At 5,328 metres, Tanglang La is among the highest motorable passes in the world, and for many riders it is the day when the Himalaya stops being a postcard. It is the second-highest pass on the Manali-Leh Highway, after you have crossed Baralacha La and Lachulung La, and it marks the line between the high plateau of Rupshu and the Indus valley beyond. The air carries about half the oxygen of sea level, so even a short walk will leave you breathless, and the engine of your bike will feel the difference too.
The road approaches through the More Plains, a high, flat desert of gravel and sand at about 4,700 metres, with distant snow peaks and a feeling of enormous emptiness. After the plains, it starts to climb in long, easy switchbacks, past Pang, a tent camp at the start of the ascent, and finally reaches the top, marked by a signboard and a pile of prayer flags. Beyond, the descent to Upshi and the Indus is long and fast, with the land turning from bare rock to the first green of Ladakh's villages.
This is serious country. Altitude sickness is a real risk, and the safest approach is to spend time at lower stops, to ride only a short time at the top and to drink plenty of water. Weather changes quickly, with snow possible even in summer and strong, cold winds on the pass. The road is paved in places but broken in others, with stream crossings fed by melting snow that can be deep and fast in the afternoon. The pass is normally open from about June to early autumn.
The last pump before a long stretch is at Tandi, on the Manali side, so fill up there and carry spare in cans, while the next dependable stations are near Leh. Food at the tented camps is basic, with noodles, rice and tea. Ride in the morning, when the streams are lowest and the weather is steadiest, and give yourself time to rest. A cup of hot tea at the top, with the prayer flags snapping in the wind, is a small reward.