Sela Pass is the high point on the road to Tawang, at 4,170 metres, and it is the sort of place where the weather is more important than the map. The pass sits on a ridge in the eastern Himalaya in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, between the West Kameng and Tawang districts, and it is the gateway to a country of high lakes, monasteries and army posts. In winter it is snowed under for weeks and the road can be closed, and even in summer it can be hit by snow, fog and sudden hail.
The climb from Bomdila is long and steady, with the road winding up through pine, then rhododendron, then bare alpine grass. Near the top you pass a string of small, cold lakes, including one often called the Paradise Lake, with its water a deep blue-green against the dark stone. Prayer flags flutter at the roadside and the air is thin and bitterly cold. The surface can be broken by frost, and drainage channels fill with meltwater and gravel. The army and the Border Roads Organisation keep it open, and they do an impressive job in difficult conditions.
At the top there is a memorial gate, a few tea stalls selling noodles and hot drinks, and a general feeling of having arrived somewhere that matters. Be careful, because the altitude can cause headaches and nausea. Do not stay long if you feel unwell, and descend if symptoms get worse. Your bike will also feel the lack of oxygen, with carburetted engines losing power and idling roughly.
The pass has a place in the history of the 1962 war between India and China, when Indian troops fought a hard rearguard action in the area, and the story of that campaign is told at memorials further down the road. For the Monpa people, it is a sacred place, and local custom treats the lakes with respect.
Bomdila, on the southern side, and Tawang, beyond, are the nearest options, and the distance in between is a day's ride, so top up in Bomdila. Start early to cross in the clearer part of the day, carry waterproofs, gloves and a flask if you can, and be ready to turn back if the cloud comes down.