Driving the savage road to Lungkar La
Lungkar La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.645m (18,520ft) above the sea level, located in Zhongba County of Shigatse Prefecture in China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Set high in the western part of Central Tibet, between the lakes of Palong and Taro, the road to the summit, also known as Longga La or Longar La, is totally unpaved. It was part of the route taken by the Swedish explorer and geographer Sven Hedin. At this elevation oxygen levels drop and visitors need to take adequate precautions against AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness).
Starting at Longgacun, to the south of Taro lake, the road to the summit is 24.1 km (14.97 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 1064 m. The average gradient is 4.41%. Attempting it in anything but a High-Clearance, preferably 4-wheel drive vehicle is a recipe for disaster. Always check the weather forecast before you start your journey: adverse conditions are common.
Road suggested by: Hugh Wilson