Driving the brutal road to Ngai La
Ngai La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.453m (14,609ft) above the sea level, located in the historical region of Kham in the eastern Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
The road to the summit is mostly gravel which makes it a mud trap during the rainy season, and you will often come across thousand-car traffic jams stretching for miles. It’s called China National Highway 317. Many sections of the road are only single track, and driving long them in bad weather is a dangerous challenge to a less experienced driver. Rain, ice, snow and a host of other chilly winter challenges last for close to ten months making driving along this road a treacherous journey even for most experienced driver. Due to the high elevations and exposure, the road is subject to strong winds and rapid weather changes. Be prepared for the cold and wind! High winds blow here all year long. There are many dangerous sections of road along the route, and oxygen is scarce in the high altitude, making driving even more of a challenge.
Pic: 石江川