Zoji La is the gateway between Kashmir and Ladakh, a pass at about 3,500 metres where the green, wet world of the valley gives way abruptly to the dry, brown, empty land beyond. The climb from Sonamarg is steep and exposed, the road cut into the mountainside above the Sindh river gorge, with huge drops and narrow lanes. In many places the road is barely wide enough for two vehicles, and the surface can be rough, wet and muddy. This is regularly cited as one of the most dangerous roads in India, and the reputation is earned.
Traffic on the pass is controlled by timings, with one-way windows for vehicles going each direction, and the system exists because the road is too narrow for safe passing. Check the schedule before setting out. Heavy lorries, military convoys and buses grind upward in low gear, and queues can be long. Snow can close the pass from late autumn into spring, and avalanches have swept the road in the past. A long tunnel beneath the pass has been under construction for years, intended to give year-round access, but at the time of writing the old road is the main route.
The change on the other side is dramatic. Crossing the summit, you leave behind the pine and the meadow flowers, and the valley opens out into the rainshadow desert of Ladakh. Within a few kilometres the trees vanish, the hills turn the colour of dry biscuit, and the wind begins to blow. The air feels thinner and sharper.
Carry water and a warm jacket, because the weather here can change within minutes. Mornings are better, with less traffic and clearer skies. Patience is the key virtue. The road has been used for centuries by traders, soldiers and pilgrims, and every one of them has stories of mud, cold and delay. Take it slowly, and keep a safe distance from the lorry in front.