To the highest motorable road in the World
Ever since my solo motorcycle trip through Ladakh in 2020, when I reached Khardung La (17,982 ft above sea level), I have been fascinated by this region. The sense of peace, the breathtaking landscapes, and the warmth of the people left a lasting impression on me. What stood out even more was the immense respect I have always had for the Indian Armed Forces and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Seeing, even briefly, the harsh environment in which they work only deepened that admiration. It gave me a greater appreciation of the effort and dedication required to build and maintain such remarkable road connectivity in these remote, high-altitude regions. Since then, I had wanted to reach Umling La—the highest motorable road in the world, at 19,024 ft (5,797 m) above sea level. My first thought was to drive there, but that wasn’t really practical. The journey would have taken too long, and getting that many days of leave wasn’t possible. The second option was what I had do...