Zheduo Pass · the First Gate of Kham
The signature day. Twenty kilometres of switchbacks up to Zheduo Pass at 4,298 m — the First Gate of Kham and your first climb past 4,000 m — then a long soaring descent into the gentle light of Xinduqiao.
Plan the day
Zheduotang to Xinduqiao — the road, food, lodging and gear for this stage.
Road & riding
Zheduo Pass (4,298 m) — the "First Gate of Kham" and your first climb above 4,000 m. Switchbacks to a prayer-flag summit, then a gentler roll onto the plateau to Xinduqiao, "photographer’s paradise." Slow and steady is everything up here.
Food & resupply
Carry food for the pass; Xinduqiao has Tibetan restaurants and teahouses for a hot meal on arrival.
Sleeping
Xinduqiao is a popular overnight with many guesthouses — and the golden evening light on the grassland is the reward.
Gear & body
Cold, windy and intense UV at altitude — windproof shell, warm gloves and serious sunscreen. This is where high-altitude riding really begins.
Landmarks
Zheduotang
A hot-spring village at the foot of Zheduo Pass — the last warm soak before the climb.
Gongga (Minya Konka) Distant View
On clear days the lower switchbacks reveal Gongga, 'King of Sichuan's Mountains,' rising to 7,508 m — the crest itself hides it.
Zheduo Snow-Viewing Platform
An early viewpoint on the climb — a prayer-flag pavilion where snow peaks open up across the valley.
Nine Bends, Eighteen Turns
The legendary switchbacks coiling up Zheduo — locals call it the mountain that wears travelers out.
Zheduo Pass
At 4,298 m, the First Gate of Kham and the first 4,000 m+ pass of the route. Crossing it is when 318 truly begins.
Zheduo West-Slope Alpine Meadow
Beyond the crest the road eases into a long descent, switchbacks giving way to rolling highland grassland.
Yingguan Village
A Tibetan grassland village near the Yingguan–Jiulong junction, white-walled homes scattered among grazing yaks.
Liqiu River
A shallow river winding beside the road through the Xinduqiao valley — a left-bank tributary of the Yalong.
Photographers' Corridor
Over ten kilometers of golden poplars and Tibetan villages framing the road as it nears Xinduqiao.
Xinduqiao
A "photographer’s paradise" of golden poplars and Tibetan villages bathed in soft, slanting light.
Questions about this day
How high is Zheduo Pass?
Zheduo Pass is 4,298 m — the "First Gate of Kham" and the first pass above 4,000 m on the whole route. Cyclists often say this is where 318 truly begins.
How do I climb Zheduo Pass in the game?
It’s the signature day: about twenty kilometres of switchbacks. Drop to the roam gear and spin a steady cadence, keep an eye on your stamina and heart rate, and save the sprint for short steep ramps. Run dry and you simply walk a stretch — you’ll still make the col.
What is the descent to Xinduqiao like?
After the summit comes a long soaring freewheel down into Xinduqiao at about 3,300 m — a "photographer’s paradise" of golden poplars and Tibetan villages in soft, slanting light. The day runs the full "suffer → summit → soar → warmth" arc.
When is Zheduo Pass most beautiful?
Autumn turns the Xinduqiao poplars gold, and a clear winter morning lays snow over the switchbacks. The season and weather shift live in the game, so each crossing of the First Gate of Kham looks a little different.
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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