ZANSKAR : SCHOOLCHILDREN OF THE PEAKS | France 5 | Les Routes de l'Impossible

At an altitude of over 4,000 m, the village of Ralakum is not easy to reach. To reach it, Nima and her son have to drive their 4×4 over passes at an altitude of over 5,000 m, wind their way through dizzying gorges and then walk for miles on a frozen river.

Nestled in the heart of the Himalayas in northern India, the ancient kingdom of Zanskar has long been accessible only on foot during the long winter months. The impassable passes forced the inhabitants to embark on a perilous journey on the “chadar”, the frozen river. Weeks of walking in polar temperatures to reach the neighboring Ladakh valley.

New roads are gradually opening up the region, but it will take years yet. To enable his son to study, Nima, originally from Zanskar, chose to settle in Leh. Every winter, the two men undertake an epic journey back to their native village. In these valleys, the inhabitants live almost self-sufficiently, but nothing grows in winter. Once or twice a week, Tashi and his assistant Thinle risk everything to deliver fresh fruit and vegetables. But each time, their old van has to cross one of the region’s most formidable passes.

Snow and ice are always present, and at an altitude of 5000 m, there’s no room for error.

Carved into the rock, overlooking lunar landscapes, the Phutkal monastery is considered the most beautiful in Zanskar. Getting there is hard work, but 9-year-old Tenzin doesn’t walk for hours in vain. The child is destined to be a monk, and will study within its walls for many months…