Cycling the Qinghai-Tibet Highway: Marking 1381 Years Since Princess Wencheng Entered Tibet

It has been 1381 years since 641 AD. Back then, a 'princess' traveled for nearly three years to marry into distant Tibet for the peace of her homeland. Thus, the Qinghai-Tibet Highway ride began.

Date: 26 June – 18 July 2022

D1: Xining – Huangyuan

About 54 km, ~500 m elevation gain, gentle slopes. Relatively easy, mainly for acclimatization. The route is prosperous, with dense towns and ample supplies. Riding time 9:10–16:40; distance 54 km, cumulative 54 km; starting altitude 2260 m, ending 2600 m, max altitude 2600 m. Huangyuan means 'source of the Huang River' and was a settlement of ancient Qiang people. Xining city stretches over 20 km east-west and less than 10 km north-south, nestled in the Huangshui Valley between two east-west mountain ranges (part of the Qilian Mountains), with the Huangshui River flowing through it. Speaking of Qinghai, it's a bit sad: such a vast territory, yet only Xining, a tiny place, can serve as the capital. The rest is either mountainous, high plateau, or waterless basins like the Qaidam Basin. On the very first day, I met a fellow cyclist. Caught in rain, I took shelter under a bridge.

D2: Huangyuan – Daotanghe Town

About 50 km, crossing Sun Moon Mountain. The first 35 km are moderate climbs, ~800 m ascent, then a gentle descent after the pass.

Huangyuan 8 km → Heping Township 15 km → Riyue Township 12 km → Sun Moon Pass 15 km → Daotanghe Town.

Riding time 8:00–16:40; distance 50 km, cumulative 104 km; starting altitude 2600 m, ending 3280 m, max altitude 3520 m.

Legend says that when Princess Wencheng reached this spot, she was so homesick that she accidentally dropped her Sun-Moon Mirror, which shattered into two small peaks—hence the name Sun Moon Mountain—and her tears became the Daotang River flowing beneath her. Since all rivers along the way normally flow from west to east, but she was traveling from east to west, the Daotang River runs from east to west in defiance. Sun Moon Mountain marked the border of the Tang Dynasty. Princess Wencheng's actual route into Tibet was different (the Tang–Tubo Ancient Road, swinging south), so this is where we parted ways with the princess. Speaking of which, she was not a real princess at all, but a distant niece of Emperor Li. Because Songtsen Gampo kept insisting on making the emperor his father-in-law—imagine! It's like Bin Laden wanting to claim Obama as his father-in-law. Who would want that? Too humiliating! But refusing meant constant harassment. What to do? A master has many tricks. Emperor Li thought: I'll adopt a daughter, bestow her the title of princess, and marry her off. That way I lose nothing and save face. If things went badly, I'd have no real worries. Brilliant! Ultimately, it turned out happily for everyone—thank goodness!

D3: Daotanghe – Heimahe Township

About 115 km, gentle descent for 25 km to the lake, then flat along the southern shore.

Daotanghe Town 25 km → Jiayi Village 40 km → Jiangxigou Town 50 km → Heimahe Township.

Riding time 8:20–19:30; distance 115 km, cumulative 219 km; altitude 3280–3200 m, max 3280 m.

The boundless waves of Qinghai Lake can't compare to the white clouds keeping me company.

D4: Heimahe – Chaka

About 79 km, crossing Rubber Mountain with steep climbs, ~600 m ascent, then a big descent followed by rolling terrain.

Heimahe 20 km → pass 20 km → Dashuiqiao 40 km → Chaka Town. No supplies before the pass.

Riding time 8:40–21:30; distance 79 km, cumulative 298 km; altitude 3200–3100 m, max 3817 m. That night, I stayed in a 'sea-view room' by Qinghai Lake.

Staying in a 'sea-view room' to watch the sunrise. Even the birds on the power lines are waiting for the sunrise! The sunrise blazes red as fire on the horizon.

Rubber Mountain—once over it, you enter the Qaidam Basin. It's known as the first pass of the Qinghai-Tibet route.

In the afternoon, I visited Chaka Salt Lake. A distinctive scenic spot. Chaka Salt Lake, renowned as the Mirror of the Sky, lives up to its name. The water only covers your ankles, and beneath it is crystallized salt, so the mirror effect is excellent.

D5: Chaka – Dulan County

About 130 km, crossing Wanggaxiushan with steep climbs, ~600 m ascent. Entering the Qaidam Basin, the environment is harsh with possible strong winds, heavy rain, and sandstorms. 15 km from the county seat is Xiarha Town; almost no supplies in between. The first pass may have a guard post with basic supplies.

Riding time 8:40–23:30; distance 130 km, cumulative 428 km; altitude 3100–3180 m, max 3600 m. Today's task was too heavy, and I actually met with headwinds, plus some altitude sickness, so I rode late into the night and was utterly exhausted.

Looking back at Chaka Salt Lake, few people or vehicles in sight.

In olden days, gazing at a mountain could run a horse to death; today, it can ride a cyclist to death.

High mountains, low clouds, weary traveler.

Climbing a hilltop for a bird's-eye view.

D6: Dulan County – Balong Township

About 100 km, crossing an unnamed pass with moderate slopes, ~300 m ascent, then two small hills in the second half.

Dulan 30 km → unnamed pass 30 km → Xiangride Town 40 km → Balong Township. No supplies between Dulan and Xiangride.

Riding time 9:50–19:30; distance 100 km, cumulative 528 km; altitude 3180–2900 m, max 3500 m. Headwinds made it quite painful. The next two or three days will hug the southern edge of the Qaidam Basin.

When white clouds gather, anything you wish for seems possible.

First glimpse of snow-capped mountains, likely part of the Kunlun range.

D7: Balong Township – Nuomuhong Town

About 102 km, entering an endless stretch of gobi desert, scorching heat, flat terrain. At 60 km, a simple supply point at Zongjia junction; otherwise supplies are scarce.

Riding time 9:50–19:50; distance 102 km, cumulative 630 km; altitude 2980–2843 m.

A sky washed clear as crystal.

Saxaul trees—said to withstand temperatures from -40°C to 80°C and grow in soil with 3% salt content, and they burn as well as charcoal. Truly tough!

Clouds racing to shield me from the sun.

D8: Nuomuhong Town – Golmud

About 140 km, mostly flat, with a gentle climb over Ga Pass in the latter part. Supplies are extremely scarce; you may run out of water. Only at 65 km, Dagele Township, is there food and lodging.

Riding time 9:20–23:50; distance 140 km, cumulative 770 km; altitude 2843–2820 m, max 2950 m. Today the road was under construction all the way (culverts being built every so often), and I fought headwinds most of the time—torture. So I plan to rest a day in Golmud.

Asking the vast earth: who is riding here?

The destination appears for the first time.

Entering Golmud city. A county-level city, Golmud is larger than Jiangsu Province. It's a strategic hub connecting Qinghai with Tibet, Xinjiang, and Gansu, where the Qinghai-Tibet, Qinghai-Xinjiang, and Dunhuang-Golmud highways intersect. Beyond Golmud, we leave the Qaidam Basin and enter the Tanggula mountain region.

D9: Golmud – Nachitai

91 km, entering the Kunlun Mountains, gentle uphill, ~800 m ascent. Supplies are scarce; near Dagangou at 40 km there are simple supplies. Nachitai lodging: hydrology station guesthouse or highway maintenance section hostel.

Riding time 9:40–19:20; distance 91 km, cumulative 861 km; altitude 2820–3540 m, max 3540 m. The hydrology station guesthouse had no accommodation at all; I barely managed at the highway maintenance station. The old gatekeeper said if we'd arrived a day later, there'd be no room because repair workers were moving in the next day. What luck!

After leaving Golmud and crossing the Golmud Bridge, Highway 109 comes under the management of Tibet, although the next few hundred kilometers are still within Qinghai.

Kunlun stele inscription from the Classic of Mountains and Seas: "Within the seas, the Kunlun Void lies in the northwest, the lower capital of the Supreme Deity. The Kunlun Void extends eight hundred li square, towering ten thousand ren high."

Kunlun Sacred Spring—it gushes nonstop all year and maintains a constant 7°C. Truly a holy spring!

D10: Nachitai – Xidatan

40 km, moderate gradient, ~600 m ascent. Difficulty is low, but entering high altitude, beware of altitude sickness. Supplies are scarce en route; Xidatan has ample supplies.

Riding time 9:00–15:50; distance 40 km, cumulative 901 km; altitude 3540–4200 m, max 4200 m.

Wuji Dragon-Phoenix Palace. The Kunlun Mountains are honored as the ancestor of all mountains, where legend says immortals refined stones to mend the sky and gathered to chat. Actually, the Kunlun's relative elevation isn't that high, nor are they particularly steep; they just sprawl over a huge area and are so high that ancient people could hardly reach them, so they probably placed the gods here!

Yuzhu Peak, the highest in the eastern Kunlun at 6,178 m, a coveted destination for mountaineers.

D11: Xidatan – Budongquan

52 km, crossing the Kunlun Pass, steeper climbs, ~700 m ascent. Entering Hoh Xil; from here on, it's high altitude. No supplies before the pass; there may be simple supplies at the pass.

Riding time 9:50–16:00; distance 52 km, cumulative 953 km; altitude 4200–4600 m, max 4768 m. Altitude sickness hit hard today; my head ached until dawn.

Dark clouds blocked the sun as we set out early in the morning.

Kunlun Pass, 4,768 m. There's no shelter, no fun; if I were an immortal, I'd never come here.

Beyond the Kunlun Pass lies uninhabited land. To the left of Highway 109 is the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve, to the right the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve.

D12: Budongquan – Wudaoliang

88 km, gentle descent then gentle climb, very low gradient, ~200 m ascent. Sustained high altitude; may encounter rain, snow, or hail. At 33 km, the Suonandajie protection station offers no lodging but can provide boiling water; otherwise no supplies. Wudaoliang has ample supplies—the largest settlement since Golmud.

Riding time 9:25–18:00; distance 88 km, cumulative 1,041 km; altitude 4600–4636 m. I woke with a slight headache, so I bought an oxygen canister just in case.

Sanjiangyuan National Park.

Only the earth and sky never tire of beholding each other.

From the Tibetan antelope viewing platform, there's not a thing in sight.

But then, unexpectedly, I caught a glimpse of Tibetan antelopes.

D13: Wudaoliang – Erdaogou

85 km, crossing Fenghuo Mountain Pass with steeper climbs near the pass, ~500 m ascent. High altitude and climbing—if bad weather hits, it's tough. Around 55 km, near Beiluhe, there are simple supplies. Simple lodging at Erdaogou: 82 Maintenance Squad, Tuotuo River protection station, small restaurants.

Riding time 9:15–19:40; distance 85 km, cumulative 1,126 km; altitude 4636–4728 m, max 5,010 m.

Even in the harshest environment, flowers bloom.

D14: Erdaogou – Tanggula Town

64 km, mostly flat, difficulty low. Supplies are scarce en route; Tanggula Town has ample supplies, the largest town in Hoh Xil.

Riding time 9:55–17:05; distance 64 km, cumulative 1,190 km; altitude 4728–4535 m.

With dark clouds overhead, rain is certain.

Tuotuo River, the first source of the Yangtze. Yet the latest findings say the Dam Qu River should be the true source. But the Tuotuo's fame as 'the first' is so loud and long that it's the first even if it isn't. Standing by the bridge, I squeezed out a single old tear and cast it into the river, wondering how many days and nights it would take for that tear to merge into the sea and attain eternal life.

D15: Tanggula Town – Yanshiping Town

90 km, crossing Kaixinling with moderate gradient, ~250 m ascent, then rolling terrain. Entering the Tanggula mountains, headwinds are very likely. At 40 km, Tongtianhe Yan might have supplies (actually none); at 75 km, Yanshiping Village has supplies.

Riding time 9:25–19:30; distance 90 km, cumulative 1,280 km; altitude 4535–4700 m, max 4,773 m.

This ride truly seems bound to rain.

A fierce gale with icy pellets struck, and luckily there was a roadside sentry post to take shelter.

The sign is misleading; this place actually still belongs to Qinghai. The Qinghai-Tibet border lies at Tanggula Mountain, nearly 200 km from here. Why so? It's a long story—let's leave it.

Tongtian River—no sacred scriptures, no turtle in sight.

D16: Yanshiping Town – Tanggula Mountain Troop Station

52 km, ~150 m ascent, very gentle gradient, difficulty low. At 22 km there are simple supplies. At the end, there are hostels, hot springs, and maintenance squad lodging; the troop station may not accept guests.

Riding time 10:35–18:00; distance 52 km, cumulative 1,332 km; altitude 4700–4860 m.

D17 & D18: Tanggula Mountain Troop Station – Amdo County Village

134 km total, crossing Tanggula Mountain and Tuojula Mountain; after Tuojula, downhill. Once over Tanggula Mountain, you enter Tibet—the hardest part is largely over.

Tanggula Troop Station 45 km → Tanggula Pass (simple service station) 10 km → First Maintenance Squad ("World's First Squad") 12 km → Tangrong Zangzhan Village 18 km → Tuojula Pass 45 km → Amdo County.

Distance 134 km, cumulative 1,466 km; altitude 4860–4800 m, Tanggula Pass 5,231 m—the highest point of the journey. This stretch was originally planned to be done in one day, but with high-altitude cycling and occasional rain, halfway through it was clear we couldn't finish in a day. No accommodation was visible along the road, but at Tangrong Zangzhan Village, a Tibetan family's home was nearby, and I shamelessly slept on their sofa for the night.

Tanggula Mountain Pass.

Snowy peaks near the pass.

After the pass, we're on Tibetan soil.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the Roof of the World, but who would have thought that over 200 million years ago it was a vast ocean? There ought to be a new phrase: "from sea to mountain."

D19: Amdo County Village – Zaring Town – Nagqu

Amdo – Zaring: 42 km, crossing Shenkagangpo Pass with an 8 km very steep climb; after the pass, rolling terrain. Entering grasslands. Supplies relatively scarce; there may be simple supplies near the pass.

Zaring – Nagqu: 92 km, gentle uphill for the first 20 km, then mostly flat. Supplies are relatively adequate, with scattered small villages in pastoral areas.

Zaring 20 km → Zaring Village (Guolong) 20 km → Guozu 52 km → Nagqu.

I combined two days into one. Riding time 8:45–22:00; distance 134 km, cumulative 1,600 km; altitude 4800–4450 m.

The sky is bluer, the clouds whiter.

D20: Nagqu – Gulu Town

92 km, large rolling terrain, crossing several small passes, high difficulty, and frequent headwinds. Supplies relatively adequate, passing two small townships.

Nagqu 25 km → Luoma Town 55 km → Xiangmao Township 22 km → Gulu Town.

Riding time 9:35–20:00; distance 92 km, cumulative 1,692 km; altitude 4450–4700 m. Gulu Town is mostly Tibetan; I found no Han-run guesthouses, only a Sichuan restaurant. I ended up sleeping in a large communal room run by a Tibetan family.

Approaching Nagqu, a one-meter non-motorized lane appeared on each side of the road, instantly making me feel much safer.

Temporary tents set up by Tibetan nomads along the road, probably celebrating a local festival.

D21: Gulu Town – Damxung County

72 km, gentle descent first, then a 9 km climb over Manglong La Pass, then a big descent, and finally rolling terrain. Overall moderate difficulty, adequate supplies.

Gulu Town 40 km → Wumatang Township 15 km → Longren Township 17 km → Damxung.

Riding time 10:00–17:00; distance 72 km, cumulative 1,764 km; altitude 4700–4300 m. A fairly relaxed day of cycling. Tomorrow I plan to combine two days into one.

D22: Damxung – Yangbajain – Lhasa

Damxung – Yangbajain: 75 km, crossing the Nyainqêntanglha range (multiple passes), very gentle climbs.

Damxung 25 km → Ningzhong Township 25 km → supplies near pass 25 km → Yangbajain Town.

Yangbajain – Lhasa: about 85 km, mostly gentle downhill, relatively easy.

Yangbajain 25 km → Dechen Town 15 km → Ma Town 10 km → Gurong Town 15 km → Doilungdêqên District 17 km → Chengguan District.

I decided to combine the two-day plan into one. Riding time 7:45–21:00; distance 160 km, cumulative 1,924 km; altitude 4300–3650 m. In the morning I met two young lads cycling from Lhasa who were on a round-China tour; I gave them the oxygen canister I hadn't used.

The yaks that accompanied me most of the way—and also gave me the most energy—sorry, my bovine friends!

The cold, stern river alongside the canyon eventually flows into the Lhasa River.

A rare patch of farmland in the valley.

Potala Palace at night.

Gear list:

Medicines: band-aids, Yunnan Baiyao, anti-inflammatory drugs, Huoxiang Zhengqi capsules, gauze, cold medicine.

Repair kit: chain lube, chain, brake pads, inner tubes (right size), outer tire, sandpaper, puncture repair kit.

Cycling gear: helmet (must bring sunglasses), panniers, rain cover, flashlight.

Clothing: cycling jersey, headscarf, gloves, kneepads, two-piece rain suit, jacket (thick windbreaker), other spare clothes.

Other: money, phone, earphones, charging cable, power bank, sunscreen, soap, towel, bungee cords, plastic bags (to cover gloves and feet when it rains).

Notes:

1. The Sichuan-Tibet Highway is a well-established cycling route with very rider-friendly accommodation and food along the way. On the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, you can't expect anything—once you pass a village, the next shop is long gone. So advance planning is crucial.

2. The UV on the Qinghai-Tibet route is even stronger than on the Sichuan-Tibet route.

3. During this 22-day ride, it rained on at least 10 days; the rain on the plateau is truly bone-chilling!