Whatever the altitude
and difficulties of access, drivers are on the road to
supplying the high places of the world. In India. Baldev's two trucks
and Manoj are driving towards the city of Leh, located at 3500 meters above sea level. Driving on Indian roads is
already an adventure, but if we add to it passes at more than 5000 meters, traffic
intense and some bad weather, the journey is not easy. In Nepal, will Chibou arrive
to reach the city of Jumla? Isolated in the heart of the mountains, this locality is only connected by
just one infamous track, the Karnali Highway. Few drivers
who agree to take it, especially during the monsoon period,
when the rain and the mud, make driving even more dangerous.
Sheer ravine, narrow and slippery track, welcome to the roads
the most dizzying in the world. In Nepal, the Karnali River region is
one of the most remote parts of the world. In the heart of these mountains,
at more than 2000 meters above sea level, the villages remained cut off from the rest
of the country for several centuries. The inhabitants lived there
in total isolation. Without roads, they only had to walk to reach,
the valleys, the schools, the hospitals. But today the mountains
send back the echo of the horns, because since 2003,
a road has been opened. Karnali Highway, the Karnali Highway. Karnali Highway is a narrow, winding cordon
which connects the towns of Surkhet and Jumla. With its 250 kilometers of track
rough carved from the mountainside, Karnali Highway is doing well
wrongly named highway. It was also in 2003 that Chibou, 27 years old,
got his driving license. Regularly, he refuels
Jumla in food. He started in 4x4 before
to move to trucks in 2011. Chibou is one of the rare people who
have been using the highway since it opened. Despite his experience, he never takes
the wheel without the protection of the gods. - With this incense, I pray to the divinity. I ask him that my journey be
blessed, and may everything go well. Some believe in it and others
don't believe it at all. But if you pray, it's good for your soul. Your journey is in the hands of the gods. Relying on the gods is common
among Nepalese drivers, the slightest collision at the bend of a bend,
can have dramatic consequences. Personally, until today,
I have never had an accident. But one day, while we were driving
in convoy, a friend overtook me, and his truck overturned,
right in front of me. The truck in front of me which is an accident
and me right behind, he was injured. It was I who had to rescue him
and bring him back to Surkhet to the hospital. Despite these dangers,
the very young Karnali Highway, represents a real opportunity for
the economic development of the region. In Surkhet, all traders know this
that they owe to this incredible road. - Construction of Karnali Highway
greatly benefited the inhabitants of Surkhet. Because we did a lot of business
with the people of Jumla. The 1st vehicles that reached Jumla
by road were army trucks Nepalese. When the army
managed to reach the city, the residents had a 3-day party. Karnali Highway had to do
the happiness of local populations. But this track has the reputation of being
the most dangerous road in Nepal. - Karnali, it is a very difficult road
and very dangerous for drivers. Every time I go down this road,
I wonder if I'm going to come back or not. And when the monsoon season
arrives, the dangers accumulate. - It's a challenge to go
in Jumna at this time. You have to be an ace driver to go there. - The first time I'm there
went, I was really scared. As a result, volunteers for
traveling is rare. - I won't go because
it's too dangerous. - This year, I know there
had a serious accident. A driver and his assistant died. - I even wanted to stop working
because of this road. - It's playing with your life. If you go there,
you have your life in your hands. However, it is on this road that Chibou,
will soon leave with his assistant Hariran. For now, it's on the streets of
ESPECIALLY that Chibou has to play the horn. Today, Chibou comes to take
delivery of a food shipment to Jumla,
250 kilometers from here. To get there, he plans
a 2 day trip. At 12 hours of driving per day, its average speed will be around 10
kilometers per hour and even at this speed, he must take all precautions
as soon as his truck is loaded. - You have to balance the truck well. The weight must be
well distributed in the 4 corners. I only carry food. It's drink and noodles.
Most often, that's what I deliver. Its loading completed,
Chibou can go to bed. His departure is scheduled for dawn. 1000 kilometers from Surkhet,
Baldev lives in northern India, a mountain man too. In his native village, Baldev has his own farm where
he cultivates a few plots of land. - This is my orchard. There are mango trees. Between 2 trips, he likes to recharge his batteries
here, with family, with his father and son. - My name is Baldev Singh,
I have lived in this village forever. I'm a driver, I do
this profession for a very long time. I really like my job. Thanks to him,
I was able to earn money, get married, build my house. And I was able to develop my farm. At 18, I worked in
a grocery store in Shimla city. I was a salesman and in this store,
I met a trucker. I left with him
and he taught me the trade. It took me 3 years. When he takes a break from
the family farm that he loves so much, Baldev leads a peaceful life,
far from the dangers of the road. Tomorrow he must head back due north.
Direction Leh, the capital of Ladakh. A journey of 600 kilometers awaits him
on the highest road in the world. To reach its destination,
Baldev will have to cross 4 passes. The Col du Rotengle at 3980 meters,
that of Baralaka at 4900 meters, the Chuluun pass at 5060 meters,
and finally the Talang pass at 5300 meters. A journey that Baldev has made several times
times, whose difficulties he knows. - Above Manali,
there is the Col du Rotengle. There is traffic, the road is bad,
we can even have snow. At first it's okay because
the road is dual carriageway, but then it gets complicated. After Keelung, the weather is variable. There is good and bad. In any case, there is no
still having breathing problems. At the Baralaka pass, we are much higher. We're starting to have problems
breathing due to altitude. We have these problems up to the Tanglang pass. Baldev confides little and communicates
rarely with his wife or parents, when he is traveling. His own way
to alleviate their concerns. But his absences always end
by weighing on the whole family. - It's true that we're worried about him, we
never knows where he is or if he's okay. And when he comes back. We have stress all day long,
we don't know anything. Baldev will not say more to his. This evening,
he enjoys one last dinner with the family. He knows when he's leaving, he has no
idea of the day he will return. In Nepal, it is 5 a.m.
when Chibou leaves Surkhet. If he leaves at dawn, it's to be
certain of having reached the town of Menma, located halfway before dark. As for Baldev, he's another trucker
who gave Chibou a taste for driving, his uncle. Thanks to his courses, Chibou knows how to hold a steering wheel
from the age of 16, he even got his license
to drive 2 years before the legal age. - If we look at my papers
identity, I am 27 years old. But in reality I'm 25 years old. I wanted to start as soon as possible. My father said I was 2 years older. That’s how I was able to start young. From now on, it is Chibou who transmits
his knowledge to his young assistants. For 2 months, Harijan, 17 years old,
accompanies him in his deliveries. - He's my brother-in-law. He had stopped his studies. Suddenly, he no longer did anything. I wanted him to learn something
something instead of doing nothing. So I told him: Why don't you come and help me? On Karnali Highway, the trade comes in quickly. The road is not wide enough to
allow 2 vehicles to pass each other, drivers are often
forced to maneuver on the edge of the void. This is where the assistant comes in
tapping the dashboard with his fingers, Harijan tells Chibou that his wheels
are still on the road. - This assistant is called a classis. He is destined to become a driver
late, he starts early and he assists me. It's like a co-pilot. He helps me, he's never done it before. I teach him how to drive,
and he is able to drive. I let him drive when the truck
is empty, but not on this road. She's too bad. This morning, Baldev has a meeting with
another driver from his village. More than a colleague, he is a friend of 10 years.
His name is Manoj. - I have to leave soon,
to go to Manali. Baldev must support a
cargo as heavy as it is fragile. 15 tons of marble slabs,
for a hotel complex. 2 vehicles are required
to deliver this order. Manoj, who owns his truck,
is the ideal partner for this trip. As it rained the night before, the 2
colleagues are concerned about the state of the road. - There is no rain. They won't
not close the road for a few drops. Not a problem. It's not
really monsoon here. There is only yesterday and tonight,
It's just the beginning. - It is better to eat before
to leave, then we go to the truck. There will be tourists,
so a lot of traffic. Due to heavy snowfall, the
Route de Ley is closed 8 months of the year. It only opens from June to September,
but with changing weather, traffic conditions
are never guaranteed. In case of late delivery,
the risk of not being paid is very real. - We do not have a maximum delivery time. But in reality, our customers
tolerate 1 to 2 days delay. But if we put more than one
week, it doesn't work. They can refuse the goods
and refuse to pay us. They are the ones who decide. After a hearty breakfast,
it's the start. The 2 trucks are heading towards
the city of Manali, their 1st stop. To get there, the road
is without any particular danger. This does not prevent Indian truck drivers,
just like their Nepalese neighbors, to use their horn in all circumstances. - Depending on traffic, we do not
don't honk the same way, we honk our horns in traffic jams,
when things are not moving forward, sometimes we honk in short bursts. It's not really necessary,
but we do it out of habit. 2 short blasts are to warn
that we are right behind, or to prevent him
opposite that he can pass. Or ask the one who
precedes us to move aside. There are special horns,
a long shot is to double, to double quickly,
we use the musical horn. Before using a horn,
you have to know how to hold a steering wheel. In his truck, Manoj,
take advantage of this easy road, to transmit his art of
driving to Gauri, his classis. The young man is having a lot of trouble
to maintain a constant speed. It's normal, he doesn't have his license yet. - I like to pass on my profession.
I come from a very poor family. When I became a driver,
I was able to improve my life. So I like to help my classis, because like me, he comes
also from a poor family. So if he can have a
better life, so much the better. On the road to Manali. Baldev's trucks
and Manoj pass through several small towns. This is an opportunity to buy groceries. In desert regions
that they will cross, Bringing food is imperative to
the truckers, otherwise they don't eat. - We shop here because it
There won't be any more stores up there. If we have a breakdown or if the road is closed,
we risk finding ourselves stuck. We take our provisions
to cook for ourselves. That's why we always
our own food. In Nepal. It is without living that
Chibou set off on the road. This is not a problem for him, because
he is supposed to reach Manma before evening. What worries the young driver the most, it's not the thick one either
fog which reduces its visibility, but the rain that never stops falling. - It is raining hard. I have to
Hurry up, otherwise I risk being blocked. 3 hours drive from here,
there is a small stream. But if it rains too much, the torrent
risks turning into a river, and I could no longer cross it. Rain is the enemy
number 1 driver. Not only because
the floods it causes, but also because she
attacks the roadway directly. With runoff water,
trucks risk at any time, to be swept away by a landslide,
or being crushed by a rock several tons, torn from the cliff. Danger may come
from above and below. And when the rain keeps falling,
the road on the edge of a precipice, becomes muddy turns
in a real ice rink. Trucks and men,
are put to the test. Suddenly, the mechanics ends
always faltering. Chibou noticed a suspicious noise.
Harijan his classis, disassemble immediately to check when
another truck appears. Oddly enough, he stops
right next to Chibou's truck. His tire is deflating,
the classis immediately gets to work. Chibou and his colleague are not going
not stay alone for long, with 2 broken down trucks
in the middle of this bend, the vehicles following do not have
no choice but to stop. Little by little, a traffic jam
important begins to form. But no one gets angry. On the contrary, the curious flock to see
the problem, or offer their help. When one of them is in difficulty, the drivers are all
solidarity on Karnali Highway. - They're friends, so no one complains. If a bus arrives, he will complain,
but we traveled together, so it happens like that, quietly. Chibou attacks the repair. Due to the shaking, the cap
which held his head came loose. And the truck's driveshaft,
began to vibrate disturbingly. If it breaks, Chibou won't
will not be able to go any further. - I'm going to put something back
so that she has the head. Without spare parts, he must find
a way to replace the lost cap. On the track, we do
with the means at hand. A piece of metal cut from
a can will do, to close the gap
of the transmission shaft. Chibou is still repairing when
his colleague, finished with his puncture. The trail can finally clear. Chibou, who hoped to join Menma before
at night, will be left alone with his breakdown and waste precious minutes. In India, Baldev and Manoj have
also been forced to stop, a few kilometers after the city of Manali. As they prepare
to cross their first pass, Manoj's truck shows
signs of fatigue. - The brake was hard and the pads
worn out, it no longer braked very well. So, we replace the old ones
pads with new ones. This is very important, otherwise
the brakes will not be reliable. If we leave the drum without
pads, it will also be damaged. Breakdowns are always an opportunity
to learn the trade in classis. As they are not seasoned mechanics,
it is under the direction of their drivers, that they operate. It's not
not to displease Gori, Manoj's assistant. When to screw
bolts rhyme with balance, It's nice to be a classis. Last check, test the brakes. This is essential, before
climb towards the Col du Rotengle, the one that truck drivers fear the most. - It was important
to change these pads. If we don't do it, it remains a problem. Now we no longer have to
think about it and we can go. Let's go for the climb towards the 1ᵉʳ
of the 4 passes that await the driver. The climb to Rotengle is not
definitely a part of pleasure. The panels installed by the army on the edge
of the road speaks for itself. However, the roadway is in good condition, even if it borders one more ravine
more impressive with every turn. What doesn't seem to worry
Baldev. After 18 years in the profession, made his way between the herds
and emptiness is a habit. So far, so good. Except perhaps for his 2 assistants,
who must endure without flinching, his singing talents. For 20 years, the Ladakh region has experienced
significant tourism development. The growing number of cars
on the road bears witness to this. As a result, blockages are frequent. Here as in Nepal, drivers must
master delicate maneuvers. The future of this portion
road looks better. With tourism, infrastructure
roads are modernizing. The longest tunnel in India, 9 kilometers,
is under construction under the mountain. It should shorten the
journey of more than 60 kilometers, bringing down the duration of
5 hour trip, 30 minutes. By 2020, traffic jams on the pass,
will be nothing more than a bad memory. Halfway through, a roadblock obliges
trucks to stop. The army which does the work upstream,
temporarily closed the road. Our drivers do not have
no choice but to wait. - The soldiers stopped us here.
We can't go any further. The road is one way and,
It will last like this until 4 p.m. - Apparently there are rocks
who fell on the road. The delivery of their marbles,
will be late. Despite the setbacks that accumulate, Baldev and Manoj decided
to follow their route plan. - We drove 35 kilometers
from Manali till here. We think we'll still be driving around
100-150 kilometers after the pass. We want to get to Darsha this evening. - Even if we have to drive until 11 p.m. or 12 a.m. So as not to waste a second, the classes
are already at work in the second truck. While the drivers rest, Classis prepare in advance
nans for dinner, that they will take along the way.
The purchase of food was not in vain. In Nepal, when a new
truck comes out onto the track, Chibou is still repairing. The newcomers
come to help immediately. As he tries to climb back
its transmission shaft, with some difficulties,
advice is pouring out. And all opinions differ. Like Chibou, the crew of
this truck is going to Jumla, and everyone is aware that the rain,
is not going to make their journey easier. - If it rains hard in the mountains,
there are floods. Places where there is a small river
can turn into a torrent. In this season, the round trip
may take 1-2 months. You never know how many
time it may take. Sometimes we have to
stop to wait for the flood to subside. It can last several days
if the rain starts again elsewhere. After 1 hour of mechanics, Chibou's truck
is ready to take on the track again. But as soon as he left, he
slowed down by sticky mud. The rain that fell all morning,
made certain sections of road, at the limit of the passable.
But we have to move forward. When the first ponds appear, Chibou risks himself without
even probe the depth. It barely passed. At the sea
Next, Chibou was forced to stop. His classis, Harijan, will lend
a helping hand to the road team who had stopped shortly before to help them. - Do you think it will be of any use?
- We dig to empty the pond, This is to preserve the brakes. They
could break down if it takes on water. We empty it to avoid
to the next, to get stuck. - You don't have a shovel? - Yes, but it works very well with that. On the dizzying roads, the drivers
must have 2 essential qualities: Great patience,
and a lot of composure. In India. After 2 hours of waiting, Baldev
and Manoj will finally hit the road again. The hardest part
of their journey begins. Manoj's furtive prayer,
says a lot about the ordeal that awaits him. To calm his stress, he will go up
the volume of its music and trigger his lights of prayer, to attract
the benevolence of the gods. - The hardest part is
undoubtedly the Rothang Pass. This is where there is the most
mud and stones. You have to be careful with bridges that can
sag under the weight of trucks. I know a driver who had this happen. His truck overturned like
a crosspiece of the bridge gave way, he had his rear wheels in the air.
We know it's dangerous, when you become a driver, what
you bet everything on your truck, you can't go back anymore. I own my
truck, I have to take the risk. I can't refuse to take
the road, because it makes me live. I do not have a choice. If something bad happens
to my truck, it's like it's mine. While only
a few kilometers before the pass, new stop required for our drivers. Clearing work,
are still in progress. And when the traffic starts again,
vigilance must be redoubled. Especially when traffic
becomes anarchic, and the fog and mud get involved. Once over the pass, it's the descent. Always in the bumps. It’s 5 p.m. on Karnali Highway. Since leaving Surkhet, Chibou has not
progressed only 90 kilometers in 12 hours, and he still has 40 kilometers left,
before the planned stage in Manma. But on a growing road
muddy, impossible to accelerate. The situation gets worse when a
quagmire which holds back all vehicles. Chibou is no exception to the rule. These wheels have sunk
in a deep rut. The truck is trapped in mud. Impossible to pass by force,
even for a seasoned driver. This little stone won't change anything. The tractors are better off,
with their huge wheels, they overcome the obstacle much more
easily and without outside help. Once again, classis must intervene. Harijan begins to collect stones,
to fill the hole holding the truck. In those moments,
even the driver gets involved. The sun sets in 1 hour,
there is no question for Chibou, to spend the night stuck in this rut. The road can resume. The quagmire held back many vehicles. When Chibou leaves, a convoy
formed behind him. On Karnali Highway, events that slow down the
There is no shortage of trucks progressing. When it's not mud,
fog or floods, it's another colleague's breakdown,
which forces the convoy to stop. Drivers used to this pace
which alternates waiting and struggling, have no choice but
to take their troubles patiently. Everything is good to pass the time,
play cards, have a snack, take a nap, to hold on to Karnali
Highway, you also have to know how to suffer. The end of the day is approaching
when the convoy leaves. The town of Jumla is still
far away, especially at this rate. So when the roadway becomes correct again,
Chibou tries to make up for lost time. The nearby Karnali River announces
soon the ford of the village of Ramquet. Chibou doesn't know it yet, but over there, Karnali Highway has in store for him
a very unpleasant surprise. At the entrance to the village,
we must once again maneuver, to come across an unusual crowd of buses. With such traffic, things get stuck. Chibou is forced to stop
a new time. - It goes both ways. - Is the water rising high? - It arrives just above the wheels.
- And you say that it’s happening? Water up to the top of the wheels?
Mistrust. Chibou prefers to go and check for himself what
blocks the long line of vehicles in front. Chibou thought he had seen everything
on this road, he was wrong. - I don't do it often
the journey during the monsoon. So this is the first time
I see this kind of problem. I see there is a lot of water, the bus
stopped to cross the river. And now he's blocked the way. The water rose more than a meter.
With the current, cross the ford, become a river, is too risky for
the men who preferred to get off the buses, but also for vehicles. Those who have passed suffer
the consequences immediately. - The water level will eventually
drop, as it no longer rains, just wait and we can move on. In India, Baldev and Manoj
wake up at 4000 meters altitude. They drove part of the night, but
they still have 320 kilometers of road left, and 3 passes to cross,
before reaching their goal. So as soon as you wake up,
Baldev activates his troops. Despite the nearby tent shelters,
the whole team slept in the truck. - We never had a room, we eat
in the truck, we sleep in the truck. This is to be ready to leave early
The morning. When we have to go, we go. If we didn't get up early,
we would sleep until 10 a.m. - It's true that we don't have
no fixed schedule. Normally people pray
in the morning, but we don't. - We do it while driving.
- Whenever. But we have an advantage,
there is no fixed time, and we are our own bosses. If we wanted to sleep until 6 a.m.,
we could, but we never have time. After the traffic jams, Baldev and Manoj will experience loneliness
from the highlands of Ladakh. Most trucks deliver their
goods after the Rohtang pass. Few of them continue to Ley. The road is clear and the truckers are
rewarded by exceptional landscapes. For Manoj. This is an opportunity to give a
new driving course at his classis, in the middle of the mountains. Glori is comfortable, but when
a delicate passage presents itself, Manoj prefers driving with 4 hands. Even if the mountain is beautiful, the truckers
know that it can be very expensive, to those who venture here. Beliefs are stubborn. Also,
between the Baralaka passes and the Schulung, Baldev never fails to take
a moment of contemplation, in a sanctuary revered by drivers. - It's a truck driver who is
dead here, run over by his truck. He didn't have a funeral,
so we put his skull here. His spirit comes to disturb the truckers in
at night he asks them for cigarettes, or fire, he asks for water. That's why there
has a lot of bottles. We can leave him whatever we want. So that he leaves us in peace. The road reserves one last
obstacle to Baldev and Manoj, crossing passes
from Lachulung and Thanglong, at more than 5000 meters above sea level. These passages are often feared,
because of altitude sickness. - I have already had altitude sickness,
it was at the Baralaka pass and up to Pang. On my very first trip through here. I had a terrible headache. It was to the point that if a
another driver had passed, I was ready to leave him
my truck I was in so much pain. I only dreamed of being evacuated by plane. I had no choice, I had to sleep
to Pang, without eating and finishing the road. Manoj was lucky, altitude sickness
can sometimes prove fatal. - I know a truck driver
who after a night in Pang, was found dead in his truck in the morning.
He had had oxygen deficiencies. After crossing the last pass, Baldev
and Manoj can finally rush towards Ley. The last third of the road,
is worry-free or almost. A desert opens before them
50 kilometers of sand, at 4500 meters altitude
where the roadway no longer exists. Here pilots can catch up
lost time and press the mushroom. But we must remain vigilant. At the least
bumps, it's the cargo that is thrown around. And on 600 kilometers of roads,
there was no shortage of bumps. Their client will soon find out. On arrival, the marble slabs
suffered from the journey. The customer says nothing,
but Baldev and his team, feel that they will have to be persuasive
to get paid. - How was the road?
- Is there any damage? - Obviously, it's broken.
The road was terrible. It's not easy to be a driver
on steep roads. After crossing 4 passes, rolled in
the mud, the sand brushed against the precipices, Baldev and Manoj will have to
now negotiate their salary. In Nepal, Chibou was able to cross the torrent, but the rain didn't stop
and he is far from the finish. It was the first time he took
the road during the monsoon, and its cargo is late. He advances anyway, whatever
whatever the difficulties, nothing stops Nepali drivers. Finally, after palaver, the client of
Manoj and Baldev were understanding. The 2 drivers and their
classis were paid. On the way back, Baldev expresses his
joy of going back to his farm, singing.
