Sarchu is not a village so much as a seasonal camp in a broad, windy basin at roughly 4,300 metres, where Himachal Pradesh gives way to Ladakh. There is nothing permanent here: a collection of tented camps and a couple of rough dhabas serve riders and truck drivers in summer, then pack up when the snow comes. The setting is vast and treeless, with colossal bare mountains in rose and ochre and a river running through the gravel. The air is thin and the cold at night is serious, so many travellers feel the altitude strongly.
The road here has become something of a legend. From the south it climbs over Baralacha La, a pass of nearly 4,900 metres, and then drops to the plain where Sarchu sits. North of the camps it tackles the Gata Loops, a series of twenty-one hairpins that climb the mountainside like a stack of paper clips, followed by the high passes of Nakee La and Lachulung La. Surface conditions vary hugely. In some years there is fresh asphalt; in others there are water crossings, loose rock and washed-out edges, and the road can be closed for hours by landslides or meltwater.
Fuel is not available in any practical way. Keylong is far behind and the next dependable supply lies well beyond the plateau, so carry what you need, and carry a basic tool kit. Heavy rain is rare, but sudden snow flurries can arrive in any month. Altitude sickness is a real danger, and the standard advice is to drink water, go slowly, and descend if headaches become severe.
The tented camps serve dal, rice and noodles, and a warm blanket and a mug of tea are worth a great deal. If you sleep here, bring a proper sleeping bag, and expect a night sky of amazing clarity. In the morning, the frost on the bike seat will tell you what you slept through.