G219, with a total length of 10,065 kilometers, is the longest national highway in China and one of the toughest roads in the world, as well as an important and intriguing border road for drivers.
1. Yalong Jiang Canyon Section
This section starts from Mêdog and soon afterwards you can head south to Beibeng and then cross Pei town to Mainling.
First stop: Mêdog County
The word Mêdog, which can also be interpreted as “flower” and “hidden lotus”, is the place where the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, the Lotus Sangha, practiced.
Self-driving tips: Mêdog County is about 117 kilometers from Bome County, driving time is about 3 hours and 50 minutes (speed limit control); from Mêdog take Zha Mo Highway G559 over the Galongla Tunnel to Bome County.
The second stop: Bome
There are two ditches in Bome, Scenic Taohuagou and Zhuolonggou. Among them, Scenic Taohuagou, in March and April every year you can see the open peach blossoms all over the mountain, from Galang village to go north Y405 to Runa village, Qingduo town, and Baiyu village.
Leaving Bome, you will soon come to the town of Tongmai.
The altitude of Bome and Nyingchi is relatively low, the climate is mild and humid, the forests are green and dense, and the peach blossoms in the Bome-Nyingchi section bloom in March and April every year, which is very beautiful.
Driving tips: Bome County is about 230 kilometers away from Linzhi City, driving time is about 5 hours and 10 minutes; from Bome to the west, through the Taohuagou and along the Parlung Zangbo, then to the town of Tongmai, then through the Tongmai tunnel, through the town of Lunang and to Nyingchi.
Third stop: Nyingchi
The town of Lunang, blooming in a sea of flowers in the highlands pasture, the most beautiful place in the entire snowy south, whether it is the sea of forests or snow-capped mountains, rivers, where it seems to melt into a beautiful painting, into a fairyland on earth.
If you want to experience the pristine Lunang town, go straight off the road to the deep Tibetan villages, such as Zhaxigang village.
Driving tips: Nyingchi City is about 581 kilometers from Comai County, driving time of about 15 hours and 30 minutes; from Nyingchi south to Nyingchi Mainling Airport special road to Mainling County back to the G219.
2. Shannan Sahā
Shannan is the birthplace of Tibetan culture, the first palace in Tibet – Yumbu Lakhang, the first monastery in Tibet – Samye Monastery, etc., are all in Shannan. Thus, Shannan is a very special place for both Tibet and travelers to Tibet.
Fourth stop: Comai
When you go out of Nyingchi to Mainling and follow the Yarlung Zangbo River, you are officially in Mainling, after which you will officially enter what we call the Shannan region.
Continuing on G219, you will arrive at Comai. This is the only county in Shannan that is mainly engaged in animal husbandry. If you take G560 north at the intersection of G219 and G560, you can go to Zhegu town.
The town has a rare wetland, lake, grassland scenery in the south of the mountain, such as Zhegu grassland, Zhegu Co, which is also the Tsomei pastoral area, living with sheep, Tibetan mastiff, Tibetan wild ass and other grassland spirits.
In summer, you will see a unique high-altitude grassland lake with a blue lake and a blue grassland, and in autumn, the scenery will be even more attractive.
Driving tips: Comai County is about 170 kilometers away from Lhozhag County, driving time of about 4 hours and 15 minutes; from Comai County, take G219, over the side of Bianba, Lakang, Shengge, and to Lhozhag County.
Fifth stop: Lhozhag
Out of Comai to Lhozhag, this section is basically close to the borderline to the south concave, the altitude is not high.
In Tibetan, Lhozhag means “southern cliffs”, from the county south over the Himalayas those complex mountains and dangerous valleys, is Bhutan. It is both the southern gate of the traditional tombs, but also has a Padmasambhava master enlightened Pu Moyongcuo.
The most worthy of going to in Lhozhag, is the town of Lhakhang Kaju monastery and the color township of the Saika guto monastery.
In Pu Moyongcuo, if the weather is clear, can be very clear to see the south coast of the Himalayas more than ten snowy peaks and its reflection in the picture of the lake, like a dream.
Driving tips: Lhozhag County is about 581 kilometers from Tingri County, driving time of about 10 hours and 40 minutes; Lhozhag County west to G219, through the Pu Moyongcuo, Gala Township, Kangmar County, Kamba, Dinggyê, after arriving at Tingri.
3. Himalayan section
This section will be closer to the various snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas.
Sixth stop: Tingri
After leaving the Pu Moyongcuo, continue to follow the G219, also out of the Shannan region, into the Shigatse region of Kangmar, which is more than 40 kilometers north of Gyantse, more time, you can go to Gyantse to see the ancient fortress of Gyantse and Baiju Temple or more than 150 kilometers south to Yadong.
Yadong, a historically important passage between Tibet and India traditionally, is situated in the Yadong Gorge, where you can see mountains covered with snow in the distance and lush green trees and flowers and rice below.
Taking the G219 to Dinggyê, you are still traveling through endless mountains, but this time, you can see more snow-capped peaks, which also means you enter the Everest section of the Himalayas, and along the way, you will encounter even more snow-capped peaks of 7 or 8 kilometers above sea level.
From here, you can go south across Qudang Township to the town of Zhêntang, where the Sherpa people live, to see the scenery of Zhêntang Ditch.
When you arrive at Tingri, if it is late, you can choose to stay in Tingri County or check in at the old Tingri Gangga where the conditions are tougher, travelers going to Rongbuk Monastery or Everest Base Camp will basically stay in these two places.
But nowadays Everest base camp needs to go through the relevant procedures to go, do not do the formalities, and want to see Everest, the farthest can only reach Rongbuk Monastery.
Although Rongbuk Monastery is called the “world’s highest monastery”, also because the altitude is too high, so many travelers are “daunted”, but Rongbuk Monastery is after all the best location to enjoy Everest, but there is no shortage of oxygen while the righteous travelers to come.
Out of Tingri, continue to go west, you see the scenery in the car, left and right are two different worlds, one side is like a high wall of rolling snow-capped mountains, the other side is a large mound, lakes, large mountains. There are no other off-ramps next to it, and the black tarmac road is like a beautiful and shocking landscape in between.
On the opposite side of the Paiku, is the territory of China, the only altitude of more than eight thousand meters of snow mountain – Xixiabangma peak.
Park the car at the lake, take pictures when the Xixiabangma is reflected in the lake, your car, and Paiku, Xixiabangma in the same frame of the picture is also produced.
Driving tips: Tingri County is about 269 km from Gyirong County, driving time of about 4 hours 30 minutes; continue to take the G219, over the Mainpu Township and to Gyirong.
Seventh stop: Gyirong
From Tingri to Gyirong, you will pass through a section of the China-Nepal Friendship Highway, the Tingri-Nyalam section of the G318. Before the earthquake in Nepal, travelers from Nepal would enter Tibet through the Zhangmu border crossing in Nyalam and travel along the China-Nepal Friendship Highway to various parts of Tibet.
If you want to go to enjoy the scenery of Zhangmugou, then you can take the G318 and G219 bifurcation at Son Gha village in MainpuTownship, continue south to G318, and finally at the end of G318.
To the south of Gyirong is Gyirong Ditch, a colorful world of emerald green forests and rolling snow-capped mountains. There are also many cultural monuments in the county, so you can spend a day here and have a good look around.
Gyirong Ditch, with snowy peaks in the distance and fields at your feet. When this trip is over, if you want to rest in Gyirong, then it is recommended to stay in the town of Gyirong Ditch deep in Gyirong Town.
Besides, because of the relatively high altitude of the county town of Gyirong, the key is that there are Pabasi Monastery, Jibu Canyon, Gyirong Zangbo, Gyirong Crossing, etc. Meanwhile, Gyirong Crossing is also the end point of the new G216 of the Xinjiang Tibet Passage, which is enough for you to stay for a week without getting bored.
Self-driving tips: Gyirong County is about 69 kilometers from the Jilong port, driving time of about 1 hour and 30 minutes; along the Gyirong Zangbo south of the G216, you can reach the Gyirong port.
G219 is a good choice for you to travel to China. If you want to explore Gyirong County and its surrounding areas, then G219 is a great choice because it can connect you with multiple places easily. You will enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way, which makes this road trip even more enjoyable.