Tibet Transport (4)

Distance

2743km Yecheng<—69km—> Pusa<—88km—> Kudidaban<—83km—> Mazadaban<—339km—> Sweet Water Sea<—110km—> Jieshandaban<—177km—> Duomaping<—143km—> Rutog County <—87km—> Shiquanhe town<—331km—> Parga <—334km—> Zhongba<—145km—> Saga<—293km—> Lhaze <—157km—> Xigaze<—337km—> Lhasa

The best tourist season

May to early July or September to October is the best time for tourists. July to September is the rainy season, when the road condition becomes worse. If you choose to start the travel from the Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, there are two best seasons. One is from end of May to beginning of June, when the snow has melted, but the rainy season hasn't begun. The second is September, when the rainy season is over, but it hasn't begun to snow in most places. When it is October, it snows in many places in Ngari prefecture.

Tips on transportation

Yecheng-Shiquanhe: the two places are 1,100 km from each other, and it takes 3 days bus ride. Buses ply between them irregularly. It is possible to hitchhike a truck at the Bus Station of Yecheng or Shiquanhe, or sometimes possible to hitchhike a military vehicle.

Shiquanhe-Burang: 1,741 km from each other, and it takes a 2 days bus ride. If you transfer to visit Zada, another 280 km and 1 more day's bus ride is necessary. Then take a bus to Burang from Zada(443 km). Because Burang is an important town of frontier trade, there are many vehicle passing by, it is convenient to hitchhike a truck or a military vehicle.

Shiquanhe-Lhasa: 1,741 km from each other and it's a 6 days' ride. But no bus service is available. And not many vehicles pass by, so it takes some time to find a vehicle to hitchhike.

Tips

1. The Xinjiang-Tibet Highway will be blocked by snow in winter and spring and it's impossible to travel. The best time to drive is from May to the middle of October. The climate in the trip is terrible and food and accommodation condition is not good, either. Clothes to guard against the coldness should be prepared. Medicines against ailments and illness (medicine to stop diarrhea, diminish inflammation, and to treat the cold) according to the physical conditions of the tourists themselves should also be prepared. All people will have altitude reaction on Jieshandaban Mountain, so tourists are advised to take some medicines and oxygen.

2. Room and board conditions are not good along the highway. So it's advisable to take some solid food and sleeping bag. Vegetables are short along the road, so some vitamin pills should be taken.

☆If the tourists want to trek in Tibet, many bridle paths, pilgrims' byways and ferries can be chosen (make necessary consultations to the locals or just follow the pilgrims).

Yunnan-Tibet High Way (Xiaguan-Makam)
(It is also known as Dian-Zang Road as Dian is the abbreviation for Yunnan Province and Zang is for Tibet)

Dian-Zang Road was built and opened to traffic in 1974. It starts from Xiaguan of Yunnan in the south, traverses Jianchuan, Zhongdian and Dechen to Zhikang of Tibet in the north and covers a distance of 714 km. It joins the south part of Sichuan-Tibet Road in the north. Among the four roads leading into Tibet, it's the highest above sea level, which is a less beaten track by travelers. This highway was built along the "Tea-Horse Ancient Road" which the businessmen and tourists frequented in the ancient times. The whole road runs through the China-Burma Basin and the Hengduan Mountain Range with the highest point—the pass of Hongla Snow Mountain at 4,300 meters above sea level. The road leads through spectacular landscape, with thick forests and mild and humid climate on the way. As the Hengduan Mountain Range is cut by Lantsang River and Jinsha River with many high mountains and deep valleys, and the road goes up and down in elevations through the mountains and valleys, you can experience different kinds of climates and landscapes on the way.