A new world record has been created on the highest motorable road in India (Umling La Pass, 19,024 feet). It was created with Autorickshaws!
At 19,024 feet, Umling La Pass houses the highest motorable road in the world. It has been attracting visitors from all over the world. Interestingly, a new world record was created on this road and this has not been done with a powerful truck or bikers. Instead, the choice of vehicles was autorickshaws in this case. The new record has been created by Swiss and Canadian teams. The key moments were captured in an exciting video by Greg Harris. Let’s take a closer look at this amazing feat.
Creating World Record in Autorickshaws at World’s Highest Motorable Road
As you can see in the video above, the two auto rickshaws reach competed in a challenge and managed to create a world record in the process. This contest was part of The Rickshaw Run (Himalayan Edition), an event organized by The Adventurists. It involved driving from the desert city of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan to Leh, Ladakh in the Himalayas. Both teams had to reach the finish line by themselves. They were left to make their own navigational choices during the 2,3000 km journey. Since the Umling La Pass is at 19,024 feet, the two auto-rickshaws now have a world record for the highest altitude drive for motorized three-wheeled vehicles.
World Record Teams
The road at the Umling La Pass was completed in 2017 by the Indian Border Roads Organization. It has been certified by Guinness World Records as the highest motorable road in the world. Now, four people hold the world record for driving an auto rickshaw at the highest altitude ever. Greg Harris and Priya Singh were part of the Canadian team. On the other hand, the swiss team includes Daryanani and Nevena Lazarevic. It is to be noted that both teams took an unusual detour to attempt the world altitude record for an auto rickshaw.
In addition to the risks of traveling on Indian roads, you might also have to deal with high-altitude sickness. Driving at a high altitude carries a serious risk as there is significantly less breathable air (around 50% less oxygen) than at sea level. If the AMS signs are ignored and you continue to go higher, you can develop High Altitude Cerebral Oedema (HACE) and/or High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema (HAPE). While HACE is caused by swelling of the brain, HAPE is due to fluid gathering in your lungs. Both conditions are life-threatening.