Norbu has led the October mule train for six years. He owns eight of the forty-two mules and knows the other thirty-four by name.

The route

Two days from the road head to the Dzo plateau, with one night at 4,100 metres. The last pass is a narrow shelf above a river and can only be crossed in dry weather.

The load

Each mule carries 40 kilograms, packed so that the weight sits evenly on both sides.

• 300 clean stoves, flues packed inside them
• 600 blankets
• Dry food for 300 homes
• Spare glass and wicks for lamps

Why stoves

An open fire in a closed room fills it with smoke. A clean stove burns a third of the wood and sends the smoke outside. Women and small children, who spend the most time indoors in winter, gain the most.

Who carries it

Highpass Muleteers is a cooperative of eleven families. The train is their largest job of the year, and the fee is paid before they leave, not after.

This year

The train left on time. We post from the plateau when the last kit is handed over.