Driving the wild Yamda La

Yamda La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.986m (13,077ft) above the sea level, located in the remote and inaccessible region of Upper Mustang, in the valley of the Kali Gandaki River, in north-central Nepal.

Yamda La

The road to the summit is a challenging route. It’s called Kaligandaki Road Corridor and was built by the Nepal Army. Avalanches, heavy snowfalls and landslides can occur anytime, being extremely dangerous due to frequent patches of ice. It’s unpaved, 4wd recommended, and usually impassable in winters.

The pass links Kagbeni, a village in the Kali Gandaki River and the Chinese border. The climb is simply terrible, with a notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Near the pass, oxygen is in short supply. This trail passes through remote areas, so you need to be prepared. The road climbs several high mountain passes.
Pic: Sebastian Kamenz