The old Shamanic beliefs of Tibet ascribed magical powers to the landscape, but there’s a far more tangible source of power here, which owes nothing at all to magic.

 

Strewn across the plateau are boiling thermal springs, the evidence of mighty natural forces which have been at work over millions of years. Deep below the surface, the vast continental plates of Asia and India are crashing into each other-- the turmoil below erupting clouds of sulphurous steam. It seemed unlikely that scalding mineral springs could support life. But one unlikely creature thrives here precisely because of them.

 

The hot spring snake is unique to Tibet, and is believed to have survived the inhospitable conditions upon the plateau, principally thanks to this natural central heating. These cold-blooded snakes hang out in streams and rivers which are fed by the hot springs, where they enjoy a surprisingly productive lifestyle. 

 

Slipping into the warm water, they wait patiently, bobbing their heads on the lookout for fish. Thanks to its unlikely relationship with the volcanic forces which built the Himalayas, the hot spring snake is able to survive at altitudes up to 4500 meters, making it the highest-living snake in the world.

 

The slow-motion crash between Asia and India has been going on for 30 million years. The Himalayas are the crumple zone created by these two colliding land masses, a bewildering maze of mountains and valleys, home to elusive wild creatures.