The Sichuan-Tibet Highway Northern Route is the highest and longest part of this legendary highway. It takes a more treacherous, roundabout route to Lhasa from Chengdu than the Southern Route.
The Sichuan-Tibet Highway Northern Route begins in Chengdu, the Sichuan capital. It then heads west toward Danba and Garze, and several other towns and villages by way of lofty terrain. It is 2,412kms long and reaches a high point of 4,916m over the pass on Mount Queer.
The Northern Route takes a good two weeks in total and is best done on an organized four-wheel-drive trip from Chengdu. Visitors can also catch a bus from Kangding to Dege and start there. You can then head to Ganzi toward the Tibetan Plateau and take in the sparsest of landscapes.
Always check ahead on the current political situation in Tibet before embarking on a complete trip along the Sichuan-Tibet Highway Northern Route. Asthmatics should not attempt the journey due to the altitude.
Getting There & Away
Chengdu is the start point of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway Northern Route as well as the Southern Route. The Sichuan provincial capital is fed by trains from nearby cities and the Xi’an-Kunming Expressway. Flight time to Suhangliu International Airport in Chengdu from Beijing is 3 hours.