Every high pass on the G318, ranked by altitude
Between Chengdu and Lhasa, the southern Sichuan–Tibet Highway crosses 11 passes above 4,000 m — topping out at Dongda Pass, 5,130 m. Each is a real stage in Cycling 318; here they are from highest to lowest, with a link into that day's illustrated guide.
-
1 5,130 mDongda Pass
东达山垭口At 5,130 m, the highest pass on the Chengdu–Lhasa route — thin air and prayer flags.
Day 11 · Dongda Pass 5130 · Zogong → -
2 5,013 mMila Pass
米拉山垭口The last great pass, 5,013 m, draped in prayer flags.
Day 20 · Mila Pass · the Holy City of Lhasa → -
3 4,728 mSejila Pass
色季拉山垭口A 4,728 m pass with the postcard view of Namcha Barwa.
Day 17 · Sejila Pass · Namcha Barwa → -
4 4,718 mKazila Pass
卡子拉山垭口A 4,718 m pass on the sea of rolling high grassland.
Day 8 · Two Passes · the High City of Litang → -
5 4,685 mHaizi Pass
海子山垭口A 4,685 m pass on a vast plateau of glacial boulders.
Day 9 · Sister Lakes · the Long Drop to Batang → -
6 4,658 mYela Pass
业拉山垭口The 4,658 m pass at the top of the 72 Bends.
Day 13 · Yela Pass · the Nu River 72 Bends → - 7 4,485 m
Jianziwan Pass
剪子弯山垭口The first of the day’s two passes, at 4,485 m.
Day 8 · Two Passes · the High City of Litang → -
8 4,468 mAnjula Pass
安久拉山垭口A gentle-looking 4,468 m watershed pass — the source basin of Rawu Lake lies just beyond.
Day 14 · Anjula Pass · Rawu Lake → -
9 4,412 mGaoersi Pass
高尔寺山垭口A 4,412 m pass with a clear-day view of Gongga, the highest peak in Sichuan.
Day 7 · Gaoersi Pass · Gongga in Sight → -
10 4,298 mZheduo Pass
折多山垭口At 4,298 m, the First Gate of Kham and the first 4,000 m+ pass of the route. Crossing it is when 318 truly begins.
Day 6 · Zheduo Pass · the First Gate of Kham → -
11 4,170 mZongla Pass
宗拉山垭口A 4,170 m pass on the climb to Mangkang.
Day 10 · The Jinsha River · Into Tibet → -
12 3,437 mErlang Pass
二郎山垭口A 3,437 m pass famous for its cloud sea; the old road’s great barrier west of Sichuan.
Day 3 · Mount Erlang · the Cloud Sea →