Dongda Pass 5130 · Zogong
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.
Plan the day
Mangkang to Zogong — the road, food, lodging and gear for this stage.
Road & riding
The hardest day: over Lawu and Jueba mountains, down to the Lancang (Mekong) at Rumei, then the grind up Dongda Pass (5,130 m) — the route’s highest — before dropping to Zogong. Pace yourself; this is the queen stage.
Food & resupply
Lunch at Rumei in the Lancang gorge; carry plenty of food and water for the long climb — there’s almost nothing up high.
Sleeping
Zogong (3,780 m) has guesthouses and hotels. You’ll arrive spent — eat, hydrate, and sleep low to recover.
Gear & body
Extreme cold and wind on the 5,000 m pass even in summer — full winter kit, windproof everything. Altitude-sickness risk is real; descend if it worsens.
Landmarks
Mangkang
The day starts in Mangkang, a Tibetan county town at about 3,870 m on the high plateau.
Lawu Pass
The day’s first pass at 4,376 m, before the long plunge to the Mekong.
Lancang (Mekong) at Rumei
The Mekong roaring through a dry gorge at Rumei — the deep valley between two giant climbs.
Lancang River Bridge at Rumei
The bridge over the Mekong at Rumei, about 2,640 m — the lowest point of the whole day.
Jueba Village
A small village clinging to the gorge wall at the foot of the long Jueba climb.
Jueba Cliff Road
A notorious cliff-hugging stretch carved into the gorge wall.
Dengba
A roadside hamlet at about 3,440 m, the last rest before the haul up Dongda Mountain.
Dongda Pass
At 5,130 m, the highest pass on the Chengdu–Lhasa route — thin air and prayer flags.
Zogong
A valley town at about 3,780 m where the road comes back down to breathe.
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.
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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