Semo La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.578m (18,300ft) above the sea level, located in Tsochen county in Ngari Prefecture, in the central part of Tibet, in China. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.
Set high in the Himalaya mountain range, the road to the summit, also known as Sangmu La, is paved. It’s called 206 Provincial Road (S206), a lonely road in the middle of nowhere. It was paved in late 2015. The road is 401 km (249mi) long and stays for a long time very high (150km over 5000m above the sea level) through a long high plateau.
The road gives access to the Chang Tang region. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Do not take this drive if you have respiratory problems or any type of heart condition. It’s the highest point on the road. It is well tarmacked and easily drivable in almost any vehicle as long as the lack of oxygen doesn't stop the car from running. Travellers use this route as an alternative access route to western Tibet and Mount Kailash, especially when mud makes access by the more southern route difficult. Also make sure you have petrol, food and water.
Pic: By V.Steuer (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
