Lawu Pass
▲ 4,311 mLawu Pass at about 4,311 m is the first climb out of Mangkang, with the Lancang (Mekong) River valley waiting on the far side — prayer flags and a long view down.
Day 11 of 20 · Act 3 · Into Tibet
Dongda Pass 5130 · Zogong
Mangkang → Zogong
5,130 m High point The high point of the whole road
The roof of the route: past the Jueba cliff road and up to Dongda La at 5,130 m — the highest pass on the whole Chengdu–Lhasa road — before dropping to Zogong.
Landmarks
Jueba Cliff Road
觉巴山天险 · 3,600 m
A notorious cliff-hugging stretch carved into the gorge wall.
Dongda Pass
东达山垭口 · 5,130 m
At 5,130 m, the highest pass on the Chengdu–Lhasa route — thin air and prayer flags.
Zogong
左贡 · 3,780 m
A valley town at about 3,780 m where the road comes back down to breathe.
Stops along the way
4 scenic check-in spots on this stage — pull over at any of them for a postcard.
Rumei · Lancang River Bridge
▲ 2,645 mAt the small town of Rumei around 2,645 m the Lancang River makes a sharp bend, and the bridge here spans water that flows on to become the Mekong of Southeast Asia.
Jueba Mountain Viewpoint
▲ 3,533 mThe Jueba cliff road near 3,533 m hangs off a sheer gorge wall — the most skill-testing stretch on 318, carved straight into the rock above the river.
Dongda Pass
▲ 5,130 mDongda Pass at 5,130 m is the roof of the whole Chengdu–Lhasa road — the air is half as thick and the pride twice as big. The highest point you'll reach on 318.
Questions about this day
What is the highest pass on the Chengdu–Lhasa route?
Dongda Pass (Dongda La) at 5,130 m — the roof of the whole G318 southern route. Day 11 climbs to it past the notorious Jueba cliff road before dropping to Zogong.
How high is Dongda La?
5,130 m. The air is genuinely thin up there, the col is draped in prayer flags, and reaching it is the high point — literally — of the entire ride to Lhasa.
How do I climb the highest pass in the game?
Treat it as the hardest stamina day. Spin the roam gear, take it slow, and remember there’s no fail state — if you run out you walk a stretch and keep going. Save a fast-forward credit for the long valley approach so you spend your energy on the climb that counts.
A shared postcard from Cycling 318
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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