Driving 318 Again, Hello Sichuan-Tibet Road! “East Meets West” 2022 Summer Self-Driving Tour in Western Sichuan

There is no trouble that can’t be solved by a self-drive on Highway 318. If there is, just drive it again! Since the first self-drive on 318 in 2015, Qi’s Dad and Qi’s Mom have always been haunted by the irreplaceable beauty of the Sichuan-Tibet Road. Back then they dreamed of traveling along 318 every two or three years. Then in 2016, little Qi Xiaobao arrived, and that wish was buried deep. Seven years flew by, and Qi Xiaobao grew from a newborn baby into a graceful young boy. Meanwhile, Qi’s parents’ desire to revisit the Sichuan-Tibet Road grew stronger day by day, surging like waves. On the eve of Qi Xiaobao’s primary school life, this wish finally built into a towering tide, breaking through all rational barriers—reason collapsed in a devastating sweep! So, setting aside all difficulties, they planned to travel 318 again.

Originally, before entering Tibet, they wanted to spend a few days in Chengdu, visiting Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Dujiangyan, Wuhou Shrine, walking to the end of Yulin Road, and sitting at the entrance of the Small Bistro... But plans changed faster than circumstances. Although both Chongqing and Sichuan belong to Bashu, and billboards read “Yu-Rong Twin Cities, One Chess Game,” the reality was that upon exiting the highway, they had to take an immediate nucleic acid test on the ground, and the health code showed a pop-up. Then they needed strict “three tests in two days” before entering public places.

They timidly challenged Chengdu’s hotpot—though they lost battle after battle, they went with the local customs. What harm was there in losing again? Qi Xiaobao set his sights on the “Borrowing Arrows with Straw Boats” decoration and almost took away “Mr. Kongming.”

Perhaps starting from Qingdao, traveling through Wuhan in midsummer, entering Yichang, then Chongqing—the hot weather, fast pace, and frequent switching between car AC and outdoor heat made Qi Xiaobao develop a high fever in Chengdu. Maybe it was because Chengdu was too hot; the fever reached an unprecedented 39°C, scaring Qi’s parents! They rushed to the hospital immediately. At the hospital, due to the health code pop-up, they argued with the quarantine staff at the entrance for a while. Policies are cold but people have feelings; the big white in the emergency room helped coordinate registrations and got them into the clinic. A big thumbs-up to the warmhearted big whites at Wenjiang District People’s Hospital! The doctor was kind and amiable. In the end, it was a false alarm—just a chill from cold! Children don’t hide illness; it comes and goes quickly. Qi’s dad had already considered changing plans, because a child’s well-being is the foundation of a peaceful life—nothing else matters. But the resilient Qi Xiaobao bounced back energetically, as if he had used the two days of home health monitoring to rest. Since the little guy was back in action, his father wouldn’t be sentimental! The journey continued, but they changed the deep tour of Chengdu into a preparation phase for entering Tibet.

Qi Xiaobao’s long-awaited Giant Panda Base was visited—a warm‑up before the Sichuan‑Tibet Road. The panda‑seeking trio! Qi Xiaobao was in excellent shape, as if the previous two days had never happened. When the child is happy, the gloom over Qi’s parents’ hearts was swept away.

Qi Xiaobao chose a giant panda hair clip for his mom, making her look adorably cat‑like!

Tianquan Service Area, with its unique geographical location, has become a must‑pass for self‑drivers entering Tibet. Under this sign, people flow endlessly—some coming, some going.

Crossing the Dadu River, because of the expressway, they skipped Luding and went straight to Kangding. The Luding Bridge was thus not in their plan. But life always requires trade‑offs, as does travel. With limited time and energy, and a child in tow, they chose the highlights.

Hello Kangding! Hello Liuliucheng! They thought entering the Tibetan area would be troublesome, but once they showed the green health code, they were immediately let through. Liuliucheng came without a hitch. It seemed that the trouble in Chengdu was worth it—after completing the procedures for entering Sichuan, as long as the code was green, they could move freely in Garze Prefecture in western Sichuan, without any further red tape.

Passing a building marked “Kangding Gate,” they weren’t sure if it was a historical site. Kangding blends the old and new, making it hard to distinguish ancient from modern.

On the first day, they leapt from 2500+ meters to 4100+ meters. Both Qi’s dad and mom felt a bit dizzy; walking a few steps left them breathless. “Visual heaven, physical hell”—this saying is absolutely true, at least how Qi’s parents felt at that moment. As for Qi Xiaobao, he was already fast asleep in the car.

Highland grassland—Tagong Grassland. This is the realm of yaks. At this altitude, occasionally eagles soar in the sky, but on the ground, only yaks remain. No wonder they are called the “boats of the plateau.” At the extreme limits of life, only yaks can move freely.

Driving forward with a mix of anticipation and anxiety, the 318 road looked completely new—cutting through mountains, bridging waters, a standard highway winding through the great mountains.

Under the snowy peaks, for millions of years, they have leaned on each other, watched over each other, never abandoning, jointly guarding this highland. If you have just left Litang and haven’t yet met Daocheng, when you pass Haizi Mountain, with nothing growing as far as the eye can see, you may feel desolate. But when you round the last bend and the tightly embracing Lovers Lake appears before you, perhaps hope for the road ahead will be rekindled! Turn the corner and meet love! Believe that the beauty meant for you will eventually find you. So it is with travel, so it is with life.

Before sunset, they bid farewell to Haizi Mountain and Lovers Lake, continuing their westward journey. They arrived at their destination for the day, Batang County, in the dark. Like Yajiang, Batang is a lowland along 318. With an elevation of around 2500 meters, it is the perfect resting place after a day of high‑altitude driving.

Batang County is the westernmost county under Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan, bordering Mangkang County in Changdu, Tibet. Arriving in Batang marked the end of their 318 western Sichuan route. Western Sichuan is not Tibet, but it surpasses Tibet. The scenery along the way purified their souls, and as they traveled, a reluctant attachment grew.

Next stop: cross the Jinsha River and officially begin the journey into Tibet.