Driving one of the world's highest motorable roads to Lajiong La

Lajiong La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.830m (19,127ft) above sea level located in Coqên County, in the Ngari Prefecture, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It's one of the highest motorable roads in the world.

Lajiong La

Is Lajiong La unpaved?

Set high in the northern side of the Himalaya, in the western part of Tibet, the road to the summit, also known as Sawo La or Sawok La, is totally unpaved. The surface is loose rock, the road is broken up in parts, and the sheer drops in a few places make it a very treacherous journey. A 4x4 vehicle with high clearance is required. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

How long is Lajiong La?

Starting at S206 road, the road to the summit is 36.8 km (22.86 miles) long. It’s a very steep drive, hitting a 16% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. The pass is accessible to anyone in Tibet, and you do not need any special passes or permits to make your way up. Driving on this road is nothing less than an adventure, especially in winter when the cold winds blow, making it nearly impossible to traverse.
 Pic: http://ttrek.net/tag/cycling/page/3

 

 

Drive Us to Your Road!

We have cataloged over 13,000 roads, but we're always looking for more. Have you traveled a road that deserves to be featured? Click here to submit your road story, and we'll feature it on dangerousroads.org!