The Highest Road in the World Has Been Hotly Contested
I could have sworn I drove the highest road in the world. Amongst the snow-capped Himalayaās, at the top of Indiaās āKhardung Laā pass I snapped a photo of a sign that said āHighest Motorable Road in the World: 18,380 feet.ā Thereās only one problem, it was a complete lie.
This one-lane mountain pass, crowded with Indian army trucks and 4WD taxis connects Leh, the capital of Ladakh India, with a remote mountain valley near the Tibetan border. And it is certainly high up there. But with a maximum elevation of 17,582 feet, it is not the highest road in the world. Itās not even in the top 10.
Hereās whatās bizarre: the actual highest road in the world is also in Ladakh, India. So lying about the elevation of āKhardung Laā isnāt some patriotic attempt to take the record from Bolivia or China. Perhaps itās just a marketing ploy by the tiny gift shop hut at the top.
For years, India claimed the highest road in the world. But its army tends to build one-lane mountain passes. So traffic goes one way, swapping every day. If you decide to drive in to one of these remote valleys, plan to stay overnight! Other countries (such as Bolivia) were quick to claim the highest ātwo laneā road, or highest āpaved road.ā This further complicated who got the crown of āhighest road.ā
In 2017, the Border Roads Organization department of the Indian Army finished the āUmling Laā pass. This is a proper two-lane paved road with a maximum elevation of 19,300 feet. Without dispute, it is the highest road in the world. Hereās how the others stack up (according to Deviton Wheels).
- Umling La Pass. Ladakh India ā 19,300 feet
- Road to Uturuncu Potosi. Bolivia ā 18,953 feet
- Dungri La. Uttarakhand, India ā 18,406 feet
- Marsimik La. Ladakh, India ā 18,313 feet
- Semo La. Central Tibet ā 18,258 feet
- Photi La. Ladakh, India ā 18,124 feet
- Dongkha La. North Sikkim, India ā 17,999 feet
- Kasang La. Ladakh, India ā 17,841 feet
- Suge La. West of Lhasa, Tibet ā 17,815 feet
- Chang La. Ladakh, India ā 17,586 feet
- Khardung La. Ladakh, India ā 17,582 feet
The Indian Army has begun work on another mountain pass to connect more villages. The planned āMig Laā pass will have a maximum elevation of 19,400 feet and thus become the new highest road in the world.
Next, find out how a 1986 Suzuki Jimny recently stole the world record for highest elevation achieved by an off-road vehicle, or you can see an expedition over Umling La in the video below: