I’m still not quite finished with the large number of “World’s Most Dangerous Roads” documentaries on Youtube. The most recent one was the famous and treacherous Leh-Manali Highway, which winds through the Himalayas at an average altitude of 13,000′ (4,000 m) and its highest elevation is 17,480′ (5,328 m). It’s open only for six months of the year and is the vital connection between Leh, in Ladakh and Manali, in Himachal Pradesh.
In this scene, the featured truck drivers are guiding traffic around their truck, and it’s a tight fit. Due to the fog, the vast drop off on the right is not visible, but it’s very much there. And this tanker truck just flirted with a plummet to the bottom, which does happen all-too often. Only about half of his inside tire is still in contact with the pavement.
Maybe I’m just being a worry wart, but that looked like a mighty close call.
Here’s the whole thing, if you’re so inclined.
These drivers have nerves of steel. Thanks for the documentary.
I’ll never complain about driving I-95 from Washington to Boston again! I was on some rough roads in Turkey years ago, Diyarbakir to Adana by “Kamil Koc” bus, but that road was a superhighway compared to this trip.
Paul, thanks for putting these videos back on my radar screen – I’d watched a few of them a while ago, and then it slipped my mind. These are incredible, and well-produced documentaries.
Indeed! I watched some of these the first time you mentioned them, and wow!
I was once some years ago physically on a much tamer version of the one about the Guatemalan bus, but that was enough for me in real life. (we only ran off the road a few times and only lost “some” luggage off the top of the bus) It’s amazing what those of us here in the US take for granted versus what others in other parts of the world take for granted there.
Wow! Great film!
In 1973 I visited India with a friend who had family there. As part of our trip we drove from Amritsar to Srinagar in Kashmir. The road was similar to this, but not quite as bad. There was a low stone wall along parts, but no mud, just gravel. There were still huge drops off the side. The original road went through what is now Pakistan, so after partition in 1948 a new road was built in a rush. His family gave us use of a Hindustan Ambassador with a driver. According to Google maps it is now a 400km trip. It took us 2 days, and we finished by going through a tunnel a couple of kilometers long, with no lights or ventilation, and then come out to see a beautiful valley. It was really an adventure, especially in an Ambassador.
Sorry for the quality of the photo. It is a scan of a 45year old Kodachrome. This is the view down on Srinagar.
The only photo I have of the actual road.
Wow ~ those roads look like they’d be much fun on a lightweight Motocycle .
I remember traveling the mountain roads in Guatemala, C.A. in the mid 1970’s on my 1937 Harley Knucklehead, fun times .
I also drove in my 1966 VW Typ III Squareback, glad it was a small and narrow car .
-Nate
Definitely not a worry wort. I’m sure every driver was just as if not more nervous the first few times they drove on such precarious roads. Probably more like accepting one’s possible fate and mitigating the fear (hopefully without drugs or alcohol). Not having watched the documentaries I sure as hell hope these daring drivers and assistants are single without a spouse or children to minimize the impact of dying. Most frustrating is a government without the resources to improve these roads. They need to pass law permitting only one way traffic on odd or even days. That would probably solve most of this until roads can be improved. Unfortunately I think the answer is simply that the government doesn’t have to money to pay for enforcement.
When I lived in Guatemala I’d occasionally ride the buss way out into the country, these were all used American Mid West school buses that were (and still are) dirt cheap , they’d paint them wild colors and add a large cargo rack on the roof, when you boarded the “helpers” grabbed your baggage, live chickens etc. and tossed them up on top then as the bus pulled out they’d clamber up the back and begin settling the various things down .
More than once they guy wasn’t fast enough and the bus entered a tunnel, we’d hear a BIG THUMP then after a bit blood would begin sluicing down the rear windows….
I got run off the road a few times by buses that simply didn’t give a damn, they used the entire mountain road to make better time, I’m lucky to be alive as were (IMO) the passengers .
-Nate
Treacherous trek, to say the least.
These men are aware of the perils they face, but show ultimate bravery and fearlessness to accomplish their goals.
Excellent video!
@BPM Or, maybe like in Mexico etc. etc. the drivers are simply drunk more often than not . ~
I like to ride the local bus anywhere I go just to see how the locals live .
-Nate