Lachulung La is the second great pass on the road between Manali and Leh, a bare, windswept saddle at 5,059 metres, with prayer flags snapping in the wind and the road clawing its way over a ridge of crumbling rock. It lies north of Sarchu and the Gata Loops, in the high desert plateau of southern Ladakh, where the air is thin and the land is a bare, tawny colour streaked with red and green minerals. There are no trees and almost no plants, only rock, snow and sky.
The pass sits between the Nakee La and Tanglang La, forming the central part of a sequence of high crossings that makes the highway one of the highest in the world. Between them lie the More Plains, a wide flat basin at over 4,000 metres, where the road runs straight for miles across what feels like the surface of another planet. The area is sparsely populated, with a few nomadic herders and army posts, and the camps at Pang, to the south, serve those crossing the passes.
For riders the road is raw and unpredictable. The surface alternates between rough tarmac, broken sections, gravel and water crossings, and the gradients are steady rather than steep, but the thin air makes every bike, and every person, slower. Carburettor and injection engines lose power at altitude, and you may notice the bike feeling flat and sluggish, so be patient and avoid hard braking on loose surfaces. The weather can change in an hour, with sudden snow, hail or high wind, even in midsummer. Start early, to cross the passes before the afternoon meltwater, and carry warm layers.
The nearest supplies are at Pang and Sarchu to the south, and Upshi and Karu on the Leh side, and the long gap between pumps means a reserve of fuel is wise. Altitude sickness is the other danger: if you feel dizzy, nauseous or confused, lose height rather than gaining it.
Stop for a few minutes at the top, take a photograph with the prayer flags, but do not linger too long. The view across the folded ridges and distant snow peaks is wide and silent, and the satisfaction of crossing is real. After a brief rest, the road drops toward the Indus valley and Leh, and the air thickens with every kilometre.