Qinghai-Tibet Highway (Xining-Lhasa section of No.109 National Trunk Highway) starts from Xining of Qinghai Province on the north and ends at Lhasa of Tibet. On December 25, 1954, the highway was open to Lhasa along with the Sichuan-Tibet highway, Qinghai-Tibet Highway covers 528 kilometers in Tibet, and Qinghai Golmud-Lhasa, 1,140 kilometers section is maintained by Tibet. Qinghai-Tibet highway climbs over the Kunlun, Hoh Xil and Tanggulashan mountains and the beautiful North Tibet Plateau with the average elevation of above 4,500 meters. China invested 760 million Yuan in reconstruction in 1985, realized bitumen pavement, and made it become the bitumen pavement with the world's highest elevation and longest frozen land mileage. Since 1991, over 1.4 billion Yuan gas been injected in first-phase and second-phase rectification of the 542.6 kilometers frozen land area disease section, road conditions have tangibly improved and basically reached Class 2 highway criteria. Qinghai-Tibet Highway is a major passage between Tibet and hinterland, undertakes transport of over 85% inbound Materials and over 90% outbound materials, plays an important role in Tibet economic development and social stability, dubbed the lifeline of Tibet. Qinghai-Tibet Highway is 1,937 kilometers long with an average elevation 4,000 meters.
Most of the vehicles to Lhasa start from Golmud. To the southwest of Golmud, crossing the Kunlun Mountain pass where is the right place to overlook Tanggula Mountain, is Kunlun Mountain area. Along the way are wastelands covered by snow all the years and BudongQuan, Wudaoliang, Erdaogou and Tuotuo River are come by. Tuotuo River originated from Gela Dandong, with the same headstream as Dangchu, Chumaer and Yangtze River.

Preceding about 90 kilometers from Tanggula Mountain pass, you will get the first town when you are in Tibet Anduo, which supplies convenient room and board though it is a little town. Forward to the south, you will come to Nagchu County, the first biggest counties of North Tibet. Nagqu means in Tibetan ¡black river¡. Nagchu town has good facilities, such as shops, hotels, banks, post offices, hospitals, schools and so on. It is the most important staging post between Lhasa and Golmud. August of every year is the golden season in North Tibet because the Horse Racing Festival and the large-scale Material Intercommunication are held there.

Off Nagchu, the next station is Damxung, which is administrated by Lhasa and also the beginning of the China-Nepal Highway. Through Damxung you can get Xigaze and the frontier port Zham. Horse Racing Festival, which is held in August every year, is the grand activity of local people.

Passing by the hot springs of Yangbajing, and moving forward another 70 kilometers, you will come to Lhasa, the destination of Qinghai-Tibet Highway.


A: Wudaoliang and Tanggula Pass are at high sea level. There are cold and much rain and snow. More warm clothes should be prepared and medicines against highland reaction are also necessary. If you are not sure about your body situation, you¡¯d better take oxygen, which can be bought in Xining or Golmud, 20 Yuan for one bottle.

B: When you pass by Tanggula Pass or have a rest there please avoid absolutely smart Movement, for the people who come to the highland for the first time do not feel the highland reaction because of the excess excitement. For example, jumping or leaping at Tanggula Pass will cause over burden of heart, sometimes to shock even.

C: Most of time is spent on the car, so enough food and water should be prepared. Of course, there are eateries inns available in each transportation stop or the streets, but the flavor and the quarter condition are not good. Nagchu Hotel, a two-star hotel for tourists can be comfortably used.


Ganyze-(103km)-Daotang River-(196km)-Chaka-(484km)-Golmud-(269km)-Wudaoliang-(150km)-Tuotuo River-(91km)-Yanshiping-(1ookm)-Tanggula Pass-(89km)-Anduo-(138km)-Nagchu-(164km)-Damxung-(75km)-Yangbajing-(78km)-Lhasa

Getting to Tibet from Qinghai, you can take bus in Xining to Golmud first which will take you about 24 hours to cover over the distance of 1,100 kilometers. And you can also hitching the trucks. Recently, special tour buses are used in Lanzhou, capital city of Gansu Province. The whole distance is about 2,216 kilometers and 50 hours are needed. If you take this bus you can take photos in each scenery site.