High Passes

High passes/places we've taken the bikes

Name of Pass/High pointHeightDate
Kozur La, Ladakh, India5,626m2/9/12
High point on Acotango, Dpto de Oruro, Bolivia5,509m28/8/10
Yalung Nyau La, Ladakh, India5,446m6/9/12
Kaksang La, Ladakh, India5,438m22/8/12
Kostse La, Ladakh, India5,398m5/9/12
Chang La, Ladakh, India5,381m16/8/12
Kardung La, Ladakh, India5,359m**/5,368m14/8/12
Taglang La, Ladakh, India5,344m24/8/12
Wari La, Ladakh, India5,312m15/8/12
Chacaltaya ski station, Dpto de La Paz, Bolivia5,260m5/8/10
High point on Aucanquilcha, Region II, Chile5,130m9/7/10
Abra Azuca*, Dpto de Apurimac, Peru5,130m4/11/10
Abra Loncopata*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru5,119m20/11/10
Abra Arcata*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru5,101m2/11/10
Shingo La, Himachal Pradesh, India5,058m19/7/12
Abra Huarcaya*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru5,057m19/11/10
Abra Culipampa*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru5,024m19/11/10
Abra Quenco*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru5,020m20/11/10
Abra Huacullo*, Dpto de Apurimac, Peru5,016m18/11/10
Abra Condorillo, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,993m3/11/10
Rusi La, Ladakh, India4,988m4/8/12
Pologongka La, Ladakh, India4,972m23/8/12
Kongka La, Ladakh, India4,969m31/8/12
Abra del Acay, Provincia de Salta, Argentina4,966m6/6/10
Abra Achallaque*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,962m20/10/10
Paso Sol de Mañana, Dpto de Potosi, Bolivia4,944m30/6/10
Abra Viraco*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,940m27/11/10
Hor La, Ladakh, India4,936m21 & 22/8/12
Abra Patapampa, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,889m13/10/10
Abra Ares*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,871m1/11/10
Abra Tolconi*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,860m1/11/10
Nusgur La, Ladakh, India4,859m8/9/12
Portezuelo Paranal (Paso Jama), Region II, Chile4,836m8/12/10
Abra Canchenita, Dpto de Cusco, Peru4,827m17/10/10
Abra Tisco, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,813m17/10/10
Abra Taapaca*, Region XV, Chile4,802m15/8/10
Paso San Francisco, Provincia de Catamarca, Argentina4,767m7/2/11
Abra Toroya, Dpto de Puno, Peru4,750m10/10/10
Paso del Condor, Dpto de Potosi, Bolivia4,735m29/6/10
Abra Tres Cruces, Dpto de La Paz, Bolivia4,729m8/9/10
Abra Jachaña*, Dpto de Cusco, Peru4,702m20/10/10
Abra de Viscos, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,695m25/11/10
Abra del Gallo, Provincia de Salta, Argentina4,694m13/12/10
Paso Chungara/Tambo Quemado, Region XV, Chile4,686m15/8/10
La Cumbre, Dpto de La Paz, Bolivia4,671m13/9/10 & 18/9/10
Turn-off to Hito Cajon, Region II, Chile4,665m25/6/10
Paso Salar Capina*, Dpto de Potosi, Bolivia4,660m2/7/10
Abra Llullita, Dpto de Apurimac, Peru4,658m11/11/10
Abra Anabi*, Dpto de Cuzco, Peru4,654m4/11/10
Parma checkpoint, Ladakh, India4,630m18/8/12
Abra El Laco (Paso Sico), Region II, Chile4,578m14/6/10
Abra Mina Maricunga*, Region III, Chilec4,561m13/2/11
Alto Chorrillos, Provincia de Salta, Argentina4,555m10/6/10
Abra Mañazo*, Dpto de Puno, Peru4,515m9/10/10
Penzi La, Zanskar, India4,502m31/7/12
Abra Veladero*, Provincia de La Rioja, Argentina4,487m18/2/11
Abra de Sey*, Provincia de Jujuy, Argentina4,463m12/12/10
Abra Sico, Region II, Chile4,458m13/6/10
Abra Progreso*, Dpto de Apurimac, Peru4,452m6/11/10
Abra Falda Cienaga*, Provincia de Catamarca, Argentina4,442m19/12/10
Alto Tomarapi*, Dpto de Oruro, Bolivia4,398m29/7/10
Abra Chapoco*, Region XV, Chile4,397m13/8/10
Sapi La, Ladakh, India4,397m5/8/12
Portezuelo de Laguna Brava, Provincia de La Rioja, Argentina4,379m13/5/10 & 19/2/11
Abra de Chachacomani*, Dpto de Oruro, Bolivia4,365m27/7/10 & 26/8/10
Paso Caquella*, Dpto de Potosi, Bolivia4,351m4/7/10
Abra de Arizaro, Provincia de Salta, Argentina4,330m11/6/10
Abra Pucamaya*, Dpto de La Paz, Bolivia4,288m12/8/10
Abra Pircas Negras*, Region III, Chile4,253m17/2/11
Abra Pacollo*, Dpto de La Paz, Bolivia4,240m28/9/10
Abra Huayllamarca*, Dpto de Oruro, Bolivia4,214m1/9/10
Alto Apachita*, Dpto de Puno, Peru4,192m3/10/10
Abra de Quiron, Provincia de Salta, Argentina4,182m17/12/10
Abra Huactapa*, Dpto de Arequipa, Peru4,181m21/11/10
Fotu La, Ladakh, India4,106m7/8/12
Abra Acopunco, Dpto de Cuzco, Peru4,042m5/11/10
Rohtang La, Himachal Pradesh, India3,979m13/7/12
Namika La, Ladakh, India3,838m7/8/12

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* We couldn't find a local name for these passes, so have just named them after the nearest village/mountain/salar. Please let us know if you know the real name.

** This is the correct altitude. The altitudes without asterisk are those given by my GPS, which generally overestimates the higher passes by 10-20m.

Near the beginning of our South America trip we decided (reasonably arbitrarily) that to be included on this pass list a high point had to be over 4,000m and we had to have climbed at least 300m to it, and we’ve sort of stuck to this, mas o menos.
On our Himalayan trip we've listed all the passes with signs at the top, even if (e.g. the Hor La) they didn't really seem like real passes.


Maps showing the location of all passes and high points

 Andes


View Cycling Passes - South America 2009-11 in a larger map

 Himalaya
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