Anjula Pass · Rawu Lake
Over Anjula Pass (4,468 m) and down to Rawu Lake — a long, glacier-fed ribbon of turquoise water ringed by snow peaks, one of the most beautiful lakes on the plateau.
Plan the day
Baxoi to Rawu — the road, food, lodging and gear for this stage.
Road & riding
Over Anjula Pass (4,468 m), a quiet watershed, then down to the milky-turquoise Rawu Lake (~3,850 m) — one of the most beautiful spots on the whole road.
Food & resupply
Rawu village has lakeside guesthouses serving home-style Tibetan and Sichuan food — fresh and unhurried.
Sleeping
Stay right by Rawu Lake for sunrise on the water and the snow peaks — guesthouses sit on the shore.
Gear & body
Mild lake air but cold dawns: a warm layer for sunrise. The light here rewards an early start.
Landmarks
Baxoi
A dry canyon town at about 3,260 m where the day begins, gathering supplies before the long climb.
Leng Qu River
The valley river the road follows out of Baxoi, climbing gently upstream toward Anjula Pass.
Jida Township
A small Tibetan farming settlement strung along the climbing valley, barley fields below the slopes.
Anjula Meadows
Broad alpine meadows on the windy approach to the pass, where the famous Anjula headwind blows.
Anjula Pass
A gentle-looking 4,468 m watershed pass — the source basin of Rawu Lake lies just beyond.
Rawu Gorge Gallery
A covered rockfall gallery shielding the road on the steep landslide-prone descent below the pass.
Laigu Glacier
A cluster of glaciers feeding the head of Rawu Lake — vast tongues of ice above the water.
Rawu Lake
A glacier-fed turquoise lake at about 3,960 m, ringed by snow peaks and forest.
Rawu Town
The day's end beside the lake near 3,960 m, one of the source lakes of the Parlung Tsangpo.
Questions about this day
How high is Rawu Lake?
Rawu Lake sits at about 3,960 m — a long, glacier-fed ribbon of turquoise water ringed by snow peaks and forest, reached over Anjula Pass at 4,468 m. It’s one of the most beautiful lakes on the plateau.
Why is Rawu Lake turquoise?
It’s fed by glacial meltwater carrying fine rock flour, which scatters light into that milky turquoise. In the game the lake is a check-in viewpoint, so it’s a prime postcard stop.
What is day 14 like to ride?
A gentle pass over Anjula and then a soft descent to the lakeshore — a calmer, scenic day after the drama of the 72 Bends. Great light here in the morning, and the look of the water shifts with the weather.
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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