Driving the exciting road to the top of Nakee La Pass
India, asia
23 km
4,769 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, buckle up, adventure seekers! Nakee La Pass in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India, is calling your name. This high-altitude gem clocks in at a whopping 15,647 feet!
You'll find it along the famed Manali-Leh Highway, nestled between Sarchu and Pang, on the way from Taglang La to Manali. It's the third of five major passes on the Manali-Leh route, so get ready for an epic road trip.
The road is mostly paved, but don't get too comfy! You'll need your wits about you, because the road conditions can be pretty rough and will definitely test your driving skills.
The ascent up the infamous "22 Gata Loops" is a highlight – or lowlight, depending on how you feel about hairpin turns! It’s a 23km climb up from 13,746ft to 15,255ft. Once you're over the pass, prepare for a seriously dry landscape with no water in sight.
Oh, and here's a quirky local legend: they say the pass is haunted by the ghost of a trucker who met a tragic end here. So, tradition says you should leave a cigarette or water offering to appease him! But honestly, most folks just cruise right through without even realizing they've crossed it.
Where is it?
Driving the exciting road to the top of Nakee La Pass is located in India (asia). Coordinates: 24.1044, 78.3378
Road Details
- Country
- India
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 23 km
- Max Elevation
- 4,769 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 24.1044, 78.3378
Related Roads in asia
extremeWhere is Alatajsky Pass?
🌍 Kazakhstan
Alatajsky Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of above sea level, located in the East Kazakhstan Region Where is Alatajsky Pass? The pass, also known as , is located on the boundary between Katonkaragay districts , in the eastern part of the country, within the Katon-Karagaisky State National Nature Park Is the road to Alatajsky Pass unpaved? The road to the summit is completely unpaved across the long, running north-south from Enbek (on Highway P-163) When was the road through Alatajsky Pass built? This unpaved road was constructed between as a transport route in the East Kazakhstan region. It was built by Austro-Hungarian prisoners of World War I , including Czechs, Slovaks, Austrians, and Hungarians, who were captured on the Eastern Front. Using basic tools such as , they built the road through a remote area under challenging conditions. How challenging is driving through Alatajsky Pass? is required. This road should not be traveled alone. Before setting off, make sure you have enough . Since the area is very remote, be prepared to spend the night in a tent. Tucked away in the , it’s a very difficult road, crossing . Please avoid attempting the pass when it’s raining – the road can be extremely dangerous. More info&pics: http://silkadv.com/en/content/summer-kazakhstan How to get by car to the Underground Mosque of Sacred Beket Ata? Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.
extremeWhere is the Anzob tunnel of death?
🌍 Tajikistan
Located in the Sughd Region of Tajikistan, Anzob Tunnel is said to be the most dangerous tunnel in the world. Nicknamed the Tunnel of Fear and the Tunnel of Death by locals, it lacks proper lighting and ventilation, and breathing is hard and painful due to the thick mixture of exhaust gases. Where is the Anzob tunnel of death? The tunnel is located in the northwestern part of the country. It was built to bypass the infamous and keep the road open year-round. The tunnel through the tunnel is the infamous , the main road between Duschanbe, the capital of the country, and Khujand, the country's second-largest city. How long is the Anzob tunnel? The tunnel is 5,040 m (3.13 mi) long at an elevation of 2,700 meters above sea level. The tunnel is dark and dangerous with hardly any lights inside, and it’s suffocating as there’s no ventilation bar one fan. Why is the Anzob tunnel called the tunnel of death? Locals have shared stories of a number of people dying inside it due to traffic jams that leave people trapped, where they succumbed to carbon monoxide. The poisonous air in the tunnel is barely shifted by one solitary fan somewhere in the middle of the tunnel, which gives some, but not sufficient, movement to the air. How is the Anzob tunnel? The tunnel floor is a maze of deep, seriously deep, potholes hidden under a constant stream of water; the tunnel is strewn with abandoned construction machines and filled with the noxious black smoke of clapped-out lorries. It can be a disturbing experience: no lights, ventilation, or road markings, and it is liable to flooding. It's long, dark, and really dusty, and if you are claustrophobic, just be prepared to be uncomfortable. Even in good weather conditions, the tunnel is flooded, turning the giant potholes in the unfinished road into invisible death traps. Unmarked drainage channels waiting to swamp your bike. The tunnel lacks proper lighting and ventilation, and breathing is hard and painful due to the thick mixture of exhaust gases. Most drivers go as fast as they can, as in any other Central Asian country. Avoid the potholes, particularly in the winter time here. Your whole SUV can submerge if you drive in the wrong place. There are no road markings, so driving on the left or the right are optional, with the middle being the common choice. When was Anzob Tunnel opened? The tunnel was officially opened in March 2006 and supports heavy traffic. It’s also known as Istiqlol tunnel or Ushtur Tunnel. There are no traffic lights to regulate traffic through this section, nor is there an ordered tidal flow of traffic being allowed to enter the tunnel; instead, anarchy prevails in the darkness. Expect huge, axle-snapping potholes threatening to swallow up the car, along with flooding that almost turns them into tunnel ponds. Halfway along the tunnel, water floods the road as a result of an engineering fault. Oncoming cars and trucks emerge in the darkness with headlights flashing for the other drivers to get out of their way. How’s Anzob Tunnel today? In 2018, the tunnel was improved (adding drainage and repairing potholes), and for the most part, it is lit now, with a more or less decent asphalt surface. But it needs much more improvement to be done. How to Survive and Drive through the Dangerous Anzob Pass in Tajikistan Pamir Highway is the second highest altitude international highway in the world Embark on a journey like never before! Navigate through our to discover the most spectacular roads of the world Drive Us to Your Road! With over 13,000 roads cataloged, we're always on the lookout for unique routes. Know of a road that deserves to be featured? Click to share your suggestion, and we may add it to dangerousroads.org.
extremeHow Long is the Karakoram Highway?
🇵🇰 Pakistan
The Karakoram Highway, or KKH as the locals call it, is a legendary route stretching 1,300 km (810 mi) between Western China and Pakistan – about 887 km (551 mi) in Pakistan and 413 km (257 mi) in China. Think of it as your gateway through disputed Kashmir, from Hassan Abdal (near Islamabad) all the way to Kashgar in China's Xinjiang province. While technically open year-round, the Khunjerab Pass – a whopping 4,693 m (15,397 ft) high – is usually snowed in from January to April. Even outside those months, keep an eye on the weather! Harsh winters and monsoon season (July/August) can bring closures due to landslides. This isn't just a road; it's an adventure! Construction took a staggering 27 years and came at a cost. While conditions have improved, some parts are still dicey, and you'll want a reliable 4x4 to handle the terrain. Expect hairpin turns, potential rockfalls (especially in the rain), and some seriously steep drops. Don't let that scare you off, though! The KKH carves through the Himalayas, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush ranges, offering mind-blowing views of K2. Spring and early autumn are the sweet spots for travel. But be warned: altitude sickness is a real concern for some. This isn't just a road trip; it's a journey through the "Eighth Wonder of the World." You'll be tracing the ancient Silk Road, surrounded by some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. It's a must-do for any adventure seeker.
extremeWhen was Cho La Mountain Tunnel built?
🇨🇳 China
Cruising through western Sichuan Province, China? Buckle up for the Cho La Mountain Tunnel, a mind-blowing shortcut through the Cho La Mountains! This beast of a tunnel sits at a staggering 4,378m (14,363ft) above sea level. Opened in 2017 after a 15-year build, this 7km tunnel (plus 5km of access roads) is part of the G317 highway, linking Chengdu to Nagqu in Tibet. Imagine the challenge of building something like this at such an altitude, where the air is thin and the temperatures plummet! The tunnel, also known as Que'ershan Tunnel, cuts through the mountains between 4,232m and 4,378m above sea level. The tunnel is paved, speed is limited to 40 kph, and it takes around 10 minutes to cross. Before this tunnel existed, drivers faced a harrowing journey over a treacherous mountain road, dodging landslides, avalanches, and all sorts of nasty weather on the Que'ershan Mountain Pass at 4,920m (16,141ft)! This tunnel slices two hours off the trip and bypasses the scariest parts of the old road. Trust me, you'll be grateful for this engineering marvel when you see the views!