Two Passes · the High City of Litang
A double-pass day over Jianziwan (4,485 m) and Kazila (4,718 m) onto the wide Litang grassland — Litang sits at around 4,000 m, one of the highest towns on Earth.
Plan the day
Yajiang to Litang — the road, food, lodging and gear for this stage.
Road & riding
A relentless day over Jianziwan and Kazila passes (up to ~4,700 m) onto the high grassland to Litang (4,014 m), "the world’s high city." Long, exposed and thin-aired — ration your effort.
Food & resupply
Litang is a real Tibetan town — yak meat, tsampa, butter tea; a major resupply point on the plateau.
Sleeping
Many guesthouses, but you sleep at 4,000 m — expect a restless night. Hydrate well and avoid overexertion.
Gear & body
Genuine high-altitude cold even in summer: down or thick fleece for the night, and watch for altitude-sickness symptoms.
Landmarks
Yajiang Town
The day starts in this riverside county town wedged in the deep Yalong River gorge at 2,640 m.
Tianlu Eighteen Bends
A famous viewpoint over eighteen tight switchbacks climbing the flank of Jianziwan Mountain, near 4,200 m.
Jianziwan Tunnel
A 2.2 km tunnel bored near 4,200 m that spares riders the old high pass road.
Jianziwan Pass
The first of the day’s two passes, at 4,485 m.
Nima Gong Sacred Mountain
A sacred peak near 4,668 m with a roadside platform looking out over the rolling plateau.
Kazila Pass
A 4,718 m pass on the sea of rolling high grassland.
Litang River Valley
The road settles onto the high plateau and follows the Litang (Wuliang) River toward town.
Litang, the High City
A grassland town near 4,000 m, often called "the world’s high city."
Litang Monastery
Litang’s great Gelug monastery, founded in 1580 — gilded halls on the grassland edge.
Maoya Grassland
A vast horse-grazing grassland spreading west of Litang.
Questions about this day
How many passes are there on day 8 to Litang?
Two in one day: Jianziwan Pass at 4,485 m and Kazila Pass at 4,718 m, before you roll out onto the wide Litang grassland.
How high is Litang?
Litang sits at about 4,014 m — one of the highest towns on Earth, often called "the world’s high city." It’s a grassland town under a huge sky.
Is a double-pass day tough in the game?
It’s a big stamina day — two climbs above 4,400 m back to back. Pace each one in the roam gear, recover on the rolling grassland between them, and use a fast-forward credit to skip the dull flat stretches and keep the good bits.
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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