Drive through Pang la

The way over the pass Pang la begins for most travelers early in the morning in the town of Tingri Dzong (4,320 m asl), also known as New Tingri. The town lies along the seasonal river Schi Chu surrounded by pretty jagged mountains.

After a few kilometers you come to a wide valley of river Pong. There is of course a military checkpost at the bridge over the river, where are all the necessary permits checked. The river is not suitable for fording, so do not trust the information on the Internet that these military posts can be bypassed and movement is allowed freely without permission.

After a few kilometers of driving through the valley of the river Pong there is finally turning to Pang La pass, Rongbuk Monastery and Everest BC. You leave here the comfort of asphalt Friendship Highway /Tibet is changing quickly – a few years ago was Friendship Highway just a dusty path and now there is asphalt road leading over 5 thousand meters high passes/ and go on the gravel road /also already widespread, so it will probably turn to asphalt road soon/ through respectable 41 switchbacks. According to the indicators it is only 103 km to Everest from here.

After an hour 's drive from Tingri you're on top of the road. The pass itself is a barren inhospitable place on the eroded ridge. It is hard to believe that dozens of round bare hills around are over five thousand meters above sea level. The view from the pass is only partial, so if you want to have a better uncovered view, you can “run" for about 10 minutes uphill along the jeep track.

From the outlook you can see more than one hundred kilometers of the main Himalayan ridge including its highest mountains.

If you’re lucky, the highest mountain in the world Mount Everest (8 848 m asl) and right behind it Lhotse (8 516 m asl) peek out.

Another eight thousand high mountain, which is clearly visible, is the throne of the gods – Makalu (8 463 m asl) and Chomo Lonzo (7,816 m asl). Anyway, a simple photographic rule that wide objective is the best for mountains and zoom for animals is not valid here. A good telephoto lens would suit here the best. After all, the ridge of the Himalayas is more than 60 km away.

Very nice is also the view straight down of the continuation of our journey over the pass. Brown ridges and hills stretch on all sides up to the horizon.

If there were no prayer flags fluttering, you might get a feeling that you are probably somewhere on Mars.

The world's highest peak Mount Everest has a completely different shape from the Tibetan side than for example from Kala Patthar, where you are basically close, but you see only the tip. From here you can see the entire north wall.
 

On the way down there are another 40 switchbacks, so driver may be easily bored and if you're lucky, he takes it headlong down on slightly more interesting path.

After overcoming the most steepest slopes, the path leads in typically Tibetan valley before it connects back on the road.

Another great outlook is of the oasis in the side valleys.

After two hours driving from Tingri is the mountain ridge behind you. In the valley there are the remains of the old abandoned villages.

The road then leads in valley Zakar, which already collects water from the glaciers of Mount Everest and continues towards Everest BC.