The Yuqu River · Bangda Grassland
Follow the Yuqu River out onto the immense Bangda grassland — a flat, wind-scoured plain above 4,000 m that feels like the top of the world.
Plan the day
Zogong to Bangda — the road, food, lodging and gear for this stage.
Road & riding
A gentler day up the Yuqu River to the wide Bangda grassland (~4,300 m), home to one of the world’s highest airports. Big-sky high-plain riding with rolling gradients.
Food & resupply
Bangda is small — basic Sichuan-Tibetan eateries and shops; a simple hot meal on the cold plateau.
Sleeping
Limited but adequate guesthouses in Bangda; it’s cold and high, so layer up for the night.
Gear & body
Exposed grassland wind and cold nights — windproof and warm sleeping layers; the sun is fierce by day.
Landmarks
Zogong
The day's start, a small county seat where the Yuqu, Nu and Lancang rivers thread the surrounding valleys.
Yuqu River
A braided river meandering across the high plain.
Tiantuo
A roadside town in the gentle Yuqu valley, a common lunch stop on the way to Bangda.
Tiantuo Yuqu River Bend
A sweeping curve of the Yuqu River below grassy slopes, a favourite photo stop.
Asi Village
The last small village before the road climbs onto the open Bangda Grassland.
Bangda Grassland Viewpoint
A high pullout where the grassland opens flat and endless toward the horizon.
Bangda Grassland
A vast high plain near 4,300 m, home to one of the highest airfields in the world.
Bangda Airport
One of the world’s highest airports, out on the wind-scoured grassland.
Bangda
The day's end, a windswept junction town where the G318 and G214 highways meet.
Questions about this day
What is the Bangda grassland?
A vast, flat, wind-scoured high plain near 4,300 m, reached along the Yuqu River. It’s home to one of the highest airfields in the world and feels like standing on the top of the world.
Is day 12 an easier day?
Relatively — after the 5,130 m roof the day before, the Bangda grassland is open and gently graded. It’s a chance to spin easy, enjoy the wide views, and let your stamina recover before the 72 Bends.
What does the grassland look like across the seasons?
Summer turns it deep green, autumn bleaches it gold, and winter scours it pale under a huge sky. The four seasons reskin the grassland in the game, so the same plain reads very differently depending on when you ride it.
Ride your own 318
Cycling 318 turns the road to Lhasa into a daily, cozy ride. Check in at the landmarks, collect a postcard from each, and fill your 318 passport.
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