Thaga La is an adventure track you will never forget

Thaga La is an adventure track you will never forget

China, asia

Length

38.1 km

Elevation

5,411 m

Difficulty

extreme

Best Season

Year-round

Okay, adventure junkies, buckle up for Thaga La (aka Taga La), a beast of a mountain pass way out in western Tibet's Ngari Prefecture, practically spitting distance from India! We're talking SERIOUSLY high—17,752 feet to be exact!

This is no Sunday drive, folks. The road is brand spankin' new, but also completely unpaved and pretty much off-limits to regular tourists. You'll need a 4x4 for sure.

From Sarang, it's a wild 23.67-mile climb with some sections hitting a brutal 14% gradient. You gain over 7,000 feet in elevation, so yeah, the air gets thin REALLY fast. We're talking about some serious altitude sickness potential here, plus crazy mountain weather can roll in at any time. The average gradient is 5.72%, so get ready for a leg burner! The scenery is absolutely epic, but remember to respect the elements.

Where is it?

Thaga La is an adventure track you will never forget is located in China (asia). Coordinates: 38.3460, 106.7160

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Road Details

Country
China
Continent
asia
Length
38.1 km
Max Elevation
5,411 m
Difficulty
extreme
Coordinates
38.3460, 106.7160

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