An Unforgettable Drive to Gyatso La Pass on the Tibetan Plateau

Gyatso La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.220m (17,125ft) above sea level, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Where is Gyatso La?

The pass is located in Lhazê County of the Xigazê Prefecture, about 240 km west of Zhigatse on the way to Nepal and marks the entry into the Everest National Park. A couple of kilometers from the pass, there are great views of Everest, a pointy snow-capped mountain in the distance, distinctly higher than those mountains around it. Tucked away within the Qomolangma National Nature Reserve, on the Tibetan Plateau, the surroundings of the pass are very desolate: nothing grows here, it’s cold, empty, and frozen.

Can I drive through Gyatso La?

Gyatso La (also known as Jia Tsuo La, Tsuo La, and Lhakpa La) is the highest point on the Friendship Highway (G318), an asphalted 800-kilometer (500-mile) long scenic route connecting the capital of Tibet Lhasa with the Chinese/Nepalese border. The newly paved road is already damaged.

Is Gyatso La worth it?

The summit hosts prayer flags and monuments. A couple of kilometers from the pass, there are great views of Everest, a pointy snow-capped mountain in the distance, distinctly higher than those mountains around it.
Pic: Dale Gray