Xinjiang Tibet Highway: Lhasa to Kashgar Overland

Xinjiang Tibet Highway is also called China National Highway 219 (G219), one of the five highways to Lhasa in China. It begins from Kashgar in Xinjiang Uyhur Autonomous Region to Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region, in the total lengthof 2,086 kilometers. Started its construction in 1951 and completed in 1957, at an average elevation of 4,500 meters and the annual average temperature of -9 °C, Xinjiang Tibet Highway is the world’s highest road with poor condition. It  climbs over 5 mountains with the altitude at least 5,000 meters, and passes by 16 iceberg passes and 44 glaciers. Driving along the highway from Xinjiang to Lhasa, you can enjoy the breathtaking scenery of plateau landscape and magnificent scene of wildlife.

Route Map of Xinjiang Tibet Highway

Due to the construction of a different time, the whole Xinjiang Tibet highway includes two sections, namely, the Yecheng-Pulanline and Pulan-Lhasa line. The whole highway starts from Yecheng County of Kashi in southwest Xinjiang, then it runs through the Pishanand Hotan Counties of Hotan area, Ritu County of Ngariarea in Tibet, and it enters into the Gar County and Shiquan River Town, the regional capital of Ngariarea, then at there, it goes towards the south by pass the Pulan County, bordering with India and Nepal.

Next, the road runs towards east through Zhongba County, Saga Countyand ngamring Countyof the Shigatse area. The Chawu village of Lazi Countyin the Shigatse area connects with the China-Nepal segment of Highway 318. So if you drive eastwardly along the Highway 318, after passing the Shigatse and Gyantse, you will arrive in Lhasa; if you drive southwardly along the China-Nepal Highway passing through Tingri County, you can end up in Mount Qomolangma. The Xinjiang Tibet highway is an important channel of personnel and materials, and also an important line of national defense.

Xinjiang Tibet Highway crosses the Ngari region in Tibet.

Kashgar - Lhasa Overland Traffic Guide

Along the line, the Shiquan River Town can be regarded as the transportation junction. There are three important segments, including Yecheng to Shiquan River Town section, Shiquan River Town to Pulan section and Shiquan River Town to Lhasa section. The distance from Yecheng to Shiquan River Town is 1,100 kilometers long and it takes about three days by car. From Shiquanhe Town to Pulan, it is 430 kilometers and it takes about half a day by car. If you want to visit Zhada Sand Forest, you have to cover another 280 kilometers, which takes about four hours. Then from ZHada to Pulan, you will drive for another 443 kilometers. The distance from Shiquan River Town-Lhasa is 1741 kilometers,  and it takes about one day by car. 

Weather and Climate along Xijiang Tibet Highway

The special geographical location and terrain have greatly influenced the atmospheric circulation and climate formation in northern Tibet. Short of air and oxygen, low in pressure, intense solar radiation, long sunshine time, low temperature, small year temperature difference, large day temperature difference, many thunderstorms, hails, snows and night rains...all those terrible conditions would lead a person without very strong physique to altitude reaction, but generally, most people can gradually adapt to the severe environment.

Attractions along Xinjiang Tibet Highway

Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar

Mount Kailash, with an altitude of 6714 meters above the sea level, is a peak in the Gangdise Mountains, and the adjacent Manasarovar Lake is the holy lake of Buddhist, which is the famous South Asian Buddhist shrine. It is said that this area is the place of “destruction and regeneration of God” worshiped by Hindu to live alone and practice Buddhism.The annual pilgrimage ceremony here is a big event with an unprecedented situation.And of course, the scenery of this area is absolutely worthy of watching, with vast and clear lake water, pure blue sky and solemn mountains. It seems be able to purify and release your soul.

When you take a Tibet Xinjiang Overland Tour, you can visit the Mt.Kailash and Lake Manasarovar en route.

The Guge Kingdom Ruins

The Ruins of Guge Kingdom is located at Tuolin town, Zhada County of Ali area in Tibet. To your surprise, there used to be the history of prosperity before the tenth Christian erain the Westof this wide desolate wilderness, which is almost isolated from the world now. But back then, this Guge Dynasty had 16 hereditary kings. Now all remnants of this Kingdom is the ruins, with more than 600 buildings which mainly are stupas and cave shrines. Besides, there are also lefts of exquisite murals, statues, scriptures and other artifacts, displaying the splendid culture and people's life of Guge Dynasty period.

When you arrive in Zanda, you can visit the Ruins of Guge Kingdom.

The Karakoram Mountains

In the Turkic word, it means "black rock". It is a giant mountain with the most developed glaciers in the world, one of the famous mountains of Asia. The average elevation of Karakoram mountains is above 6000 meters, among them, 19 peaks are over 7260 meters and 8 peaks over 7500 meters, and 4 of which are more than 8000 meters. Usually, the mountains have steep and tapering shape, with a great number of snow peaks and giant glaciers, surrounded by hundreds of stone towers and spikes.

Driving along the Xinjiang-Tibte highway, you can enjoy the stunnign view of the Karakoram Mountains.

Vast Natural Wild Zoo

If you drive along Xinjiang Tibet Highway, you will see tremendous wild animals. The commonly large mammals are wild yak, Tibetan antelope, blue sheep, bighorn sheep, Mongolian gazelle, wolf, bear, snow leopard and so like. Some species often appear in groups of hundreds or even thousands. So the scene is quite spectacular.

You could see the local wild animals along your overland journey.

Related Trips

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  18-Day Lhasa to Kashgar Overland Tour via Xinjiang-Tibet Highway

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  Lhasa (3N) - Shigatse (1N) - Saga (1N) - Lake Manasarovar (1N) - Darchen (1N) - Mt. Kailash Trek (2N) - Darchen (1N) - Zanda (1N) – Pangongtso (1N) - Dahongliutan (1N) - Mazar (1N) - Yecheng (1N) - Kashgar(2N)

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• 
  21-Day Kashgar to Lhasa Overland Tour

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  Urumqi (1N) - Kashigar (2N) - Yecheng (1N) - Dahongliutan (1N) - Rutog (1N) - Shiquanhe (1N) - Zanda (1N) - Derchan (1N) - Manasarovar (1N) - Paryang (1N) - Saga (1N) - Tingri (1N) - Shegar (1N) - Shigatse (1N) - Gyantse (1N) - Tsedang (1N) - Lhasa (3N)

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