Self-Driving the Beautiful Sichuan-Tibet Highway 318: 24 Days from Sichuan to Qinghai (Part 8)

Leaving Lhasa, we began our journey out of Tibet. A little after 11 am, we got onto the Jingzang Expressway. I've driven on this expressway countless times, but this was the first time I'd been on its far end.

When entering the expressway, you have to queue to get a speed-limit registration card, recording your entry time. At Yangbajing, they check your exit time to prevent speeding. Most roads in Tibet use timed speed limits in sections.

Timing it carefully, we exited the expressway after forty minutes. The Lhasa to Golmud section of the Jingzang Expressway is only open as far as Yangbajing; after that, you have to take National Highway 109.

The road conditions on National Highway 109 were also quite good.

Tanggula Mountain Viewing Platform. Under the majestic Tanggula Mountains stretch vast grasslands with leisurely cattle and sheep.

We arrived at Dangxiong County.

From Dangxiong County, we left National Highway 109 and reached the entrance of Namtso National Park about ten minutes later, where we bought tickets.

The scenic area is actually quite far from the entrance; it takes an hour's drive.

Then you have to transfer to a shuttle bus for another half-hour ride—seeing Namtso is no easy feat.

Namtso, one of the three sacred lakes of Tibet.

The lake was still frozen; ice and snow piled up along the shore under a heavy, overcast sky. The sacred lake's famous azure beauty was not to be seen on this trip.

Small puddles by the shore, however, were crystal clear and gently rippling.

We returned to the park entrance by 5:30 pm.

The road conditions were good along the way, but the speed limits were very low.

We arrived in Naqu County at 8 pm and checked into the Four Seasons Oxygen-rich Hotel booked on Ctrip. Since we arrived late, we ordered KFC delivery for dinner. Naqu sits at 4,500 meters above sea level; altitude sickness had been our constant companion. The room had an oxygen supply. We asked the staff to adjust it until air came out, but it didn't seem to help much.

Breakfast at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Leaving Naqu, we continued on. The national highway started to get bumpy and uneven. In some sections, steel bars had to be driven into the roadbed on both sides to reinforce it due to subsidence.

At 2 pm, we crossed the Tanggula Pass at an elevation of 5,231 meters.

The entire route was at high altitude, averaging above 4,500 meters.

Tanggula Mountain Military Station.

At 6 pm we arrived at Tanggula Mountain Town, a small town at 4,600 meters. We checked into the Tuoyu River Hotel. To save energy, we again ordered delivery. The room had an oxygen supply facility, but it cost 100 yuan for 10 hours. We paid by scanning a QR code to activate it, and it felt much more effective than the one at the Four Seasons Hotel in Naqu the night before.

Travel Diary Contents 1. Day 19 (April 21) Namtso, Naqu 2. Day 20 (April 22) Tanggula Mountain Town Travel Information Hotel Index Tips Index Flight Index Site Navigation Travel Index Cruise Index Business Travel Index Partnership Affiliate Program Friendly Links Corporate Gift Card Purchase Insurance Agent Agent Cooperation Hotel Franchise Destination & Scenic Spot Cooperation More Partnerships About Ctrip Ctrip Hot Topics Contact Us Careers User Agreement Privacy Policy Business License Security Center Ctrip Content Center Intellectual Property Trip.com Group Algorithm Disclosure