The Manali-Leh Highway - India’s Road to the Himalayas

by Holger Preusse
43’, Germany, 2010

The so-called Manali-Leh highway is the access road to the “Roof of the World”. 475 kilometres of road, accessible only from June to September, connect the cities of Manali and Leh, in the heart of the Ladakh. To negotiate fi ve of the highest passes in the world, that reach as much as 5.325 metres, is an accomplishment for both the men and for their vehicles. Th e thin air of the high mountains, the sudden landslides, and the cracks that open in the glaciers and snow transform trips on this road into dangerous adventures.

Holger Preusse
After studying German literature, political economics, philosophy, and sociology at the University of Munich, Holger Preusses began making documentaries in many parts of the world. Whether fi lming in deserts, forests, caves, underwater, or on mountain tops, his preferred subjects are nature and adventure.