318 National Highway road trip guide

National Highway 38 is a route full of mysterious elements. Many people hope to challenge their own travel standards and travel by car on this national highway with complex environment and changeable climate to experience the beautiful side of the integration of human beings and nature. Here’s a detailed introduction to self-driving travel.

318 National Highway Self-driving Tour Route and Guide

Chengdu to Nyalam

1. Suitable for riders: those who have considerable experience on mountain roads and can cope with a small amount of ice and snow at the same time Intermediate self-driving enthusiasts who can drive under mild altitude sickness.

2. Travel time: Slow down, you can complete a one-way road trip in 10 days, and it is easier to arrange a round trip in a month. For the return trip, you can take the Qinghai-Tibet line, and then take the routes to Xining, Lanzhou, Baoji, and Chengdu, most of which are expressways.

3. Estimated expenditure: (It depends on the number of cars, but it will cost more than 10,000 plus gasoline, room and board, attraction tickets, etc.) Total mileage: 2,950 kilometers.

4. Full route: Chengdu Ya'an (147 kilometers) Luding (168 kilometers) Kangding (49 kilometers) Xinduqiao (75 kilometers) Yajiang (74 kilometers) Litang (143 kilometers) Batang ( 165 kilometers) Bamboo Cage (36 kilometers) Mangkang (. Tongmai (89 kilometers)) Nyingchi (127 kilometers) Bayi (19 kilometers) Gongbu Jiangda (127 kilometers) Mozhu Gongkar (206 kilometers) Lhasa (68 kilometers) Doilungdeqing (12 kilometers) ) Qushui (31 kilometers) Nimu (76 kilometers) Day

First day route and strategy

Chengdu-Shuangliu (14km)-Xinjin (22km)-Qionglai (37km) - Mingshan (55km) - Ya'an (20km) - Tianquan (37km) - Luding (126km) (again

The total distance from Chengdu to Luding County is 311 kilometers and can be reached in one morning. From Tianquan To get to Luding from the county, you have to cross the famous Erlang Mountain Tunnel and enter the Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. After lunch, you can visit the Luding Bridge, a national key cultural relic. After the rickety rope bridge, you can walk to a temple on the opposite side to see the traces of the Red Army crossing the bridge.

Main attractions:

Luding. Bridge: This bridge, which is famous all over the world due to a battle and an article "Flying to capture the Luding Bridge", actually attracted Longting's attention as early as the Qing Dynasty. Due to the obstruction of the Dadu River, China and Tibet have been along the route since ancient times. One of the geographical dividing lines. Soon after crossing the Dadu River to the west, we reached the Tibetan area. Therefore, as early as the 44th year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1705), the Qing government began to build this bridge connecting the two places.

Hailuogou: The entrance to Hailuogou is Moxi Town, which is one of the best places to view the main peak of Gongga Snow Mountain, the "King of the Mountains" in Sichuan. The main peak of Gongga Snow Mountain is 7556 meters above sea level and is the 11th highest mountain in the world. The No. 1 glacier at the foot is the most famous one. The ice thickness is 150 meters to 300 meters, which is very spectacular.

Transportation: There are shuttle buses in Hailuogou Scenic Area to take tourists to Camp 1 to Camp 3 for accommodation. The cable car takes tourists up the mountain. The price is about 160 yuan.

Accommodation: There are three main campsites in the Gongga Mountain-Hailuogou Scenic Area: Camp 1, located at the entrance of Daganyangou, about 11 kilometers away from Moxi; Camp No. 3 is located near Shuihuigou Waterfall, 6 kilometers away from Camp No. 1. There are many scenic spots around. You can visit the forest and hot springs nearby. Camp No. 3 is located at the glacier observation deck about 2 kilometers away. You can also stay in Moxi Town.

The second day’s route and strategy

Hailuogou-Luding (return to National Highway 318)-Kangding (49 kilometers)-Zheduo Mountain (35 kilometers, 4298 meters above sea level)-Xin Duqiao (40 kilometers)

From Kangding city to Xinduqiao, a photography paradise, you need to pass through a mountain pass in Folding Mountain, with an altitude of 4298 meters. This is the first high altitude to climb along the way, and this It is also the beginning of entering the Sichuan-Tibet line. This altitude is nothing along the way, but for self-driving friends who have just entered the Tibetan area, it is recommended to spend the night in Xinduqiao. On the one hand, the scenery around Zhezi Mountain to Xinduqiao is pretty good, and you can stop and take photos along the way. On the other hand, it is recommended that you spend the night at home.

Main attractions:

Xinduqiao: Then go to Xinduqiao. You can reach Xinduqiao before noon. Known as a photography paradise, the scenery is really good. In addition, there are many travel friends from all over the country, most of whom are pornographic friends carrying long guns and short guns. Personally, I think it’s really worth staying here, although the most beautiful season here is autumn. The scenery between the mountains and Xinduqiao Town is truly spectacular and is known as a "photographer's paradise". Grasslands, streams, mountains, Tibetan villages, white sheep, and magical light are all excellent subjects for photography. Special reminder: In Xinduqiao, if you are lucky, you can see the pyramid-shaped main peak of Gongga at the King of Mountains in Shu Kingdom.

The third day’s route and strategy

Xinduqiao (20 kilometers) - Gaoer Pass (elevation 4412 meters) 50 kilometers - Yajiang Pass (30 kilometers) - Jianziwan Pass ( 40 kilometers to 135 kilometers above sea level (4659 meters above sea level) - Bingzhan Pass (10 kilometers) - Kazila Pass (4718 meters above sea level

After passing the Yajiang River, we crossed the Gaoersi Mountain and Jianziwan Mountain, which are more than 4000 meters above sea level. A mountain pass. Along the way is the Snow Mountain Kingdom, and countless majestic and steep snow mountain canyons often come into view.

If you are lucky, you can see the panoramic view of Gongga Snow Mountain and then enter the Maoya Prairie. Litang Maoya Prairie is about 5,000 square kilometers wide, with an average altitude of more than 4,000 meters, but the mountain slope is still gentle. Along the way are Tibetan pastures, and finally reach Litang, which is 4,014 meters above sea level and is known as the "highest city in the world".

Main attractions:

Gongga Snow Mountain: More than ten kilometers away from Xinduqiao, before reaching the pass of Gaoersi Mountain at an altitude of 4412 meters, there is a roadside path leading to the foot of Black Stone Mountain . Turn onto the path and go straight to the top of the mountain opposite the main peak of Gongga Snow Mountain. This is one of the best places to see Gongga Snow Mountain, and it is also the closest place to the road. When we stood at the foot of Gongga Snow Mountain, Gongga Mountain with an altitude of 7556 meters and dozens of surrounding snow peaks surrounded us at 120 degrees, which was breathtaking.

Kanghanzi Village and Guogangding: In Xierluo Township east of Asazha, mountains surround the auspicious and holy Guogangding, which is either unrestrained or beautiful, and people worship Guogang together. top. There are also two lakes: Riyue Lake.

Geni Mountain: The scenic spot is located in Reke Township, Litang County, Kangnan, centered on Geni Mountain with an altitude of 6204 meters. Snow Mountain is the third highest peak in Sichuan and a famous sacred mountain in Tibetan areas. There are many pilgrims from all over Tibetan areas. Geleng Ancient Temple has a long history and there are many cultural relics in the temple.

Special reminder:

Litang is more than 4,000 meters above sea level and is known as the highest town in the world. Although there are flocks of cattle and sheep, flowers and grass all over the mountain, and the scenery is beautiful, altitude sickness usually makes Some travel friends could not sleep all night. Prepare oxygen bottles as early as possible, and exercise less and rest early. If your body really can't bear it, you can travel 3 hours to Batang to stay.

Route and strategy for the fourth day

Litang (83km) - Haizi Mountain (4690m) 112km - Batang (45km) - Hot Spring (55km) - Zongla Mountain (4170m) 7km-Mangkang, the total distance is 276km.

In Batang, the ruins of Guan Catholic Church are still well preserved. Cross the Jinsha River and observe the natural scenery of Jinsha River canyons with high mountains and deep valleys and surging rapids. After crossing the bridge, you enter Tibet. The car began to cross the Sanjiang River Basin and entered a more difficult journey on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. After having dinner at Mangkang, the first county town after entering Tibet at the intersection of Yunnan-Tibet and Sichuan-Tibet highways, we passed through Bashan, Lawu Mountain and Dongda Mountain Pass at an altitude of 5008 meters, and arrived at Zuogong. The road conditions are not very good and the altitude is high, which often makes people feel "upset".

Main attractions:

Batang: Batang is located on the bank of the Jinsha River, with a majority Tibetan population. Tibetan opera and folk dance here are very famous. Batang Town experienced an earthquake in 1986. There were few casualties, but the houses were severely damaged. Most of the houses in the town need to be rebuilt. In addition to the strong Tibetan characteristics of Batang, the clean streets here are also refreshing.

Mangkang: Mangkang is the first town after entering Tibet on the South Sichuan-Tibet Road, and is also the intersection of the Yunnan-Tibet Highway. The main shops in Mangkang Town are all on one main street. Apart from serving as a transportation point, the town has very few supplies. You can stay at Mangkang County Guest House. Special reminder:

You can also choose another very classic tourist route from Litang: Litang-Daocheng-Xiangcheng-Derong-Yunnan Benzilan (transfer to the north of the Yunnan-Tibet Line)-Dongzhu Township - Baima Snow Mountain Pass - Meili Snow Mountain - Yubeng Village - Mangkang (transfer to the south of the Sichuan-Tibet Line).

Main attractions:

Daocheng: Among the vast mountains on the southern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and on the east side of the Hengduan Mountains, there are three snow peaks distributed in the shape of "pin". They are the three sacred mountains of Daocheng. There are wide meadows at the foot of the mountain, criss-crossing streams slowly flowing into the colorful sea, and waterfalls formed by ice valleys and melted ice and snow. scenery is beautiful.

Yading: The southern part of Daocheng County, starting from Kanggu in the north, passing through Yading Village, and ending at Luorong Niutexiu in the south. The Aden Canyon has an altitude of 2,800 meters to 4,200 meters, a maximum depth of 1,500 meters, and a valley length of 25 kilometers. There are countless scenery along the way.

Meili Snow Mountain: It is one of the eight sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism and the most spectacular snow mountain group in Yunnan. The snow-covered peaks stretch for hundreds of miles, and the main peak of Kavalpo is 6,740 meters above sea level, making it the highest mountain in Yunnan.

The route and strategy for the fifth day

Mangkham (12 kilometers) - Laoshan (4380 meters) 60 kilometers - Jueba Mountain (3930 meters) 13 kilometers - Baden (35 kilometers )-Dongla Mountain (5100 meters) 35 kilometers-Zogong (105 kilometers)-Bangdabing

Early in the morning, the car passed Bangda (the northern line of the Sichuan-Tibet Line and the southern line of the Sichuan-Tibet Line After the intersection), the road twists and turns and enters the section with the most turns (72 turns) on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway. The biggest natural danger when crossing the Hengduan Mountains - Nu Mountain. At the same time, you can admire the weathered rocky mountain scenery. Traveling through Dora Mountain, you can see the mysterious celestial burial platform, stone Buddha statues and six-character mottos in Tibetan areas. On the way down the mountain, the virgin forest and pastoral scenery complement each other, and the scenery is pleasant. This day's trip is a test for everyone. In Dongda Mountain, the temperature in Bangda Grassland can reach below 0. The temperature in Lancang River and Nujiang River is around 20 degrees Celsius. The altitude loss experienced over the course of a day can fluctuate by nearly 2,500 meters.

Special reminder:

The road conditions are poor throughout the day, especially along the river, which is narrow. Dongda Snow Mountain has snow all year round and is more difficult. Basu is 3910 meters above sea level.

The route and strategy for the sixth day

Basu (67km) - Ankara Mountain (4460m) 23km - Ranwu 128km - Bomi, the total distance is 217km. Along the way, you can walk along the alpine meadows, overlooking the snow-capped mountains and glaciers. After entering the Ranwu Valley, you will see huge glaciers on both sides of the ditch. You can enjoy the unique Lagu ice hangings and glaciers in the ditch all year round.

Main attractions:

Ranwu Lake: Ranwu Lake Town is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and is close to the Ranwu Lake Highway. There is a long chain of snow-capped mountains to the north of the lake. Many glaciers extend from the mountains to the lake. The lake is more than 3,800 meters above sea level. The small islands in the lake are covered with spruce, echoing the snow-capped mountains. When the sun rises, the crystal clear green lake turns into deep blue, reflecting the snow-capped mountains, white clouds and surrounding forests on the lake like a mirror.

Special reminder: The roads are all good, only the Ranwu section is narrow and often has dark ice.

Seventh day route and strategy

Bomi 90km-Tongmai (70km)-Lulang (25km)-Sejila Mountain (above 4,700m) 32km-Lingzhi Bayi town, with a total journey of 214km.

Enter the "Living Geological Museum" and enjoy the charming scenery along the way. Along the way, you can enjoy the valley scenery of Parung Zangbo and appreciate the forests, clouds and snow-capped mountains in southeastern Tibet. Pass through the "natural dangers" of Pailong and Tongmai, view the scenery of the Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon, enter the Lulang Forest Sea, overlook the Nanjiabawa Peak known as "China's most beautiful snow mountain", cross the Sejila Pass (more than 4,700 meters above sea level), and view Natural landscapes such as the Sea of ??Rhododendron, Sea of ??Forests, Sea of ??Clouds, and Snow Mountains.

Main attractions:

Nan Bawa Peak: The classic scenery of Nyingchi lies along the Sejila Mountain. Climbing to the mountain pass with an altitude of more than 4,700 meters, you can overlook the Nan Bawa Peak with an altitude of 7,787 meters. The peak is majestic. Nambawa Peak ranks 15th among the world's highest peaks, far away from the 7294-meter-high Garabale Peak

From Bayi Town to Lhasa, the scenery along the way is diverse. You have to cross the Mila Pass at an altitude of 5013 meters and see Basongcuo along the way.

Main attractions:

Basongcuo: Where we arrived in Lhasa in half an hour, the altitude is about 3,500 meters, the lake area is 26 square kilometers, and the average water depth is more than 60 meters. There is a small island in the lake with exotic flowers and plants, and a nun's temple. The temple is small and fragrant.

Special reminder: Linzhi is known as "Tibet Jiangnan", and Bayi Town is more than 2,900 meters above sea level.

Route and strategy for the eighth day

Two days of rest in Lhasa: There is a lot of travel guide information about Lhasa, so I won’t go into details here.

9th to 10th day route and strategy

Lhasa - Doulung Deqen (12 kilometers) - Qushui (31 kilometers) - (After visiting Yamdrok Yumco, turn back to National Highway 318 )-Nymu (76 kilometers, excluding the journey to Yanghu)-Shigatse (159 kilometers), the total distance is 296 kilometers.

Main attractions: Yangzhuoyongcuo: the largest inland lake in southern Tibet. The lake is like a paper fan, wide in the south and narrow in the north. There are many branches near the lake, such as spider claws, extending into the mountains. To the south and north of the lake, there are two snow-capped mountains that never melt all year round. They are often covered by clouds and fog. Only when the sun rises in the morning do they occasionally smile.

Zalunbu Temple: It is the largest temple in Shigatse, located on the hillside east of Nyima Mountain in the west of Shigatse.

Special reminder: If it is an off-road vehicle, you can choose a more classic route: Lhasa-Qushui-Gambala (take the wrong road along Yamdrok, the scenery is beautiful along the way)-Baidi-Langkazi County-Gyantse County-Renbu County, return to National Highway 318.

Day 11 to Day 12 route and strategy

Shigatse-Lazi County (157 kilometers)-Tingri (91 kilometers)

Main Attractions: Rongbuk Temple: the tallest temple in the world. At the same time, Rongbuk Monastery is also the best place to view Mount Everest, with a straight-line distance of 25 kilometers.

Everest Base Camp: At an altitude of 5,200 meters, you can overlook Mount Everest from here.

Special reminder: The total distance from Tingri to Everest Base Camp is about 70 kilometers. From the 5145 Highway milestone 6 kilometers west of Tingri to the Gula Pass, it is about 15 kilometers. There are small villages along the way where you can stay; Then go to Zhakar Valley, about 20 kilometers, then go to Quzong, about 15 kilometers; finally go to Rongbuk Monastery, and then enter the Everest Base Camp, 20 kilometers away.

Thirteenth day route and strategy

Fixed day (91 kilometers - Nyalam (217 kilometers) - Friendship Pass (45 kilometers))

Main attractions : Zhangmu Port: It is currently the largest open port from China to the South Asian subcontinent. It is located on the southern slope of the middle section of Himala Mountain, bordering Nepal on three sides: the east, south and west. It is the throat of the China-Nepal Highway, a national first-class highway.