The recommended self-driving route from Kunming to Tibet is the Yunnan-Tibet Line.
I chose the Yunnan-Tibet Line because it is safe and the difficulty of self-driving is adaptable. You can stay at an altitude below 3,500 meters every night, and the highest altitude along the way is 5,000 meters. The journey is not too difficult, and cars are common.
On the first day, the journey from Kunming to Shangri-La was more than 600 kilometers, passing through Chuxiong, Dali and Lijiang. Almost the entire journey is on high speed, and the section from Kunming to Dali is prone to traffic jams, so start as early as possible. If you have enough time, you can stop in Dali and Lijiang, enjoy the wind between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, look at the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance, and listen to the folk songs in the ancient city tavern.
From the west side of Lijiang, we will go from the back of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain to Shangri-La via Tiger Leaping Gorge and Haba Snow Mountain. There are world-class hiking routes hidden in the valley where Tiger Leaping Gorge is located. It has long been famous abroad, but few people in China know about it. You can stay in Dukezong at night, stroll around the ancient city, see the night view, and spin the world's largest prayer wheel.
You can start later the next day. Go to Shika Snow Mountain in winter and Napa Sea in summer. Take a check-in photo of the Little Potala Palace and Songzanlin Temple and spend half a day there.
The journey from Shangri-La to Deqin is 170 kilometers, passing through Baima Snow Mountain in the Yunnan Golden Monkey Sanctuary. This mountain has a tunnel, you can pass through it directly, or you can take the old road and climb over the 4,300-meter Baima Snow Mountain pass to see this paradise of animal and plant reproduction.
Today you can stay at Feilai Temple or Wunongding, with an altitude of nearly 3,500 meters. These two places are one of the best viewing platforms for viewing Meili Snow Mountain. Lying in the B&B at Feilai Temple, outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, one can see Meili Snow Mountain, one of the four sacred mountains in Tibetan areas.
The Thirteen Peaks are facing your window, and the scenery is extremely shocking. On the Wunongding Observation Deck, there are thirteen welcoming white pagodas lined up corresponding to the Thirteen Peaks of Meili, with snow-capped white pagodas and flying prayer flags. Legend has it that if you see the Rizhao Jinshan Mountain in Meili Snow Mountain, you will be lucky throughout the next year.
Be sure to get up early on the third day and wait for the sunrise at Meili Snow Mountain. The full view of Meili at sunrise is hard to come by, and whether you can see the sun shining on the Jinshan Mountains all depends on luck. Continue after the sun rises.
Today’s journey is over mountains and ridges, and the road will also intersect with the Southern Sichuan-Tibet Line. After driving out of the Meili Snow Mountain, the highway enters Tibet and travels upstream along the Lancang River, first passing through the Mangkang Salt Fields on the bank of the Lancang River.
It is a Naxi village that has protected the salt fields for generations. The men lead their horses on the ancient tea horse road and run outside, while the women stay in the salt fields to make salt. Looking down from an aerial photography perspective, square grids fill the shores of the Lancang River. Quzika Hot Spring, not far from the salt fields, is worth a try.
After passing Yanjing, drive north along National Highway 214. The 318 Sichuan-Tibet Line and the Yunnan-Tibet Line intersect in Mangkang County, and the second half of the journey overlaps. Mangkang is at an altitude of 3,800 meters. After a brief rest, continue onward.
After crossing Mount Lawu with an altitude of 4,300 meters, the altitude drops. Today you can choose to rest in Rumei Town in the river valley, which is 3,000 meters above sea level. Today’s driving distance is 257 kilometers and the driving time is about 6 hours. You can drive slowly along the way or walk while playing.
On the fourth day of the trip, we will climb the highest mountains along the way and walk through the road with the most twists and turns. The total distance from Rumei to Basu is 300 kilometers, and it takes 7-8 hours to drive and drive all day. First, we climbed over the pass of Jueba Mountain, which is 3,911 meters above sea level. Even though it was summer, standing at the pass, there was a cool breeze and snow was falling on the surrounding mountain tops.
After crossing Jueba Mountain, the next pass is the highest point of the Yunnan-Tibet Line, the Dongda Mountain Pass. After passing the 5130-meter Dongda Mountain pass, there may be snow on both sides of the road. The snow-capped mountains not far away expose the gray-black mountains. There are many 318 element signboards along the way. You can stop here briefly to take photos and check in.
Driving for a while in the river valley, passing through Zuogong and Bangda, you will once again cross the Yelashan Daban at an altitude of 4,700 meters. After crossing the Yela Mountain Dashan, the road with the most curves along the way hangs on the mountain. This is the 72 Turn of the Nujiang River that is prone to motion sickness.
Circle down the winding mountain road, cross the Nu River, and today you will arrive at Basu County at an altitude of 3,200 meters. It’s been a long day of driving over mountains and ridges, so I can rest early today.
On the fifth day, you need to go from Basu to Bomi. Along the way, you will pass two glaciers that can be viewed up close. Starting from Basu, we first climb the Anjiula Mountain at an altitude of 4,300 meters and arrive at Ranwu Town at the foot of the mountain. Next to the town is Ranwu Lake.
In summer and autumn, Ranwu Lake is like a mud pond with turbid water; in winter and spring, Ranwu Lake is like a paradise, with blue water that reflects the snow-capped mountains and glaciers in the distance. As long as you time it right, Ranwu Lake can be incredibly beautiful.
There are two glaciers distributed around Ranwu Lake. 30 kilometers to the south is the Laigu Glacier. The glacier slopes down and is connected to the glacier lake. If you have enough time, you can go see the ancient glacier.
Continuing along the main road, the Midui Glacier on the south side of the road is one of the three largest marine glaciers in my country. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains, a large area of ??the mountain is covered by ice and snow. In winter and spring, glaciers extend to the foot of the mountain.
After visiting the glacier, continue driving along the main road and arrive at Bomi in the river valley, which is 2,600 meters above sea level. We will rest here today. The glacier tour takes longer. Today’s drive takes about four hours, leaving enough time for the scenery along the way.
On the morning of the sixth day, we walked along the Parlung Zangbo River and passed through the Tongmai Natural Barrier. It used to be a scary area where cars got stuck, but now it is a convenient thoroughfare. Surrounding Lulang Town are several beautiful scenic spots that are better than European towns, such as Lulang Forest Sea, Flower Sea Ranch, and Gongcuo Lake. Snow-capped mountains, lakes, cedar forests, meadows and pastures gather here, creating a scene of paradise on earth.
In Lulang, you can eat the local specialty stone pot chicken and breathe in the negative oxygen ions here. Continue to climb the Sejila Pass at an altitude of 4,700 meters and reach Nyingchi on the bank of the Brahmaputra River.
Dense fog and water vapor obscure the most beautiful snow-capped peak in China. Nine out of ten people never encounter this Shy Girl Peak. Whether the clouds clear up and the fog clears to see it in its entirety depends entirely on luck. Living in Linzhi today, if you want to try your luck to see Namjagbarwa, you can stay in Suosong Village. However, it is almost impossible to see the whole of Namjagbarwa in the summer rainy season.
On the seventh day, take the Linzhi Highway from Linzhi and go directly to Lhasa along the Niyang River. This is a beautiful highway that crosses blue lakes, passes through snow-capped mountains and dense forests along the way, and you can see the Potala Palace in the evening.
Notes on self-driving tours:
1. Check the vehicle thoroughly before departure every day.
Including whether there is water or oil leakage, check whether there are oil or water marks on the ground and under the car; measure the tire pressure to see if the tire pressure is appropriate. Before a long trip, it is necessary to go to a 4S shop or a professional shop to have professionals conduct a comprehensive inspection of the car: brake pads, antifreeze, coolant, booster oil, glass water, etc. It is best to replace the engine oil and three filters.
2. Strictly prevent fatigue driving.
Fatigue driving is one of the main causes of fatigue. For long-distance travel, it is best to have a member of the car with driving experience. It is best to change the driver every two hours. If there is no one to replace the driver, don’t be tired. If you feel sleepy while driving, you should find a service area or a safe roadside to rest for a while. Do not rush on.
3. Pay attention to the amount of fuel in the fuel tank and refuel in time.
You should fill up the tank before running a long distance. When the tank is halfway full, you should find a gas station to refuel, especially when there are very few gas stations along the way (such as the no-man's land in Xinjiang). , fill up the tank when you see a gas station. Don't wait for the fuel light to come on before looking for a gas station. This will be very passive.
Reference for the above content: Baidu Encyclopedia-Dian-Tibet Highway