This track was identified and mapped via high-resolution satellite imagery.
Umling La Road
The 52 km road from Chisumle to Demchok over Umling La (5,799 m), built by the Border Roads Organisation in 2017 and certified by Guinness in 2021 as the world's highest motorable road. Mig La, also in Ladakh, took that title at about 5,913 m in October 2025. It is a smooth, paved road: the challenge is the altitude, where the air holds about half the oxygen it does at sea level, temperatures can fall far below freezing and the weather turns quickly.
Trail Map
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Trail Profile
General Instructions
Acclimatise for several days in Leh and Hanle first, and don't sleep higher than you need to. Spend as little time as possible on the pass, watch for headache, confusion or breathlessness, and turn back if anyone is unwell. Fill up before Hanle; there are no services on the pass. Usually open late May to September.
Weather check
Sampling Micro-Climate...
32.6732, 79.1694
Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: 32.6732, 79.1694 @ 4636m
Quick Stats
Highlights
- Stand at 5,799 m on Umling La
- Visit the Hanle dark-sky reserve and observatory nearby
- Cross the high Changthang plateau to Demchok
- See kiang and marmots on the open plains
Field Radio Protocol
VHF-UHF Communication
Propagation Telemetry
Ridge Line
92%Gorge Floor
18%Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range
Regulatory Compliance
VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.
Technical Analysis
Total Ascent
+1202 m
Total Descent
-1607 m
Ruggedness Index
Terrain Roughness Index
Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).
52.3
Tortuosity Index
Route Curviness Index
Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).
2.05
Gradient Distribution
Surface & Hydrology
Surface Spectrum Analysis
Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.
Difficulty Analysis
Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.
Bounding Box (WGS84)
Point Spacing: 29.8 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0
Reviews & Discussion0
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Plan this trip
Before you go: Umling La Road
Best time to go
Jun–Sep
June to September is the realistic window. The Manali and Srinagar highways usually open between May and June and close again with the October snows, and even in summer, nights on the high passes drop below freezing.
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