What are the most spectacular roads in China?

Located in the eastern part of Asia, and bordering 14 countries, China covers 9.6 million square kilometers. It’s the world's third-largest country by land area and it hosts more than 500 brutal driving experiences, listed as the most spectacular roads in the world. Due to its size and difficult geography, featuring mountains, plateaus, deserts, and plains, it has scenic, mountainous, and even flooding roads. It also holds many records, such as the world's longest traffic jam: a 100 km, 12-day standstill that occurred in August 2010, when the country witnessed the mother of all traffic jams.

When travelling to China, you can’t miss the infamous Tian Men Shan Big Gate, a road with 99 turns, built in 1998, that offers a thrilling 11-kilometer journey; or the iconic Guoliang Tunnel, which was dug through the side of a mountain by hand. Built in the early 1970s it is one of the most famous Chinese tunnel roads. It’s also worth driving the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, one of the world's highest roads.

And if you like challenging mountain roads situated at high elevations, remember to check out our list with the highest roads in China, where you’ll find real gems, such as Chāmkang, a mountain pass at 5.953m (19,530ft) above sea level.

Penma La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.321m (17,457ft) above the sea level, located in Ngamring County, a county of Xigazê in the Tibet Autonomous Region, in China. 

Lungmar La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.776m (18,950ft) above the sea level, located on the Chinese-Indian border. It's one of the highest motorable roads in the world.

Bayi Daban is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.366m (17,604ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Hotan County, a county in the southwest of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Rutog County, in Ngari Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China.

Laozhong Line is a very exciting mountain drive in northeastern Gansu province, People's Republic of China. The average gradient is 8.78%.

Shangshang La is an extreme mountain pass located at an elevation of 5,228m (17,152ft) above sea level. Situated in Cona County (Shannan Prefecture) in the southern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region, it sits near the border with India, making it a remote and strategically significant route.

Located in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, near the border with Nepal, the road from Kangbeicun to Zhangcun is a challenging adventure.

Demo La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.817m (15,803ft) above the sea level, located in Zayü County, in the southeast of the Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

Tianhedong Daban is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.590m (18,339ft) above the sea level, located in the southwestern part of Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in China. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Namja La is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.005m (16,420ft) above the sea level, located on the Nepal-China border.

Haitar Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.882m (12,736ft) above the sea level, located in Gangca County of northeastern Qinghai province, on the northern shore of Qinghai Lake, in China.

583 Country Road is a high mountain road located in the Chamdo Prefecture in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

The high mountain road connecting Qusum and Diyag is situated in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. This remote route traverses some of the most isolated terrain in the southern part of the plateau, linking Shannan and Ngari Prefectures.

Shel La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,904 m (16,089 ft) above sea level, located in Dêngqên County, Chamdo City, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Zixia Palace is a stunning building at an elevation of 3.245m (10,646ft) above the sea level, located in Dongchuan District, in Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China. It’s a road that combines thrills, excitement and beauty.

Zagashershar is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.130m (13,549ft) above the sea level, located in the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture prefecture of China.

Trel La, also known as Tsay La, is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 5,441m (17,851ft) above sea level. It is located on the border between Nagarzê and Lhozhag counties, in the southeastern part of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. This remote mountain pass crosses the rugged Himalayan range and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks and the scenic Lake Langbu.

Chhatang La is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 5,674 m (18,615 ft) above sea level, located on the Nepal-China border. It's one of the highest roads in the country.

Kagye La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.814m (15,793ft) above the sea level, located in Karuo District of Qamdo, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

773 Country Road is a high mountain road located in Ngari Prefecture in China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Hongjing Road is the name of a very curvy winding mountain road located in Fangshan District, in the southwest of Beijing province, in China.

Bunggar La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.228m (17,152ft) above the sea level, located in Lhasa prefecture-level city in Maizhokunggar County in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. 

Jiabuxi La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.705m (18,717ft) above the sea level, located in Zhongba County of Xigazê Prefecture in China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Tremo La is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.705m (15,436ft) above sea level, located on the Tibet/Bhutan border. The area was closed to residents and foreigners in 1962.

Lata La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.047m (13,277ft) above the sea level, located in the southern part of Gyirong County in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

A371 is the name of a high mountain road running through the south of Kyrgyzstan, from Sary-Tash to the border with China at Irkeshtam Pass.

214 County Road is an asphalted high mountain road located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, bordering Nepal.

Riong La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.153m (16,906ft) above the sea level, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. 

Zhanailakashan Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.760m (15,616ft) above the sea level, located in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in southern Qinghai province, China.

Mihman Yoli Pass is an international high mountain pass on the border of Afghanistan and China, at an elevation of 4.787m (15,705ft).

The X603 (County Road 603) is a formidable high mountain road located in Nyima County, within the Nagqu prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region. This remote route is a true test of endurance for both drivers and machinery, as it runs entirely at an elevation of over 4,500 meters above sea level through the desolate beauty of the Tibetan Plateau.

Churi Meri La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,507m (14,786ft) above sea level, located in Nangqên County, in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in China.

Located in the southwestern part of Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in China, the road from Wuersisan to Radome is one of the highest roads of the country.

Located in Sinan County, in the northeast of Guizhou Province, China, the scary Niujiaoyan chain bridge is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world.

Tangkar La is an international high mountain pass located on the border of India and China.

Ma La is a high mountain pass located in Nyalam County, within the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Situated on the vast Tibetan Plateau, this road connects the town of Gyirong with the stunning Paiku Co lake. It is a remote high-altitude driving route that demands full concentration and a capable vehicle.

The Western Europe-Western China (WE-WC) Highway is a transcontinental expressway linking China's Yellow Sea coast with Western Europe. It is a key transportation route connecting Europe and Asia.

Darecuo is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 5.411m (17,752ft) above the sea level, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The road to the summit is rocky and gravel. Large, sharp rocks require tight maneuvering, increasing the likelihood of tire damage. 

232 Country Road is a high mountain road running entirely over 4.000 meters above the sea level located in Ngamring County, a remote section of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. 

Dolo La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.857m (15,935ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Ngamring and Lhatse counties, Xigazê Prefecture, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

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