# Peru - Life at extreme altitudes above 4,000 meters | DW Documentary

## Метаданные

- **Канал:** DW Documentary
- **YouTube:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA
- **Дата:** 05.06.2026
- **Длительность:** 43:51
- **Просмотры:** 26,497

## Описание

The Peruvian Altiplano is one of the most extreme habitats in the world. Located over 4,000 meters above sea level, the region attracts millions of visitors - and pushes many of them to their physical limits.

But for tens of thousands of people, the highlands are everyday life.
Around La Rinconada, the highest city in the world at 5,300 meters, residents brave freezing temperatures and thin air. Their motivation: a massive gold deposit. Every day, some 10,000 miners, like Arnaldo, venture into life-threatening shafts — often for a wage that barely covers their basic needs. Meanwhile, a small police unit led by Major Aranda fights against lawlessness and the illegal trade in explosives.
Another treasure of the Altiplano is the precious vicuña wool, one of the most expensive in the world. The shy animals that produce it live in the wild and may be sheared only once a year during the traditional "Chakku” hunt — a ritual that unites community, culture, and a connection to nature.
The documentary takes viewers on an impressive journey to the heights of the Andes — and meets with people who live and work under extreme conditions while preserving their traditions. A glimpse into a world that’s both harsh — and breathtakingly beautiful.


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## Содержание

### [0:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA) Segment 1 (00:00 - 05:00)

High in the Peruvian Andes in the old heartland of the Inca Empire, the town of Pocatambo is coming alive. Pilgrims gather here for one of the largest religious festivals in South America. A journey honoring both Catholic saints and the sacred mountain spirits of the Andes. 30-year-old Jim is taking part for the first time. — This is chakari, the traditional dance of the pilgrims. — Ever since I was little, my parents wanted me to join this pilgrimage. Now that I'm finally an adult, I can take part in the celebration. — Jim is from Kusco, the historic capital of the Inca Empire and the largest city in the region. He hopes to join one of the festival's most respected brotherhoods, the Pabitos. Before he can take part, the elders put him through a series of rituals that honor the ancestors. — Next, — Captain. — Where is your cross? It should be attached to your whip. Tradition here is taken seriously. — Come here, Jim. — As a newcomer, Jim must endure an initiation ritual. Rub it in properly. — Just on the face, please. — Even for me, it feels a bit uncomfortable. But if you want to be a part of the festival, you have to accept the rituals. — Entire families make the journey, even children as young as 10. The pilgrimage begins at 3,000 m above sea level and climbs towards a shrine nearly 4,700 m high. thins and the temperature drops to -5° C. After 3 hours of walking, Jim is exhausted. — I'm tired. I'm hot. My throat hurts. — The air is freezing. — We're stopping here for our second break. — Some pilgrims begin to lose their breath. At this altitude, they risk losing consciousness. But their faith keeps them going. After 9 hours and 10 km uphill, they finally reach their destination. The shrine of Coyiti draws many thousands of pilgrims every year. We finally arrived. Pilgrims come before the sacred rock to pray. Long before the arrival of the Spanish, this place was already holy to the people of the Andes. Over time, indigenous beliefs and Catholic traditions merged here into a unique form of worship. Most pilgrims spend the night beside the shrine. It's 2:00 in the morning. — I'm putting on my cross. Jim and the other members of the brotherhood begin the final ascent. Their destination is the Kok Punu glacia, more than 5,000 m above sea level. — There's a special energy here. — Now I understand why the faithful keep coming back. I feel connected to the tradition again. The traditions that belong to me and my parents. Jim still has more to prove before becoming a full member of the brotherhood. — He will have to complete the pilgrimage two more times in this harsh and unforgiving landscape. Southern Peru's Aliplano stretches across the high Andes at elevations above 3,600 m. These mountains were once the center of the Inca world, a civilization transformed forever after the arrival of the Spanish concistadors. Our journey leads deep into Peru's most remote regions, where the altitude pushes both body and mind to their limits.

### [5:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=300s) Segment 2 (05:00 - 10:00)

limits. To reach these mountains in the country's far south near the Bolivian border, we spent 10 days acclimatizing before climbing above 5,000 m. The road ends in a world of rock, ice, and thin air. Yet spread across this mountainside are thousands of tin shacks. This is Laink Canada, the highest permanent settlement on Earth, more than 5,300 m above sea level. Oxygen levels here are barely half those at sea level. Still, tens of thousands of people call this place home. — Beautiful t-shirts only 20 each. Life in Laring Canada revolves around gold. — Good morning, sweetheart. Wake up. — Ano and his family have lived here for 8 years. He works in one of the mountains many gold mines. She's cold. Look. One blanket. Two. Three. four, five, six. At night, temperatures can fall to minus25° C. — Inside the family's two room home, it's freezing. Rent is €450 soles a month, about €110. Expensive for a house with no heating or hot water. This is the kitchen. At this altitude, you need a jacket even indoors. At 6:00 in the morning, Arnaldo leaves for work. — Honey, some cocoa leaves, please. — His wife Victoria runs a small shop. — I'll take them with me to the mine. — Cocoa leaves have been used in the Andes for centuries. Miners chew them to fight hunger, fatigue, and the effects of the altitude. We chew them because they make us braver in the mind and keep us going. — It's Anna's lur. — The miners drink it every day before work. — Good luck. — See you later. — Like many others, Analdo came to Laonada hoping gold would change his life. Mining has existed here since Inca times. Later in the 1980s, several hundred miners settled here. They worked with their hands in the light of simple oil lamps. When global gold prices surged in the early 2000s, thousands more people arrived, turning this remote settlement into a booming mining town almost overnight. The price of gold skyrocketed and a gold rush took hold. The city grew faster than its infrastructure. Even today, Laronada has no proper sewage system or wastewater treatment. — Where's the mine? — Over there on the other side. That's where I work. — Time to go underground. I always cross myself. — I hope it brings me luck and helps me find gold. But most of all, I hope I can come back out safely without an accident. — Mining here is dangerous. Many tunnels are reinforced with little more than rough wooden beams. Because much of the work is informal, there are no reliable figures for accidents or deaths. — What's that? — Just some tree bark that came loose. — Moments later, part of the tunnel gives way. Rocks and wooden supports crash to the ground. — No one is injured. We're clearing the way for the machines. — The mining rights in Laring Canada belong to a single company. But most tunnels are operated by hundreds of small contractors working through two local mining cooperatives, including Arnaldo's boss, Freddy.

### [10:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=600s) Segment 3 (10:00 - 15:00)

My tunnel starts down there on the left side belongs to me, too. You have to go this way. — Freddy's miners don't receive a regular salary. Instead, they work under a system known as cachureo. One day each week, whatever gold they find is theirs to keep. Sometimes they strike lucky. Sometimes they leave with nothing. — Underground, the workers try to keep their spirits up. — What are you doing? Having a little drink. Rum and coke. — A chemist. — That way it lasts longer. — To reach the gold, the miners blast apart the rock. Arnaldo prepares the charges himself using sticks of dynamite. — They do all the work. — I just put in the fuse and they're ready to go. Handling explosives like this officially requires training and a permit, but in Laringada, safety rules are often ignored. Today, Arnaldo is preparing eight sticks of dynamite. — That's enough to blow up the entire boulder next to me. If this exploded now, there'd be nothing left of us. Not even bones, just dust. Doesn't that scare you? — Yes, of course. But I have to earn a living. — I'll go set them up. The gold lies hidden inside a cramped chamber barely large enough for two men to work. — This vein is promising. — The gold is here. See, you can already see small traces. — Ano and his coworker take turns drilling into the rock with a 20 kg machine. At this altitude, every movement takes effort. Once the holes are ready, the dynamite is placed inside them. Don't worry, I'll be quick. — One by one, Araldo lights the fuses. This is the most dangerous moment. The miners now only have a few minutes to escape the blast zone. Yes, sir. — Done. All eight charges have exploded. But even after the explosion, the danger remains. Toxic smoke fills the tunnels, forcing the miners to leave the area. — The smoke is very dangerous. We could suffocate. The explosive we use produce toxic fumes, which is what kills the miners here. Peru is one of the world's largest gold producers and much of that gold comes from mines high in the Andes. In Larinada, women are traditionally forbidden from entering the mines. According to local belief, their presence angers the spirits said to live inside the mountain. Instead, many women work above ground in low paid jobs as hairdressers or at market stalls. The poorest search through discarded rock from the mines, hoping that traces of gold have been missed. — There's still a little gold here. — These women are called paeras. Jessica is one of them and a single mother. — This is my workshop. — Her workshop is little more than a shallow pit in the ground. The entire town was built on the rock debris from the mines. — People say the spirit of the mine is jealous of women. That's why we don't go inside. Jessica spends 8 hours a day here. There's nothing here. Some days the work earns almost nothing. Once I searched all day and found almost

### [15:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=900s) Segment 4 (15:00 - 20:00)

nothing. — Just tiny pieces so light the scale showed zero. I worked for nothing. It was a complete waste of time and energy. But with a little luck, these stones could contain gold. So, I'm taking them outside. If Jessica is lucky, she'll bring her stones down to the Mill District, a maze of small processing plants where miners crush rock to extract gold. — Hello, — Arnaldo comes here once a week. These are the stones I brought back from the mine. You can see flexcks of gold in them. — Now he'll find whether the work underground was worth it. — This big stone is called a kimal. It's a traditional way of extracting gold. You pour a little water into it. Then climb on top while the stones are fed in underneath. Versions of this technique have been used in the Andes for centuries, long before the arrival of the Spanish. — You're going to find a lot of gold. — Can you move the stone? — Some mercury, please. — That's one. The mercury binds to tiny particles of gold, separating them from the crushed rock. — Not a single drop can be wasted. — But the metal is highly toxic. — Now by hand, — handles the mercury with no protective equipment. Over time, the poison slowly accumulates in the body. — It's toxic, but we're used to it. This is all the gold I found today. — The gray color comes from the traces of mercury still mixed into the gold. — I'm putting it here so I don't lose it. — He never lets the gold out of his sight. — Now we're not. — He takes his treasure here to sell. — Hello. — Tiny shops like these buy gold directly from the miners. Can I heat it here? — I'll put it on this. — By heating the metal, the remaining mercury evaporates into the air. — That's it. — Only the gold remains. — One and a half grams. Good. I'm happy to finally get paid. She's giving me 348 soles for it. That's about €85 for a week of dangerous work deep underground. The gold will eventually pass through international refineries and global markets. But miners like Arnaldo carry most of the risk for very little reward. — I have to use this money to buy food and heating fuel for my wife and daughter, but it's not much. It barely lasts 3 days. — Thank you. Goodbye. — Life in Larinada is expensive. — Everything must be hauled up into the mountains from lower elevations. To survive, Analdo and his wife Victoria also run a small shop. — How did it go today? Not very good. — It's hard. — Yes, they sell meals and basic supplies to the miners. — In the provincial capital, a kilo of sugar costs three soles. Here, it's 5 and a2, almost double. It's the same with vegetables. — Analdo dreams of leaving Laronada someday and building a better life for his daughter, farther down the valley. I want to save enough from mining to build a house and open a grocery store in my parents' town. But gold is not the Andes only source of wealth. Across Peru's highlands, thousands of families depend on another valuable resource, wool.

### [20:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=1200s) Segment 5 (20:00 - 25:00)

Peru produces more alpaca fiber than any other country in the world. Much of the trade passes through Arakipa, the country's second largest city, situated at 2,300 m above sea level. Some of the largest producers are based here in the south of Peru, along with many artisal workshops. Every year, breeders, traders, and textile experts gather here for one of the country's most important alpaca competitions. — Here we have the color and we have, as you can see, brown and black combined. — Alpacas have been bred in the Andes for thousands of years. Closely related to llamas, they're prized for their soft, lightweight fleece. This alpaca has very fine, dense, shiny wool. It clearly deserves first place. — More than 4 million alpacas live in Peru, making the country the global center of alpaca wool production. The fiber is exported around the world and supports a major textile industry. But even more valuable than alpaca wool is the fleece of the vikuna, Peru's national animal. Its fiber is among the finest in the world, softer than Kashmir and sought after by luxury fashion houses. It's popular among celebrities like actor Mads Mickelson, American basketball player LeBron James, and even the British king. A single Vikuna coat can cost tens of thousands of euros. — This is a coat made entirely from Vikunia wool. It's the finest and warmest fiber in the world. Incredibly soft and comfortable both in summer and winter. The rarity of the wool drives the price. Right now, I'm holding several thousand in my hand. These are our most expensive pieces. This cape alone cost around €15,000. — A simple hat can cost up to €1,800 and a sweater over 6,000. Only a few hundred kg are produced here each year. Vikunas cannot be domesticated by law. They must remain wild. The animals live high on the Aliplano at elevations above 4,000 m where temperatures can fall far below freezing. Only limited amounts of wool can be collected each year and gathering it takes enormous effort. — To shear the animals, villagers climb high into the mountains. You can see two in the distance. I think they're males. — Vikunyas are fast and difficult to approach. They can sprint at speeds of up to 50 km an hour across huge stretches of open land. To guide them, local communities stretch long ropes lined with colored flags across the plains. — You can see the flags. The Vikunas notice them from far away. They don't like the red and move towards the enclosure. — After 6 hours of work, the herd is finally driven into a corral. Only a few of the animals have wool long enough to be sheared. — Now the sorting begins. This male can be sheared because his wool is longer than 2 and 1/2 cm. That's a lot. Of the 750 vikunas captured today, only about a third have enough wool to be shorn. This male's wool is still too short. The remaining 500 animals are released back into the wild. For the community, that means less wool and less income. — But vikunas are protected by law in Peru. The local Andian communities have established strict rules for how the animals can be handled. They can only be sheared once a year. We don't shear the white wool on the belly. We only take the longer wool from the back and we leave enough on the hind quarters so the animal doesn't get cold

### [25:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=1500s) Segment 6 (25:00 - 30:00)

otherwise it could get sick and die. Today every fleece must also be carefully documented. The kunas were once hunted almost to extinction for their wool. Now communities must prove the fiber was collected legally. I note that this is an adult male and record the name of the person who brought it in. — The paperwork guarantees the wall can be traced back to the community that collected it. — And quality control is just as strict. — Here we remove all the white fibers. Women sort the fleece by hand, separating even the smallest imperfections. Every gram matters. If the women get impatient, the fleece could tear and the luxury fashion houses might reject it. Commercialization. This fleece was rejected. You can see these small white spots. That's dandruff. Vikuna fiber is among the most valuable natural fibers in the world. — We're weighing it. — Raw sheep's wool may sell for only a few euros per kilo. Vikuna fiber can sell for hundreds. — 159. 3 g. — After processing and weaving, the value rises even further. This year, the community collected around 45 kg of wool worth roughly 13,500. Back in Lingonada, mines produce gold worth hundreds of millions of euros a year. But the boom has also brought crime and violence. Robberies and armed attacks are common. On average, two people are killed in the violence every month. A man opened fire in a nightclub. — In early 2025, violent clashes between rival mining groups left three people dead. In a town where state control is limited, many disputes are handled informally by the residents themselves. Warning signs are posted across the city to discourage thieves. Some residents even hang mannequins from power poles as a threat to wouldbe criminals. — Who's missing? — With just a few dozen officers, — do you have your flashlights? — Major Aranda is trying to impose order in this isolated mining town. — I'm setting the pace. We're heading to the higher parts of the city. Follow me. — Police patrols have increased in recent months. Be careful. Watch above you and stay alert. Sir, your papers, please. — Mistrust here runs deep. Everyone is a suspect. Check the socks. We're doing this for your safety, sir. We know some people are carrying firearms. The police remain on edge. Two months earlier, officers exchanged gunfire with armed men here. There was a shootout with the police. — Look at the bullet holes. 1 2 3 4 5 6. And here the bullets nearly went through the metal door. — 13 miners were being held against their will. — These are from that day. They look like assault rifle cartridges. — One police officer was killed during the operation. Now another case is unfolding. — Which way? — Acting on a tip from an informant, police move towards a small shop that appears ordinary from the outside. — Let them do their job. Okay. Investigators suspect illegal explosives are being sold here. Check behind the counter. I think there are sticks of dynamite there. Several bags of explosives are hidden here with more than 500 sticks of dynamite. — 1 2 3 4 5. — Police say the shop owner was selling without a license. Now she faces up to 10 years in prison. Even possessing these materials illegally is a criminal offense. The sale of explosives is strictly regulated. Then the officers notice a locked room at the back of the shop. The owner refuses to open it.

### [30:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=1800s) Segment 7 (30:00 - 35:00)

— I'll explain it again, ma'am. You have to cooperate. Everything will go into the report. Even if you refuse to help us, please open the door. But what will happen to my daughter? She's a student and I'm a widow. You're under arrest either way. Come here. Open the door. — Under pressure, the shop owner finally unlocks the room. — Take this. — Inside, officers discover dozens of bags of ammonium nitrate, a chemical commonly used to make mining explosives. In total, police seize around 1 and a half tons of explosive material. Enough to destroy the entire neighborhood. — We need a truck. There are too many bags. — This is an average amount. Sometimes we find even more. The confiscated materials are worth roughly €2,000, a significant sum in a region where many people survive on very little. Move along. — After the search, the officers leave with the explosives. The shop owner later receives a three-year suspended prison sentence. For centuries, the Peruvian Andes have drawn travelers from around the world. People come for the landscapes, the history, and the extreme heights of the mountains themselves. The sanctuary of Machu Picchu is also located here. One of the region's best known sites is Vinikona, the rainbow mountain whose colorful layers were formed by mineral deposits over millions of years. And then there is Kuscoll, once the capital of the Inca Empire and today one of Peru's most visited cities. Yes. — But for many visitors, the altitude quickly becomes a challenge. Kusco lies nearly 3,500 m above sea level, where the thin air can leave tourists struggling to breathe. Some end up here, a clinic specializing in altitude sickness. Kamiya, a tourist from Argentina, suddenly became ill during the night. Since then, she has been receiving oxygen to help her breathe. — At first, we thought it was just a stomach flu, but during the examination, we saw she was suffering from a lack of oxygen. — According to the clinic, up to 150 tourists are treated here every month for altitude related breathing problems. One of the treatments is a hyperbaric chamber which increases air pressure and helps patients absorb more oxygen. I'm going to ask you a few questions to assess your condition. Are you having any chest pain? — No, I had stomach pain here in this area. I vomited six times yesterday and felt very short of breath. I also had a terrible headache and my lips turned blue. — Those are classic symptoms caused by the altitude. Without treatment, severe altitude sickness can become life-threatening. Kama will now spend an hour inside the hyperbaric chamber. The higher air pressure makes it easier to breathe. This helps the body recover and her lungs will be fully oxygenated. It's the end. — For people born and raised in the Andes, life at altitude is often far easier. In Laring Canada, more than 5,000 m above sea level, where the air is very thin, even soccer matches are part of daily life. — This is the highest soccer field in the world. You can even play sports at 5,300 m. You just need strong lungs. While visitors struggle to catch their breath, local players move across the field with ease. — How can you play sports at this altitude? — We're used to it. — You don't get out of breath.

### [35:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=2100s) Segment 8 (35:00 - 40:00)

— No. — Scientists have long studied how people in the Andes adapt to life at extreme altitude. For six years, a French research team has conducted medical studies here in Larinada. — Hello. — We're going to carry out a complete medical examination with different specialists and everything is free of charge. — The team is led by French scientist Samuel Ves and includes specialists from several fields. Their studies suggest that people in Lancada have adapted to life at extreme altitude over many generations and are more likely to carry genetic traits that help them live at high altitudes. — To cope with the altitude, the people of Laonada produce very large numbers of red blood cells to carry oxygen through the body. That's very important. — The levels measured here are remarkable. Some residents have far more red blood cells than people living at sea level. But thicker blood also forces the body to work harder. — Now we're moving on to cardiovascular examinations. — At high altitude, the body constantly struggles to compensate for the lack of oxygen. Blood vessels expand, including in the brain. Over time, the heart can grow larger as it pumps harder to move blood through the body. Researchers hope these findings could one day help patients suffering from chronic lung disease and other illnesses linked to low oxygen levels. But this adaptation comes at a price. The heart has to work very hard. In adults, we know this can eventually lead to illness. We want to understand whether children's hearts adapt differently or whether early signs of disease already appear at a young age. Everything looks good for now. For many residents, the research mission also provides rare access to medical care. — There are no doctors or cardiologists here and traveling to another town for treatment is very difficult. This support is very important because it helps us understand our children's health. We also need a urine sample. Please fill the container halfway. The tests are not only about altitude. The scientists are also studying the effects of pollution caused by mining. — Mercury evaporates into the air here. We can detect it in the water and we also find it in elevated levels in urine samples. According to the researchers, nearly one in five miners in Larinada show signs of mercury exposure. The contamination spreads through the environment and can affect local water supplies. — How much do I owe? three solas. Thank you. To understand where the pollution comes from, we travel upstream to the source of Larinada's drinking water. These black pipes are part of the city's water system. The water comes directly from the glacia above the town. — We drink glacier water. It's our only source of water. There are no rivers or streams here. — Those holes down there supply the city. — From above, the glacia is scarred with hundreds of pits dug into the ice. Juan Carlos has worked in the mines for 12 years and worries about what is happening here. — It's painful to see how the ice is being destroyed. Local people have developed ways to accelerate the melting. — The miners spread gravel and sand over the ice. The sun heats the dark material and the ice underneath melts. That creates small streams of water. Because the water flows openly across mining areas, it can become contaminated by industrial waste and mercury used in gold extraction. There are no water purification plants here. — Does this water pass through the industrial area? — Yes. — Much of the waste water from Larinada's mines is released directly into the surrounding environment. According to experts, about 15 tons of mercury enter waterways in the Puno region every year, eventually flowing towards Lake Titikaka.

### [40:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP_zdzmDpTA&t=2400s) Segment 9 (40:00 - 43:00)

At nearly 3,800 m above sea level, Lake Tittikaka is spectacularly beautiful. But environmental groups warn that pollution is increasingly threatening its fragile ecosystem. Felix grew up on the shores of the lake and says he has watched conditions deteriorate over time. This sludge is contaminated by mining waste. It contains heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium, boron, arsenic, and many other toxic substances. The lake is facing an ecological crisis. — There's no life left here anymore. No trout, no catfish, no giant frogs. Everything is disappeared. Today, Lake Tittikaka is a cesspool. — Around 3 million people live in communities surrounding the lake. In one of the villages, a study by Peru's Ministry of Health found elevated levels of mercury and arsenic exposure in 83% of the residents. The contamination affects nearly every part of daily life, including drinking water. Residents like Hana describe constant headaches and stomach problems. We hide the salty taste of the water with herbs and sugar, otherwise we couldn't drink it. — Hana has decided not to have children because she fears the long-term health risks linked to contamination. Heavy metals damage the fetus during pregnancy and can later lead to learning, behavioral, and developmental delays. — This is Maria's house. Let's see how her child is doing. Hana worries that one of her nephews is suffering health effects linked to pollution. — This is Antonio. — He can play, but he still doesn't speak. Antonio is four years old and has serious speech difficulties. His family believes contaminated water may be part of the problem. My child trembles all the time and it breaks my heart. — We've taken him to the hospital several times, but he isn't getting better. I'm very worried and I no longer have money to bring him to doctors anymore. My brothers are also sick because of the water. In this village of 2,000 people, residents say five other children are facing similar developmental problems. — It hurts deeply. It's horrifying and tears me apart. — Now, local residents are preparing legal action against the authorities. Elsewhere in Peru, communities affected by heavy metal pollution have already begun seeing some success in court. around Lake Tittikaka. Many hope this could finally bring change.

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*Источник: https://ekstraktznaniy.ru/video/52419*