Announcement

**sajalsheth** · 08-02-2022, 11:44 PM

First wall shows the change in board and road of Umlingla in 2017, Before 2017, 2018, 2021 etc with pictures of sign board during that period.

Second wall show the Certificate of Guinness World Record

Third wall mentioned this road as Chisumle Demchok road, passing via Umling La Pass.

**sajalsheth** · 08-02-2022, 11:46 PM

I had kahwa in that room and some bread sandwiches. Homestay ower was very caring for us.

Coming up .... NEXT .... Part 3 ... going back from UmlingLa Pass to Hanle

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:37 PM

Date:- 27.5.2022, Day 10 :- Hanle to UMLING LA PASS to Tso Kar = PART 3

"Going Back to Hanle after passing through heavy snow fall at Nurbula Top"

It was 9.10 AM, just after we finished our breakfast at UmlingLa Hut. Now we were ready to come down to Hanle.
My mission of this trip was accomplished.

Mission of reaching on motorcycle to Guinness Certified World's High altitude road.

On 16th November 2021, Guinness has certified this pass to be world's highest.
Previously it was mentioned at 19,300 feet, but now corrected to 19,024 feet.

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:38 PM

There is a cafe here, a hut and an oxygen chamber. Toilets are behind hut.

OD number plate (from Odisha) at Umling La Pass

A short video shot at UmlingLa Pass using my GoPro is here:-

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:39 PM

Time to say bye to this snow world

Posing near board

It was 9.17 AM. I spent 27 minutes here at Pass.

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:40 PM

So we should not spend more time on high altitude.

Hurrey and good bye UmlingLa Pass.

While coming down the view of road inside snow carpet looked good.

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:41 PM

Only this mountain had snow.

Last selfie using gopro at Umling La road. Or Chisumle- Demchok Road.

The road ahead of me

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:41 PM

The view on right side of me

The beautiful road behind me

When I was riding up, this area had snow. Now snow had melted.

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:42 PM

Happiness in sunny weather.

see the sunlight and clear weather here.

It is said that weather changes very fast at mountains.

After this we reached Chisumle bridge. I saw some motorcycle rider on my way to Chisumle bridge. They were going up towards Umlingla. I waved at them to with good luck.

Now we were on ascend of Nurbula Top. Suddenly the weather changed. The sunny weather was gone. It was cloudy and dark.
We decided not to stop and cross Nurbula top as soon as possible.
Snow fall started and it became more fast.
I had problem riding as snowfall was making visibility poor. I was riding behind Toyota crysta only. There was snow on my pant, hand gloves, riding jacket.
It was very scary to pass in this heavy snowfall. This is the first time I was riding during snowfall.
I had to keep part of my helmet visor open to skip moisture on my specs and inside helmet visor. Effect of which = that cold air was coming inside helmet with snow. Making it more difficult to ride.
I did not stop anywhere till we crossed Nurbula top.

Then the descent of Nurbula top came. The muddy soil on those decent was very slippery. I was very slow to go down during turnings.
Then the plain off road to Hanle started.
And after 4-5 kms, suddenly the weather changed again. It was sunny again.
I took a break here. Cleaned my visor and had some water. But the Nurbula top area was covered with clouds. It might be raining snow there.
After riding ahead , we reached the river crossing near Hanle.
Suddenly it started raining there for some time. Somehow I crossed those river crossings. And reached tar road of Hanle.
Again the rain stopped and it was sunny once again.
Funny weather of mountains.

At 11.45 AM, I reached back to my homestay at Hanle.
I had packed my luggage as I planned to reach Tso Kar today by evening.
I had lunch at homestay. I thanked Homestay owner and driver of Toyata Crysta for UmlingLa Pass. Because of them route of the pass was easily found and car was of great help during poor visibility during heavy snowfall at Nurbula top.

At 1.25 PM, I was ready to leave for Tso Kar.
I called my wife at informed about UmlingLa success and informed that I am staring for Tso Kar.

The son of Homestay owner mixed with me very well. He wanted to ride with me.

**sajalsheth** · 08-04-2022, 11:43 PM

He was not getting down from my bike. Somehow her mother pulled him and he was unhappy about leaving me and my bike.
I gave his mother some money for his chocolate. And started riding towards Tso Kar.

some last pictures at Hanle for memory.

I don't know when will I visit this village again.

I registered again at check post at the start of Hanle. He just asked when did I came and ticked at my entry of earlier date.
I again crossed a small sand storm before Rhongo and Loma. This time it was not scary as it was yesterday.
I registered at check post at Loma.
Then I reached Mahe bridge. There also I had registered at check post near bridge.
Now I could hardly see anybody on road. Then it was very bad off road passing Puga, and then Pologongka La Pass.
On descent of this pass, I found some bikers of Kolkata. They were going to Manali.

I could see Startsapuk Tso Lake on my left.
The bad off road still continued. I reached Tso kar at 6 PM.
I stayed at TsoKar Eco Resort for the night. Rooms here are not very good. But Tso Kar has very less option of stay. No network or electricity here at Tso Kar.
Weather was also very cold. But the food at this hotel was very good.

After I came back to Cuttack, Dheeraj Sharma of Devil on Wheels posted this in his instagram. I was very happy and obliged.

Coming up...NEXT ..... Ride till Kullu

Click HERE for next update.

**krishna77** · 08-09-2022, 09:45 AM

As usual, a visual treat from you!

**sajalsheth** · 08-11-2022, 09:51 PM

Originally posted by krishna77 View Post

As usual, a visual treat from you!

Thank you krishna77 ji....
I was missing your comments

in this travelogue

**sajalsheth** · 08-11-2022, 09:54 PM

Date:- 28.5.2022, Day 11:- Tso Kar to Kullu

Today I wanted to reach Kullu by evening.
As per Google Maps it is around 350+ Kms from Tso Kar.
In mountain 350+ kms in a day is very difficult unless you start early.
I was ready to go at 5.48 AM.
But when I came out of my room to warm up my motorcycle.... It was full of snow frost.

It was taking time to start. So I took water in a bucket and poured on entire motorcycle. Slowly snow frost started to go.
Then I tied luggage and started without having breakfast here at Tsokar Eco Resort. It was around 6.45 AM then.

I reached Debring and had breakfast.
After Debring the road was very good. It was tar road. I could see normal traffic of trucks, cars & bikers.

Then crossed More plains.
And Crossed Pang.
I crossed Lachulung La Pass at 16,616 feet.
From Pang to Lachulung La Pass, there was heavy traffic of trucks. There were numerous trucks and were driving at a very high speed. And due to that lots of dust was coming in air.
Just After Lachulung La Pass there is a short cut downhill towards Whisky Nala. They went in that downhill shortcut.
Then I crossed Nakeela Pass at 15547 feet

I was at the start of Gata loops at 10.25 AM.

**sajalsheth** · 08-11-2022, 09:56 PM

Gata Loops looks beautiful from top side.

That river at bottom is Tsarap River. Same river goes via Phukhtal Monastery and becames Zanskar River at Padum.

Weather was very comfortable and I was riding in perfect speed.

After Gata loop there was a water crossing and lots of vehicle were in queue there. But since I had two wheeler, I could ride from side and overtake those vehicles in queue.
Before Sarchu , a new concrete road is being made.

**sajalsheth** · 08-11-2022, 09:57 PM

I was now inside Himachal Pradesh now.
Then I reached Sarchu and had maggie and some food. I did not had full lunch because half stomach is good for mountain rides.
My bike and dress were full of dust due to those trucks. I cleaned my bike and dress with cloth.
I also unloaded my balance 5 ltr petrol jar in my tank. Now I did not have any extra fuel to carry.

At 1.10 PM , I was at Baralach La Pass of Himachal Pradesh at 15,912 feet.

Baralacha La Pass had lots of snow.

Many tourist vehicles were stopping on road to enjoy snow.

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Umling la pass

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