When the snow starts to melt, it causes major landslides. -What's going on?
-We'll have to go down to clear the track. Look at all these rocks! The road is in a really bad state.
Look, there are big blocks everywhere. I don't think the 4WDs will be able to get any higher. There is nothing to be done, it's blocked all the way up.
[Nepali spoken audio] The mayor and his team have no choice but to continue on foot. It's getting hard to walk on the steep track, but the yaks are doing fine. The strength of my youth has been swept away by the river.
The walk is all the more difficult as they carry the coolers containing the vaccines on their backs. They're too fragile for the mules to carry. They must find the animals.
Otherwise, they will spend the night at minus six degrees centigrade without tents or sleeping bags, an unthinkable option. At around 4,500 meters, their bodies become heavy, the muscles struggle, and for good reason. It's getting hard to breathe.
At this altitude, oxygen starts to run out. As the group tires, the mules appear. We'll set up camp here.
I hope we can find water. I'm trying to break the ice to get water from the lake. When night falls, the temperature drops from 15 degrees to zero.
-It's too cold. -Go and warm up in the tent. The men laugh, but the muleteer is not amused.
Finally sheltered, he expresses his fear of climbing up to 5,000 meters and of seeing his animals risk breaking a leg by sinking into the snow. If there is too much snow tomorrow, we will help you. Don't worry about your mules, we won't leave you alone.
The snow will put them to the test, but they are far from predicting the trouble they will experience. Living on top of the world requires courage and patience. Nagendra spent part of the night repairing his friend's truck, and they're finally ready to leave.
Make sure that all the screws are well screwed in, the work must be well done. The last nut is barely screwed on when Nagendra sets off. He has 60 kilometers left out of 140.
Let's go back! Now, he has to make up for lost time. The driver speeds up no matter how narrow the road is, and it's barely wider than his truck.
The traffic in the mountains is enough to make you sweat. He should come forward a bit. The young boss accepts the risks of his job.
He just wishes that the roads, if they can't be wider, were at least in good condition. I earn about €250 per trip, but considering the risks, it's a pittance. That's because if you break your truck, you lose everything.
There are many traps along the road. If not for the holes, sand also poses a problem. The truck is stuck, we can't move forward.
We still have this problem with these roads. We're almost there, but there are issues right up to the end. However, by a dint of perseverance, the 17-ton truck finally pulls itself out of the sand.
I try to travel a lot, sometimes five or six times a month. I work day and night to earn as much money as possible. I have loans to pay back.
I am building a house. You have to work hard to pay for all of this. After a two-day journey of only 140 kilometers, Nagendra finally reaches his final destination, the town of Gamgadhi.
It wasn't easy, but we arrived safe and sound. We're happy. It's so desolate here that people have trouble getting a single box of aspirin!
We all dream of having a nice road. However, in the 14 years that the track has been in existence, we haven't seen much improvement, so let's not dream too much. In these regions, many people live off of odd jobs, like these rock breakers who make gravel, which they sell to construction companies.
Most Nepalese are herders or farmers, but in this mountainous country, only 20% of the land is arable. Tourism remains the most profitable sector, with mountain trekking as the main activity. For the Nepalese, this is not a sport but a daily routine they could do without.
Prajwal and his group spent the night in the mountains, and for the past two days, they've been alternating between driving and walking along dangerous trails. They carry medicine and vaccines for the people of the Limi Valley. We have to get over the pass before 11:00 a.
m. After that, the wind might pick up and the weather could quickly deteriorate. If that happens, we won't make it tonight, and we'll sleep in the tent again!
They still have 35 kilometers to go to the village, but the muleteer is worried. The snow that fell during the night might complicate the ascent for his animals. A terrible ordeal awaits them.
Easy, easy. Five hours of walking separate them from the summit. The two nurses are already getting tired.
You can't even see the pass because of the snow. Look, we'll have to go all the way up! At more than 5,100 meters.
I have aches and pains all over. It's getting hard to walk in this snow. However, we mountain women are strong.
After hours of climbing, a group of adults and children appeared out of nowhere. Hello! They don't bring good news.
How is it up there? Can we cross? It's very difficult.
There was a group with 11 horses that had to turn back. The animals couldn't cross the pass. These words do not reassure the muleteer, who is on the verge of turning back.
As for these children, they've been walking for several days. We came from the Limi Valley and are going to Kathmandu. High school classes will resume.
Take care of yourself and study hard. In their village, school stops at college. The group did not have to wait long before struggling in the snow.
[Nepali spoken audio] It's too much suffering for the animals, even if the men relieve them of their load. The muleteer makes a decision with far-reaching consequences. [Nepali spoken audio] My mules can't go any further.
It's difficult, but a few more meters and it will get better. Look at the schoolchildren coming down from the pass, they were fine! The man doesn't want to find out.
He deems it too dangerous for the animals. Please don't unload the mules. We agreed to go as far as the mules could walk.
Why are you unloading? What are you doing? What are you doing?
This is as far as I go. You should have told us before you started the journey! You can't abandon us now!
It's hard, just a few more meters. They beg you to go on, but it doesn't matter. What kind of person are you?
Please don't go! There is a lot of snow. There are still two or three hours of walking to the summit.
The mules cannot go any further, they could die. I'm not going to take that risk. Here, put them there.
We have to leave part of our load behind. In a few days, we will send men from the village to collect the bags. Come on.
Be careful! Indeed, the mules would never have passed. Two hours later, all of them reach the pass, which ends at over 5,000 meters, close to the gods.
Let's wave those prayer flags! The colors represent the five elements, and each flag has a prayer written on it that is fulfilled when it floats in the wind. We reached the top with the help of the gods.
We wave the prayer flags to thank and appease them. [Nepali spoken audio] We, the people of Limi, believe in reincarnation. Dead or alive, we will always pray to the gods.
-How far is Limi? -It's very far! We'll have to walk till late in the night, as we don't have any tent or food.
By not turning back with the mules, they took a big risk. Without them, it would be impossible to transport the tents and the food. They kept the most fragile thing with them, the vaccines.
The village is still far away, so to spend the night, they are condemned to reach a sheep pen, only, it's 20 kilometers further down the mountain. At 6:00 p. m.
, the temperature drops below zero. We are still far away. We absolutely must reach the sheep pen, even if we are very tired.
Otherwise, we will die of hypothermia! The whole group is in Prajwal's hands. There are no landmarks, and only he can find his way in the night.
He can't make a single mistake. Be careful where you walk, the path is icy here. We're going to cross here.
The sheep pen is on the other side of the river. They're almost saved. The owner is nowhere to be found.
It's a matter of life and death. Prajwal acts fast. It's 11:00 p.
m. We've walked for almost 12 hours today. We almost slept outside.
Tonight, they'll only drink tea. The next morning, Prajwal gets up at the crack of dawn. He goes to look for cars that are ten kilometers away.
Come on, we have to go. Come on, everyone, inside. Let's go.
The last few kilometers are easy compared to the journey they just experienced. They finally reach the Limi Valley. Protected by surrounding mountains, which exceed 6,000 meters, Limi is one of the most protected valleys in Nepal.
The three villages nestled in its heart are home to 1,500 people with no running water and only one hour of electricity per day. I am very happy that we all arrived safely. Fortunately, everything went okay.
I'm reassured about the vaccines, everything is fine. Take off your jacket and put on the traditional coat! Come on, put it on!
Prajwal's welcome is celebrated because of his status as mayor. This is our traditional dress. When you are in the presence of the people of the village and you have responsibilities as mayor, for example, you have to wear this outfit.
It's a way of preserving our culture. Especially since, on that day, the village is organizing a big party, everyone has put on their best clothes to celebrate a year without any deaths. It's exceptional, so the monks want to thank the gods.
Come on, let's go! Our people are originally from Tibet. This representation is linked to our history and our religious beliefs.
In the Limy Valley, traditions are so strong that they can become a burden. On this side of Nepal, on the Tibetan border, the villages are run by Buddhist monks. It's not official, but it is part of the tradition.
They even have authority over the mayor. It is the life of the monastery that brings the whole village together. People follow the rules dictated by the monks, and it works for them.
For example, the second son of each family is sent to the monastery to become a monk. Another rule is that the villagers must never leave to live elsewhere. Otherwise, there would not be enough people in the village.
There would be no one left to maintain the monastery and serve the monks. At the moment, their prayers are directed toward the mountain. Up there lurks a danger, a threat so great that it could wipe out the village in a matter of minutes.
At an altitude of 5,000 meters, global warming is taking its toll. Glaciers are melting, and lakes are forming. At any moment, the banks could give way and release hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of water.
If it happens, the tsunami would enter through this gully. To face a future disaster, the village fortifies itself by building dikes. Everywhere else, it's the mules that carry the loads, but in Limi, we are the mules.
Everyone is on the same page, young and old. Even the mayor has his hands in the dirt. He could watch us work, but that's not how it is here.
We are a community. Everyone is conscripted, as help from the state is almost non-existent. We will not abandon our village.
The landslides and floods are taking away our houses and the land we farm. However, we were born here, so we can't leave. Many people ask us why we live in such a risky place and why we don't go somewhere else.
We will stay here. The monastery is everything to us. It is our treasure.
It is impossible for us to leave the land of our ancestors. Although Nepal emits very little greenhouse gas, it is one of the countries most affected by global warming. Since 1997, a quarter of its glaciers have disappeared.
The inhabitants of the Limi Valley don't ask for much, just electricity, a road, and cars, to get by like everyone else.
