Road trip guide: Conquering the infamous Tangkar La
India, asia
5 km
4,439 m
moderate
Year-round
Hey adventure junkies! Ever dreamt of conquering a crazy-high mountain pass straddling India and China? Let me tell you about Tangkar La!
This wild ride connects North Sikkim in India to Yadong County in Tibet, but sadly, doesn't quite cross the border. There are two separate routes leading to the summit on each side.
On the Indian side, get ready for a bumpy, unpaved adventure through the stunning Yumthang Valley. You'll definitely need a 4x4 to tackle this one. You'll climb to a breathtaking 4,439m (14,563ft). Sadly, it's a military road, so civilians can't access it.
Now, for the Chinese side – buckle up! This unpaved road is seriously steep, maxing out at a crazy 35% gradient. Starting near Suoguotang, it's a 5 km (3.1 miles) climb with a whopping 762-meter elevation gain, making for an average gradient of 15.24%. The road tops out at a dizzying 4,778m (15,675ft). Again, this route is also off-limits to civilians as it’s a military road.
Where is it?
Road trip guide: Conquering the infamous Tangkar La is located in India (asia). Coordinates: 23.5311, 76.0410
Road Details
- Country
- India
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 5 km
- Max Elevation
- 4,439 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 23.5311, 76.0410
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