
A Road to Daulat Beg Oldi, a High Mountain Military Base
India, asia
12 km
5,067 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, adventure junkies, listen up! Deep in the Jammu and Kashmir state of India lies Daulat Beg Oldi, a military base that’s seriously off the beaten path. We're talking ridiculously high – 5,067 meters (16,624 feet) high! It's home to one of the highest roads in the country, and boasts the world's highest active airstrip.
Just a hop, skip, and a jump (12km south, to be exact, near 35.302019, 77.954907), you'll find another military outpost scraping the sky at 5,523m (18,120ft).
Now, this isn't your average Sunday drive. The road is completely unpaved, so you're going to need a 4x4 to tackle this beast. Keep in mind, civilians are completely off-limits here. And altitude sickness? Yep, that's a real threat at these heights! Be prepared for brutal winds, crazy weather swings, and temperatures that can nosedive to a bone-chilling -55°C in winter. It's an extreme ride, but the stark, rugged scenery? Absolutely epic!
Where is it?
A Road to Daulat Beg Oldi, a High Mountain Military Base is located in India (asia). Coordinates: 35.3020, 77.9549
Road Details
- Country
- India
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 12 km
- Max Elevation
- 5,067 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 35.3020, 77.9549
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