0:00:04 > 0:00:08Mount Everest - the world's highest mountain.
0:00:13 > 0:00:18Every year hundreds of climbers, both professional and amateur,
0:00:18 > 0:00:20successfully reach the top.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26At any one time in the climbing season
0:00:26 > 0:00:29there are over 1,000 people making the attempt.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Behind virtually every endeavour lies the support
0:00:35 > 0:00:40and expertise of the Sherpas - the unsung heroes of the mountain.
0:00:45 > 0:00:50They guide, carry the equipment, prepare the routes
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and rescue climbers who get into difficulty,
0:00:53 > 0:00:57every day risking their own lives so that others can claim the glory.
0:01:02 > 0:01:06Without them, only the hardiest and most skilled mountaineers
0:01:06 > 0:01:08would succeed.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14This is their story.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32Kathmandu, Nepal.
0:01:35 > 0:01:39Its chaotic streets couldn't be more different to the tranquil
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Sherpa villages high in the mountains.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49It is the home of Ngima, who hopes to give his children a better future
0:01:49 > 0:01:51in this overcrowded city.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Phurba comes from a remote forest village in the Makalu region.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Lukla, the hub of Himalayan tourism, is the home of Ngima Tenji.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22Gelu Sherpa is less typical.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26He spends the peak climbing season in the Himalayas,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29but seeks work in Austria and Germany during the summer
0:02:29 > 0:02:30and winter months.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40It's spring, 2011.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47The four Sherpas have been hired by Theo Fritsche,
0:02:47 > 0:02:49an extreme climber from Austria,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53and Jochen Hemmleb, an alpine historian from Germany,
0:02:53 > 0:02:57to take part in an international expedition up Everest.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06To prepare for the ascent of Everest, the team sets out through
0:03:06 > 0:03:09the villages of Nepal's Solukhumbu District.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Everything must be carried on foot.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Phurba, Ngima Tenji, Ngima and Gelu
0:03:25 > 0:03:27are not the only Nepalese who are needed.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33A whole team of guides and porters, over a dozen strong,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35carry the heavy equipment required
0:03:35 > 0:03:38for the expedition's ascent of Everest.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45And it's been this way since the very first attempts
0:03:45 > 0:03:46to climb the mountain.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52In 1922, the first ever expedition to make a full-scale attempt
0:03:52 > 0:03:57to climb Everest was made by the British, among them George Mallory.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06Of the 160 men who made up the team, only 13 were British.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13Mallory was caught in an avalanche on the North Col.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18Seven of his Sherpas were killed - the first ever recorded deaths
0:04:18 > 0:04:19on Mount Everest.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Two years later, the team tried again.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32This time with Mallory was Oxford student Andrew Irvine.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41On June 6th, Mallory and Irvine set off with five Sherpas.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46The Sherpas all returned safely, but Mallory and Irvine vanished.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Whether they reached the top 29 years before Hillary
0:04:51 > 0:04:55and Norgay has been the subject of heated debate ever since.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04To try and establish the pair's fate,
0:05:04 > 0:05:09in 1999 an international expedition set out to locate their bodies.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Among them was Jochen Hemmleb.
0:05:11 > 0:05:17On the very first day, a mummified body was found on a steep slope.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19It had to be Irvine or Mallory.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24A clothes tag brought certainty.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27"This is George Mallory."
0:05:27 > 0:05:31- Really?- George Mallory.- Oh, my God!
0:05:31 > 0:05:33- See that? George Mallory.- Oh, my God.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41The search continued, but the team were unable to locate Irvine's body.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49In 2010, another expedition launched the search for Andrew Irvine.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56It was led by Theo Fritsche, a highly-experienced mountaineer
0:05:56 > 0:06:00who has climbed 5 of the 14 8,000-metre peaks,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04and once again, alpine historian Jochen Hemmleb.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10TRANSLATOR: Many believe that Mallory and Irvine were unable to overcome
0:06:10 > 0:06:13the most difficult part of their route,
0:06:13 > 0:06:18the so-called Second Step, a 40-metre face at 8,600 metres.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27However, our expedition member, Theo Fritsche, climbed that passage solo,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29without rope, in 2001.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35He thinks that this must have also been possible
0:06:35 > 0:06:37for Mallory and Irvine.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Fritsche wanted to establish whether Mallory and Irvine
0:06:44 > 0:06:46could have reached the summit with only the equipment
0:06:46 > 0:06:48that was available at the time.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56TRANSLATOR: In 2001, I approached Everest in simple clothing,
0:06:56 > 0:07:02with just an emergency down jacket in my pack and no additional oxygen.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09I wanted to climb the mountain with fair means.
0:07:10 > 0:07:16From what I know today, Mallory or Irvine, at least one of them,
0:07:16 > 0:07:18may have been on the summit
0:07:26 > 0:07:29The 2010 expedition failed due to bad weather.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37Now, just one year later, Theo Fritsche and Jochen Hemmleb
0:07:37 > 0:07:39are taking another shot.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42And it is for this reason that they have hired Phurba,
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Ngima Tenji, Ngima and Gelu.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50The four Sherpas will search for Irvine's body near Everest's peak.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57The history of the Sherpa people on the south-side of the Himalayas
0:07:57 > 0:07:59goes back some 500 years.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06The literal meaning of Sherpa is the "people from the east".
0:08:07 > 0:08:11A nomadic people, four different groups migrated from the highlands
0:08:11 > 0:08:13of Tibet into today's Nepal,
0:08:13 > 0:08:18where they settled at the foot of these 7,000 and 8,000-metre mountains.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27The precise reason for the Sherpas' migration is unclear
0:08:27 > 0:08:29but according to oral tradition,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33they set out in search of the mythical Shangri-la.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39The vast majority of the Sherpas practise Tibetan Buddhism.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45To reach enlightenment, some choose to become monks
0:08:45 > 0:08:46and enter monasteries,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50where they take vows to refrain from worldly pleasures.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Twice a day, the conch-horn calls the monks of Nepal's famous
0:08:56 > 0:09:01Tengboche Monastery to puja, an act of devotion in which
0:09:01 > 0:09:04offerings are made to Buddha, and religious texts chanted.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Young boys enter the monastic community at the age of five or six.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21They will live a life of abstinence and austerity
0:09:21 > 0:09:23and spend many hours in meditation.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33Eventually, these novices hope for spiritual illumination - or nirvana.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49The Sherpa word for Everest if "Chomolungma" -
0:09:49 > 0:09:51goddess mother of the world.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55So many choose to live high in the mountains above 3,000 metres,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58as close to the seat of the gods as possible.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02And for them, hard work in the fields is their perpetual
0:10:02 > 0:10:04high-altitude training.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Sherpas breath more efficiently at high altitude.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16Their pulmonary blood pressure rises less than that of other climbers.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23Scientific studies have found that Sherpas have at least ten genes
0:10:23 > 0:10:26specifically adapted to high-altitude living.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29MEN CONVERSE IN NEPALI
0:10:29 > 0:10:34At 4,000 metres, the reduced air pressure provides 40% less oxygen
0:10:34 > 0:10:35than at sea level.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40This can lead to an accumulation of fluid in the lungs,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43which results in high-altitude sickness and death.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50But the Sherpas' genetic structure reduces these effects
0:10:50 > 0:10:52at high altitudes.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56This makes them invaluable for any attempt on Everest.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Nevertheless, the Sherpas, along with the rest of the team,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09must spend several weeks acclimatizing themselves.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14So they set off on a trek for Island Peak - a gentler climb
0:11:14 > 0:11:16much favoured by less experienced mountaineers.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22At nearly 6,200 metres, it is the perfect preparation
0:11:22 > 0:11:24for the climb up Everest.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30Phurba's nickname among his peers is Turbo.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33He's always among the first on the mountain
0:11:33 > 0:11:34and has an impressive record.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38TRANSLATOR: I've reached the summit of Everest three times,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41as well as from five or six more ascents.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46I've also stood on Annapurna four times, on the Baruntse, the Makalu
0:11:46 > 0:11:50and on many peaks along the Indian and Pakistani border, and on Manaslu.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05A few days later and the acclimatization is almost complete.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Yeah, baby!
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Theo.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20As they reach Renjo Pass at 5,300 metres,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24they get their first glimpse of Mount Everest itself.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Now the Sherpas will come into their own.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35- TRANSLATOR:- One aspect is the Sherpas' sheer hardiness.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41We have already seen what great achievers they are - how able
0:12:41 > 0:12:44they are to push to great heights in a short time.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48We westerners require much longer recovery periods.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57The Sherpas are pre-adapted for our mission because
0:12:57 > 0:13:00they have the ability to exploit brief windows of fair weather.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08On every journey into the mountains,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11the Sherpas tie prayer flags along the route.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18The flags are to seek divine blessing, spread compassion
0:13:18 > 0:13:20and bring good luck to the expedition.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29Tenzing Norgay compared Everest to a mother hen.
0:13:31 > 0:13:36For Sherpas, climbing Everest has nothing to do with personal glory.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39It's more an expression of their religious beliefs.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45To reach the summit of the mountain is merely a way to draw closer
0:13:45 > 0:13:48to the five Buddhas represented by the prayer flags.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54In Buddhism, the path to enlightenment requires
0:13:54 > 0:13:57complete compassion and selflessness.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00For a Sherpa, this translates to guiding others safely
0:14:00 > 0:14:02up the mountain and back again,
0:14:02 > 0:14:05regardless of the danger to themselves.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Of the more than 200 people who have died climbing Everest,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17a third have been Sherpas.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27The main Everest climbing season lasts for just a few weeks
0:14:27 > 0:14:30in the spring, just before the monsoon season.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35From June to August, daily rain turns the hills lush and green,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37but makes climbing impossible.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43So, for much of the year, Sherpas live a relatively normal life.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48For some, this is a life that has remained unchanged for generations.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52As the spring season ends,
0:14:52 > 0:14:56Phurba goes home, together with his friend Yberraz,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00anxious to see his family before his next job begins.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Both men have families in a tiny village in the Makalu region,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10a conservation area to the east of Mount Everest.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14But getting there is a four-day walk, and it's only for the first
0:15:14 > 0:15:17few kilometres that the pair can hope to hitch a ride.
0:15:22 > 0:15:27Abruptly, the more comfortable leg of Phurba and Yberraz's journey
0:15:27 > 0:15:28comes to an end.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Now they must continue their journey on foot.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Yberraz is growing weary after the long walk.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17So Phurba stops at a farmhouse on the edge of the road
0:16:17 > 0:16:19to buy refreshments - a cucumber.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23THEY CONVERSE IN NEPALI
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Refreshed, they can continue their journey homeward.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Hour after hour, Phurba and Yberraz continue their journey
0:17:06 > 0:17:08up the foothills of the mountain.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14It's Saturday - market day in Khandbari.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Once a week, local farmers and travelling merchants
0:17:20 > 0:17:22come here to sell their goods.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31Rice flakes, various types of vegetable and potatoes
0:17:31 > 0:17:32are all on offer.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Even piglets in handy baskets.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Phurba is looking for a gift for his little boy.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49It's the last big market on his way home,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51but it's still two days from his village.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09That evening, the two men head off to a local bar.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12THEY CONVERSE IN NEPALI
0:18:13 > 0:18:17The hostelry serves Tongba, a local beer.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19It's made by fermenting millet,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22which is left to stand for six months.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26Boiling water is added and the mixture drunk through a straw
0:18:26 > 0:18:29until all the alcohol has gone.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Next morning, they continue.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Higher up now, the land changes.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46The soil is too poor for rice, so the farmers grow corn and sorghum -
0:18:46 > 0:18:49a type of grass grown for its edible grain.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Sorghum is one of the staple sources of nutrition,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and is used to make bread.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04But it has another use - from it, they brew the Tongba that Phurba
0:19:04 > 0:19:05so enjoyed the night before.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15It's the monsoon season.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Almost every day, the sky darkens around noon.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23If it doesn't rain, it gets foggy.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Mothers take advantage of the shade.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33In the summer, temperatures can reach 30 degrees,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37so as the sun goes in, they bring out their babies.
0:19:42 > 0:19:47By now, Phurba and Yberraz are only a day's walk away from home.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50In the heavy rain, they meet men from their village.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54MEN CONVERSE ANIMATEDLY IN NEPALI
0:20:00 > 0:20:03The villagers bring bad news.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06The heavy rains on the mountains have caused the river,
0:20:06 > 0:20:10which Phurba and Yberraz must cross to get home, to flood.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15It's now impassable.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22But Phurba cannot wait. His next job will not allow for it.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25Now he won't be able to see his wife and children
0:20:25 > 0:20:28for another three to four months.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35So instead, Phurba decides to visit his uncle,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37who lives on this side of the river.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41But to get there, he has to cross one of the last few patches
0:20:41 > 0:20:43of mountain forest.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Illegal smuggling of timber to India is endemic,
0:20:47 > 0:20:51and as a result, Nepal's forests are declining rapidly.
0:20:56 > 0:21:01Even so, the remaining forest has its own brand of dangers...
0:21:01 > 0:21:03even for a Sherpa.
0:21:05 > 0:21:09It's full of leeches, waiting for a blood donor.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24In no time at all, Phurba's legs are covered with leeches.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42So, with a fern frond, he tries to stop the bleeding
0:21:42 > 0:21:43then quickly moves on.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57Finally, on the third day, Phurba reaches his uncle's house.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02MEN EXCHANGE GREETINGS IN NEPALI
0:22:02 > 0:22:06Time to say goodbye to Yberraz, who will wait by the river
0:22:06 > 0:22:08until the waters recede.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23Yberraz must carry his heavy basket alone now.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Up in the mountains, it's the only way to transport goods.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Even the sick have to be carried.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36MAN SPEAKS IN NEPALI
0:22:37 > 0:22:41In the tiny kitchen, Phurba's cousin is preparing lunch.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45While she bakes chapati, a flatbread,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Phurba recounts his experiences up the mountains.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53Unable to get home to his family, he has little choice
0:22:53 > 0:22:56but to leave his things, especially the money he has earned
0:22:56 > 0:23:01as a guide, with his uncle until his wife can come and get them.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05His cousin prepares the traditional dish of dal bhat,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08rice served with lentil soup and a vegetable curry.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12It's the staple diet of the Nepalese
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and, in its many variations, eaten twice a day.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19THEY CONVERSE IN NEPALI
0:23:23 > 0:23:26As part of their final preparations and acclimatization
0:23:26 > 0:23:28for the ascent of Everest,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31the expedition first climbs Island Peak,
0:23:31 > 0:23:36so named in 1951 by the British mountaineer Eric Shipton.
0:23:37 > 0:23:42Although the peak is at 6,000 metres it's a relatively easy climb,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and a popular destination for trekkers,
0:23:45 > 0:23:49as well as an acclimatization exercise for more serious climbers.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55The ascent of Island Peak
0:23:55 > 0:23:58is basically just a hike up to High Camp,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01followed by a more difficult climb from there to the peak.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11It's little more than a walk in the park for a Sherpa like Ngima Tenji.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Everest presents a much tougher challenge.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18But as with all Sherpas, his client's safety is paramount,
0:24:18 > 0:24:20regardless of any risk to himself.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26- TRANSLATOR:- I've been working in the expedition business
0:24:26 > 0:24:28for eight years now.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31Since 2004, I have climbed Mount Everest six times
0:24:31 > 0:24:34from the Tibetan side, and twice from the south.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37On Shishapangma, I was twice.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41In our work, it's important to not just get our clients to the top
0:24:41 > 0:24:43but also safely back down.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45I hope we can do that again this time.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04All attempts on the southern route up Everest start in Kathmandu,
0:25:04 > 0:25:06and from there fly to Lukla.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11The airport is arguably the world's most dangerous.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14At the north end of the runway are mountains,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18and at the other end a 600-metre drop into the valleys below.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32The pilot gets only one chance. Going around again is not an option.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39It is a busy airport. Not just tourists,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42but everything that's needed in the mountains is flown in.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46During the peak seasons, in spring and autumn,
0:25:46 > 0:25:48more than 30 planes a day use the runway.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Construction of the airport was initiated by none other
0:25:58 > 0:26:00than Sir Edmund Hillary.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04But inevitably, it was the Sherpas who built it - by hand.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Just south of Lukla is Ngima Tenji's home.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14But with few roads, it's a two-day journey on foot.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Lukla is the gateway to Everest.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Porters crowd the streets, eager for the custom
0:26:21 > 0:26:23of its endless stream of tourists.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32Here, modern tourism comes face to face with the harsh realities
0:26:32 > 0:26:33of life as a Sherpa.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39In the absence of roads and trucks,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42building materials are procured by hand.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44But as a well-established mountain guide,
0:26:44 > 0:26:49Ngima Tenji is wealthy enough to avoid such back-breaking work.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59Few Sherpas are so lucky.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03They make their living by supplying stones for road and house building.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Ngima Tenji continues his journey homeward.
0:27:10 > 0:27:15No roads, steep valley floors. Life is hard here.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Young calves or yaks cannot be left outside to graze
0:27:20 > 0:27:24as they do in more gentle terrain, and it's usually the women who fetch
0:27:24 > 0:27:26fresh forage for the young animals.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31In Solukhumbu, as in Phurba's home in Makalu,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35every square foot of soil is used to grow food.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Here, it is potatoes and cabbage,
0:27:37 > 0:27:41practically the only crops that survive at this altitude.
0:27:47 > 0:27:52Around noon, clouds build on the flanks of the Himalayas.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Even near the end of the monsoon season, it rains almost every day.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Although the Sherpas now have modern thermal clothing,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05still their most important piece of equipment is the humble umbrella.
0:28:13 > 0:28:18In July, the average rainfall is 280 centimetres,
0:28:18 > 0:28:22twice as much as Britain's wettest ever June on record.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32Whether climbing mountains or at home in their villages,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36the Sherpa people have learned to live with extreme weather.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Late afternoon, and Ngima Tenji finally arrives home.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49It's still pouring with rain.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53To greet their father,
0:28:53 > 0:28:56his two children have stayed home from school.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00NGIMA SPEAKS IN NEPALI
0:29:00 > 0:29:03It's the first time they've seen him for months.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Despite his relative wealth as a guide, nevertheless Ngima
0:29:11 > 0:29:15is still building this small home with his own bare hands.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Once inside, the children wait impatiently
0:29:22 > 0:29:24to see what Daddy has brought them.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Like children the world over, they love sweets,
0:29:31 > 0:29:34but today they have a gift of much greater value.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43Next day, the new red umbrellas are carried to school.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48It's a long journey, especially for ones so young.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51The children have to walk downhill for two hours.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56But the way home takes half an hour longer,
0:29:56 > 0:30:01making their daily commute a four-and-a-half hour round trip.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11Ngima Tenji's little farm lies at 2,900 metres.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15The only crops that grow well in the small garden behind his house
0:30:15 > 0:30:17are potatoes and cabbage.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26During the few months Ngima Tenji spends at home,
0:30:26 > 0:30:28he helps his wife, Futi.
0:30:28 > 0:30:29The rest of the time,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32she looks after the family and the fields on her own.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39With no shops a Westerner would recognise,
0:30:39 > 0:30:42the family has to store their year's supply of potatoes.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Ngima can only hope they will last through the winter.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51But life is not always unremittingly hard work.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55While Futi looks after the children and prepares dinner,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59Ngima Tenji takes the opportunity to visit nearby Pangom Monastery.
0:31:02 > 0:31:08But today is not a day of meditation and prayer, but one of celebration,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11a curious blend of ancient tradition and modern, Western culture.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13THEY SING IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:31:13 > 0:31:17First the Sherpani perform their traditional dance,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19then it's time to get right up-to-date.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22MICROPHONE POPS AND ECHOES
0:31:24 > 0:31:27TRADITIONAL TUNE PLAYS
0:31:28 > 0:31:31A mobile phone serves as a jukebox.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39First, the children perform a dance...
0:31:39 > 0:31:42APPLAUSE
0:31:42 > 0:31:43..then everyone joins in.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48It is a rare break from Ngima Tenji's otherwise harsh life,
0:31:48 > 0:31:51alternating between farming his smallholding
0:31:51 > 0:31:54and guiding climbers up the mountains.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11The expedition has reached north base camp in Tibet.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14This is the first stage of the northern route up Mount Everest,
0:32:14 > 0:32:18and the one taken by Irvine and Mallory.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22Vehicle access is possible here, unlike south base camp.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24Supplies are brought in by truck,
0:32:24 > 0:32:28then transferred to yaks for the onward journey up the mountain.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33The third Sherpa, Ngima,
0:32:33 > 0:32:37supervises the loading of the yaks for the next leg of the climb.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43It will take them to the base of the North Col at 6,400 metres.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45THEY CHATTER IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Tact and savvy are needed in these negotiations.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Every time they weigh the loads,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59the Tibetan aides come up with different results.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Finally, all the pieces have been weighed,
0:33:06 > 0:33:08and all differences cleared up.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12Now, the yaks can be loaded for the ascent to the ABC,
0:33:12 > 0:33:13the Advanced Base Camp.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19As always, the Sherpas will look after their clients well
0:33:19 > 0:33:21during the ascent.
0:33:21 > 0:33:25A complete kitchen, including gas bottles and food for a month,
0:33:25 > 0:33:28is loaded, and the yak caravan sets off.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47Past the seracs, impressive ice formations,
0:33:47 > 0:33:52they climb from 5,300 to 6,400 metres.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54YAKS' BELLS TINKLE
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Once there, the Sherpas will set up a camp
0:34:05 > 0:34:08where the expedition members will stay for around a month,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10depending on weather conditions.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16They will set up the tents, cook and wash-up for their clients.
0:34:26 > 0:34:30It's not just on the mountain that Sherpas provide critical support.
0:34:30 > 0:34:33To survive in such extreme conditions,
0:34:33 > 0:34:35months of preparation are needed.
0:34:35 > 0:34:37So, between expeditions,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Ngima and a colleague carry out equipment maintenance.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44Cooking gear and ropes are checked.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48The most critical equipment is the oxygen masks.
0:34:48 > 0:34:49If one of them should fail,
0:34:49 > 0:34:54in the worst case, it could result in the death of a client.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56A Sherpa's reputation is crucial.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04TRANSLATION: When tourists climb Mount Everest, we accompany them.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08They come as clients, but they soon turn into friends we care for.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10We make sure the path is safe.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13We look after the tents, the food,
0:35:13 > 0:35:16and, most importantly, the oxygen bottles.
0:35:16 > 0:35:20When clients don't make it to the peak, we bring them back safely.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23They often come again, in the hope of a successful second try.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28Word gets around. When more clients come, we have a secure income.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Ngima's home is Kathmandu.
0:35:50 > 0:35:51Its famous Thamel district,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55just a handful of streets covering about a square kilometre
0:35:55 > 0:35:58in a sprawling city of over 50 square kilometres,
0:35:58 > 0:36:00is a magnet for tourists.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05Over 2,500 business are crammed into this area...
0:36:06 > 0:36:10..and it's not just trekking gear that attracts the visitors.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13The shops sell everything a tourist could wish for...
0:36:14 > 0:36:18..from souvenirs to carpets, pashminas to woollen goods,
0:36:18 > 0:36:20and, not least, thangka.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29These intricate religious paintings depict Buddhist deities
0:36:29 > 0:36:33and are used both as teaching aids and as the centre of rituals
0:36:33 > 0:36:36which, through meditation, can bring a devotee
0:36:36 > 0:36:38further down the path to enlightenment.
0:36:46 > 0:36:52Nothing better illustrates the deeply spiritual nature of the Nepalese people
0:36:52 > 0:36:55in an otherwise chaotic and commercialised city.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19When the summer morning sun casts a golden glow over the city,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22it is the temples that are the first to come to life.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29The Swayambhunath, or Monkey Temple,
0:37:29 > 0:37:32is a paragon of peaceful co-existence
0:37:32 > 0:37:34of the major religions in Kathmandu.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38Both Buddhists and Hindus come here to honour their gods.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Ngima's return home is timely.
0:37:48 > 0:37:53His wife, Dolma, is pregnant, and the new baby is due any day now.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56So, he prepares breakfast for their little son.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00It's an easy task compared to cooking half-way up a mountain.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05Traditional tsampa is served,
0:38:05 > 0:38:08fried barley flour with salted butter tea.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12THEY CHAT IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:38:15 > 0:38:18After breakfast, it's time for Ngima's son to go to school.
0:38:40 > 0:38:41Unlike Ngima Tenji's children,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44he doesn't have to walk for four-and-a-half hours,
0:38:44 > 0:38:48but, in many ways, his journey is just as dangerous.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54The roads in Kathmandu are full of hazards.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58In the morning and evening rush hours,
0:38:58 > 0:39:00the city's cross-roads are a nightmare.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07Getting around Kathmandu is no easy task either.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Apart from riding a motorbike,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12the fastest way to get around the city is the tempo.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19These three-wheeled vehicles are found across Asia.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23Their exhausts choke entire cities.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33DRILL WHIRS
0:39:38 > 0:39:42With scant regard for their own, or passers-by's safety,
0:39:42 > 0:39:44in a garage on the edge of a street,
0:39:44 > 0:39:47young workers melt metal scraps in a make-shift furnace
0:39:47 > 0:39:49to produce fittings for a temple.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02Hygiene doesn't feature too strongly either.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Next door, salted wild boar meat is for sale.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12There's no limit to the pollution and noise.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17Ngima is making one of his rare visits to the Thamel district.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23It is here that he will find the greatest choice of pashminas,
0:40:23 > 0:40:25traditional Kashmir shawls.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30After his long months away, he is looking for a gift for his wife.
0:40:35 > 0:40:36Mission accomplished,
0:40:36 > 0:40:40in the afternoon, he leaves the hectic city behind him
0:40:40 > 0:40:42and withdraws to the Pullahari Monastery.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47Away from the hustle and bustle of the city,
0:40:47 > 0:40:51he seeks Buddha's blessing for the imminent birth of his child.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57He lights butter lamps and incense sticks,
0:40:57 > 0:41:00but he knows Buddha's blessing is not so easily attained.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07It is only through good deeds, compassion and self-sacrifice
0:41:07 > 0:41:09that his wish may be granted.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13It is a principle all Sherpas bring to the task
0:41:13 > 0:41:15of guiding on the mountains.
0:41:25 > 0:41:29The expedition is preparing to leave Advance Base Camp.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34To reach Camp IV,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37they must climb the glacier to the foot of the North Col,
0:41:37 > 0:41:39which is over 7,000 metres high.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42MAN CHANTS
0:41:46 > 0:41:50Before they set out, a lama recites prayers for protection,
0:41:50 > 0:41:55wishing good to all men and averting harm to the expedition members.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Gelu was the last to join the team.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06He is a highly-valued member,
0:42:06 > 0:42:10because he also took part in the 2010 search expedition
0:42:10 > 0:42:11for Irvine's body.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Figures made of ghee, butter lard,
0:42:26 > 0:42:30are placed among the rocks, that bear an image of Buddha.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34Then, the Sherpas hang prayer flags in all four wind directions.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40A handful of tsampa completes the ceremony.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43ALL SHOUT
0:42:45 > 0:42:47This is a final supplication for protection.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13When the tourist season is over,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16not all Sherpas return to their homes.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Some seek employment opportunities abroad,
0:43:19 > 0:43:21to better support their families.
0:43:26 > 0:43:30Gelu is one of some 100 Sherpas who spend the summer in Austria.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36For six years, he has worked in the Alps, near Salzburg,
0:43:36 > 0:43:39in the kitchens of the Schmidt-Zabierow Lodge,
0:43:39 > 0:43:41three or four times a week.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46But perhaps it's not too far from his roots.
0:43:46 > 0:43:48The lodge lies at 2,000 metres,
0:43:48 > 0:43:51in the middle of a 10,000-kilometre walk
0:43:51 > 0:43:53that extends all the way across Europe.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00TRANSLATION: Sherpas like to work in the mountains, no doubt.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03For many, that's their only choice.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06And once a Sherpa has worked in the trekking business,
0:44:06 > 0:44:08he never wants to work inside a building again.
0:44:12 > 0:44:15Most Sherpas work as mountain guides until they are 55,
0:44:15 > 0:44:17then they switch to office work,
0:44:17 > 0:44:20which gives them more time for their families.
0:44:21 > 0:44:24The point is to be happy with whatever you are doing.
0:44:31 > 0:44:33- Hallo, Gelu!- Gruss Dich, Gelu.
0:44:35 > 0:44:37War es anstrengend? Oh!
0:44:37 > 0:44:38Sehr heiss, sogar.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40Heiss und schwer.
0:44:41 > 0:44:42Danke schoen.
0:44:46 > 0:44:47Alles im Keller.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49Alles im Keller, danke schoen.
0:44:52 > 0:44:56Gelu may be happiest outdoors and up in the mountains,
0:44:56 > 0:44:59but working in the lodge's kitchens has its benefits.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04- Machst du fertig?- Ja.- Danke.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07Apart from the income it brings
0:45:07 > 0:45:10during Everest's off-season for guiding,
0:45:10 > 0:45:12the skills Gelu has learnt
0:45:12 > 0:45:15stand him in good stead when it is time to return home.
0:45:17 > 0:45:20In the tourist lodges at the foot of the Himalayas,
0:45:20 > 0:45:24these new skills can be used to further supplement his income.
0:45:31 > 0:45:35After years of practice, Gelu has become a good cook...
0:45:36 > 0:45:38..and he has perfected his German.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44Zwei mal Kotelett und salat...
0:45:45 > 0:45:49But it is up in the high mountains that Gelu really feels happiest.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05The team that will search for the body of Andrew Irvine
0:46:05 > 0:46:09is snowed-in at the Advanced Base Camp at 6,400 metres.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Although the sun is out now,
0:46:12 > 0:46:15there has been fresh snowfall every day,
0:46:15 > 0:46:17preventing an ascent to the search area.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22The climbers try to pass the time
0:46:22 > 0:46:25by planning the next stage of the expedition.
0:46:25 > 0:46:30Their thoughts centre around the question of which route Irvine might have chosen.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39- TRANSLATION:- Our search strategy is based on the fact
0:46:39 > 0:46:42that Irvine's body has been seen once with certainty,
0:46:42 > 0:46:44but possibly three times.
0:46:47 > 0:46:50The most credible report, in my opinion,
0:46:50 > 0:46:55is that of a Chinese climber, Xiu Jing, who, in 1960,
0:46:55 > 0:46:59saw a body near the ridge, which can only have been Irvine's...
0:47:01 > 0:47:03..since, at that time,
0:47:03 > 0:47:07Mallory and Irvine were the only ones missing in that area.
0:47:11 > 0:47:14Trying to put themselves in Irvine's shoes,
0:47:14 > 0:47:16the climbers hope to work out
0:47:16 > 0:47:19the route he was taking back down the mountain before he disappeared.
0:47:26 > 0:47:30- TRANSLATION:- I can well imagine that, in a state of exhaustion,
0:47:30 > 0:47:33one could miss a correct turn and would then simply continue
0:47:33 > 0:47:35in the hope of finding a rock crevice...
0:47:41 > 0:47:45Some rock crevice to spend the night, or just to survive.
0:47:52 > 0:47:56- TRANSLATION:- I suggest we climb up the normal route to the ridge,
0:47:56 > 0:48:00like we did last year, then follow the ridge downward,
0:48:00 > 0:48:03and search close to the ridge line.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16It's not just the snow that is holding back the team.
0:48:19 > 0:48:21The summit of Everest is the dividing line
0:48:21 > 0:48:24between China and Nepal.
0:48:24 > 0:48:26Ascending via the southern route
0:48:26 > 0:48:28requires a permit from only the Nepalese,
0:48:28 > 0:48:31but Mallory and Irvine had taken the northern route.
0:48:32 > 0:48:36This route passes through Chinese territory,
0:48:36 > 0:48:38and a permit is required from their authorities.
0:48:41 > 0:48:45For three weeks, the expedition is condemned to wait
0:48:45 > 0:48:48until the Chinese authorities have prepared the route.
0:48:53 > 0:48:58At long last, the wait ends, the weather clears,
0:48:58 > 0:49:03and the Sherpas can start for the North Col at 7,100 metres.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07Once there, they will set up camp
0:49:07 > 0:49:10with everything they need for the search.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29They have a steep climb ahead of them.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40But in spite of the altitude, the Sherpas move incredibly fast.
0:49:51 > 0:49:53Each of them carries 25 kilos.
0:49:56 > 0:50:00Regardless of the thin air and an ascent of 700 metres,
0:50:00 > 0:50:02they only take two hours.
0:50:15 > 0:50:19On arrival on the North Col, there's no time to rest.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22At this height, the weather can change instantly.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26The Sherpas have to prepare the campsite without delay.
0:50:30 > 0:50:32Around 7,000 metres,
0:50:32 > 0:50:36the camp is in a zone where it can be hit by jet streams.
0:50:40 > 0:50:42Although the sun is still shining,
0:50:42 > 0:50:45the first gusts of wind are making their work difficult.
0:51:21 > 0:51:24By nightfall, the wind has calmed down,
0:51:24 > 0:51:26a welcome surprise.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30In the Advanced Base Camp, everyone is busy.
0:51:32 > 0:51:35While the Sherpas plan the next day's search,
0:51:35 > 0:51:39the first climbers, ant-like, are already on their way to the summit.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48The new morning brings bright weather,
0:51:48 > 0:51:51but Charly Gabl, the Austrian meteorologist,
0:51:51 > 0:51:55has warned the climbers of strong winds over the next few days.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10But the Sherpas are not put off.
0:52:14 > 0:52:17Along the ascent route to the two highest camps,
0:52:17 > 0:52:18traffic is heavy.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24Other climbers have taken advantage of the fine weather
0:52:24 > 0:52:27and are already on the way back down.
0:52:30 > 0:52:32Through his telescope,
0:52:32 > 0:52:36Jochen Hemmleb watches the ascent of the search team to Camp VI
0:52:36 > 0:52:38at 8,300 metres.
0:52:42 > 0:52:46- TRANSLATION:- The greatest challenge is the environment,
0:52:46 > 0:52:49sleeping in a tent at 38, 40 degrees Centigrade below zero.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55In Camp VI, even the melting of snow is a problem.
0:52:55 > 0:52:59To get one litre of water, it takes one to one-and-a-half hours.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04Putting on a pair of expedition shoes can take more than an hour,
0:53:04 > 0:53:08and then you still have to strap on the crampons.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11For most people, this is difficult to imagine.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22Gelu, von Theo, bitte kommen.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24Gelu, bitte kommen...
0:53:24 > 0:53:27Theo is trying to contact Gelu.
0:53:31 > 0:53:35But it soon becomes clear that the Sherpas have started a day too late.
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Piercing gusts and the biting cold force them back into their tents.
0:53:39 > 0:53:43Ich habe Dich leider nicht verstanden, bitte antworten.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45Communication is all but impossible.
0:53:48 > 0:53:51Again, the wind drives in the fog, covering the mountain...
0:53:55 > 0:53:57..but the Sherpas refuse to give up hope.
0:54:00 > 0:54:03Again and again, they discuss the search route.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09It's very strong windy.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12Wait until it's a little bit less,
0:54:12 > 0:54:15and we try to go off at five.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21Just in time, the wind does calm down.
0:54:22 > 0:54:27The Sherpas set out for the search area at 8,500 metres.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30It's already their second day in the death zone.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32With only limited time left,
0:54:32 > 0:54:36they search the rocky, icy slopes step by step.
0:54:36 > 0:54:37Waere is moeglich,
0:54:37 > 0:54:42dass sie alle vier zusammen den Grat absuchen wuerden,
0:54:42 > 0:54:44bitte antworten.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52Following Theo's advice, the four of them focus on the ridge.
0:54:59 > 0:55:00It's steep here.
0:55:00 > 0:55:03Oxygen masks and snow goggles limit visibility.
0:55:13 > 0:55:15The four search for several hours,
0:55:15 > 0:55:19then the storm starts up again and forces them back.
0:55:36 > 0:55:40TRANSLATION: The search this year was better, more precise than last year.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44We were like a family, and the team-work was really special.
0:55:47 > 0:55:50We have not found Irvine, but we have gained experience.
0:55:52 > 0:55:55One thing is clear, Irvine is not in this area.
0:56:00 > 0:56:02The Sherpas have done their best.
0:56:03 > 0:56:08But with so many rock crevices and snow drifts to conceal a body,
0:56:08 > 0:56:11Mount Everest could hold its secret for ever.
0:56:14 > 0:56:16The expedition over,
0:56:16 > 0:56:20the four Sherpas fade quietly into the background.
0:56:20 > 0:56:24After six months, Phurba can finally see his little boy again...
0:56:25 > 0:56:27..Ngima Tenji completed his house...
0:56:29 > 0:56:32..Ngima is now the proud father of a little daughter...
0:56:33 > 0:56:37..and Gelu spent the winter with his wife and child in Germany.
0:56:48 > 0:56:54Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd