Semo La, one of the highest roads of China

Semo La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.578m (18,300ft) above the sea level, located in Tsochen county in Ngari Prefecture, in the central part of Tibet, in China. It gives access to the Chang Tang region. It’s one of the highest roads of the country. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Near the pass, oxygen is in short supply.

The road to the pass, also known as Sangmu La, is simply terrible, with a notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Do not take this drive if you have respiratory problems or any type of heart condition. Notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Extremely low oxygen for engine combustion. The road is in the Himalayas. It is well tarmacked and easily drivable in almost any vehicle as long as the lack of oxygen doesn't stop the car from running. Travellers use this route as an alternative access route to western Tibet and Mount Kailash, especially when mud makes access by the more southern route difficult. Also make sure you have petrol, food and water.

The road to the summit is called 206 Provincial Road (S206), a lonely road in the middle of nowhere. It stays for a long time very high (150km over 5000m above the sea level) over a long high plateau. It was paved in late 2015.

Pic: By V.Steuer (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons