Zagastai Pass, a road through rugged landscapes
Zagastai Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 2.505m (8,218ft) above the sea level, located in the province of Zavkhan, in the western part of Mongolia.
Nestled in the Khangai mountain range, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. SUV required. It’s a long and challenging road to the summit driving through rugged landscapes. The road is full of steep and sudden turns and countless bumps of varying sizes and impacts.
The pass is 129 km 80.15 (miles) long, running south-north from Uliastai, also spelled Uliyasutai or Oulia-Sontai, one of Mongolia’s oldest cities, founded by the Manchus to Telmen. At the summit is a big parking lot. The drive will test skills and resilience of both drivers and the vehicles. A new paved road over the pass is planned to be built on 2020-2021.