The China-Nepal Highway (also known as the Friendship Highway) is a scenic route on the Tibetan Plateau. It includes the westernmost part of China National Highway 318 from Lhasa west to Lhatse then south to Nepal as well as the southernmost part of China National Highway 219 from Lhatse to Gar in far western Tibet.
As a modern version of the ancient trade routes linking Tibet (now China) with Nepal, the Friendship Highway could represent the partnership between two nations profiting from the mutual benefits of trade. Less than 3 years after the 14th Dali Lama fled Tibet, Nepal and China had signed an agreement (late 1961) to build an all-weather highway linking Kathmandu with Tibet. However, by the time the road opened in 1967, Nepal closed the border to trade due to severe restrictions imposed by Beijing. At that time the road's sole purpose was militaristic. The highway provided a direct link to two major Chinese army bases placed within 100 kilometers of Kathmandu.
The 1000 km long Friendship Highway includes seven 3500 meters passes, with one pass as high as 5000 meters. Most of the road is unpaved, pretty manageable driving, although is has some rather fascinating parts.
Scenery along the highway features important cultural monuments, the upper valley of the Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) River, vast grasslands and meadows on the plateau, and mountain vistas including five of the world's highest peaks: Everest, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma as well as largely unexplored and unclimbed peaks east and west of Lakpa-La reaching about 6,400 meters. Friendship Highway is also important to pilgrims making their way from all corners of Tibet to the spiritual center in Lhasa and to the sacred circuits of Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.
Is the most popular route travelers take in Tibet. Though this route has become very popular with foreign tourists from China and the rest of the world, it is still an excellent route to take with many interesting things to see.
