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.

Kharpo La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.002m (16,410ft) above the sea level, located in Lhünzê County in the southeastern Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

Zholpel La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.615m (15,141ft) above the sea level, located in Qamdo district, in the eastern Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Lazhi La is a brutal high-mountain pass sitting at 4,501m (14,767ft) above sea level in the Chamdo Prefecture of eastern Tibet. This isn't some quiet backroad; it’s a key sector of the G317 (China National Highway 317), the main artery connecting Karuo District and Jomda County. Driving here means sharing a narrow, winding strip of asphalt with massive freight trucks that dominate the road, all while your engine gasps for oxygen on a relentless 178-kilometer haul through one of the most remote corners of the plateau.

Gyandro La is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 5,147m (16,886ft) above sea level, located on the boundary between Lhünzê and Cona counties in the Shannan Prefecture of Tibet. This remote Himalayan pass offers one of the most technical unpaved driving experiences in the southern part of the region.

Pendang La is a high mountain pass, at an elevation of 4.848m (15,905ft) above the sea level, located in Xigazê Prefecture in China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Located in the heart of Gyirong County, within the Shigatse Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Mt. Rawobanba is a high mountain pass reaching an elevation of 4,107m (13,474ft) above sea level. This pass is a critical link in the dramatic transition between the high Tibetan plateau and the lush, deep valleys that lead toward the border with Nepal.

Located in the Bayi District of Nyingchi, within the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, Sengri Mountain offers a challenging high-altitude drive to one of the most remote astronomical observatories in the world. Reaching an elevation of 4,632m (15,196ft) above sea level, this peak provides a brutal test for both drivers and vehicles amidst the thinning air of the Himalayas.

Dingo La is an extreme high-mountain pass reaching a staggering elevation of 5,047m (16,558ft) above sea level in Rutog County, within the Ngari Prefecture of Tibet. This remote crossing is tucked away in the far western corner of the Tibetan plateau, a place where the landscape is as beautiful as it is lethal for an unprepared vehicle. Reaching the summit means driving through a high-altitude desert where the track is barely visible and the mechanical strain of operating at over 5,000 meters becomes a constant threat to your journey.

Gang La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.538m (14,888ft) above the sea level, located in Ngamring County, a county of Xigazê in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Yepuchen La (also known as Yipuqin La) is a high-altitude mountain pass at an elevation of 5,113m (16,774ft) above sea level, located in the eastern Nyenchen Tanglha mountains of Tibet, China. Technically, the pass marks the logistical boundary between Biru County (Nagqu) and Banbar County (Chamdo). Navigating this 33 km unpaved route requires a high-clearance 4x4 vehicle to manage the extreme gradients and the technical series of hairpins near the summit.

Jingyangling Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.770m (12,368ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Qilian and Menyuan Hui counties of Qinghai Province, in the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of China.

Eboling Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.700m (12,139ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Qinghai and Gansu provinces, in the Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of China.

Longshan Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.542m (14,901ft) above the sea level, located in Garzê County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan, in China.

Ganden Monastery is a monastery at an elevation of 4.327m (14,196ft) above the sea level, located in Dagzê District, Lhasa, Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

Pongkor La is an epic high-mountain pass reaching an elevation of 4,962m (16,279ft) above sea level, located in Gyantse County, within the Xigazê prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China. Traversing this pass via the X202 road is a journey through one of the most remote and oxygen-deprived landscapes on the planet.

Reaching an elevation of 5,119m (16,794ft) above sea level, Shobo La is the highest point on the S202 Road. Located in Qusum County, south of Yarto Drak La, this paved mountain pass represents the technical apex of the corridor between Shannan and Cona.

Gu La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5,075m (16,650ft) above sea level, located in Cona County, in People's Republic of China.

Gya La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3.968m (13,018ft) above the sea level, located in the Samzhubzê District of the prefecture-level city of Shigatse, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of the China.

The Tiejiangshan Pass, also known as Blacksmith Mountain Pass, is a high-altitude crossing in Litang County, within the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan, China. Reaching an elevation of 4,796m (15,734ft), the road is fully paved but presents a significant technical challenge due to its extreme gradients. The ascent begins at the China National Highway 318 (G318) and covers 29.8 km (18.51 miles) to the summit, requiring precise gear management and heavy-duty braking systems.

Tsogugye La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.999m (16,400ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary between Qusum and Gyaca counties, under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Shannan in the south-east of the Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

At an elevation of 4,351m (14,274ft) above sea level, Wugeshan Pass is a high-altitude mountain crossing located on the boundary of Tianjun and Qilian counties, in the Qinghai Province of China. This unnumbered track penetrates the Qilian Mountains, serving as a primitive link through the high-plateau tundra of north-central China.

Beru La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.780m (15,682ft) above the sea level, located in Sog County in the Nagqu Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Trawo La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,946m (16,227ft) above sea level, situated on the border between the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province in China. This remote crossing connects Nyainrong County (Nagqu) with Zadoi County, traversing a desolate high-altitude plateau in the northern part of the Tibetan highlands.

Zhawa La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5,021m (16,473ft) above sea level, located in Batang County, Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China.

Located in the heart of Dêngqên County, in the eastern reaches of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Rong La is a formidable mountain pass at an elevation of 4,831m (15,849ft) above sea level. This pass is a classic example of high-altitude Himalayan engineering, where the road has to fight for every meter of elevation against a nearly vertical mountainside.

Kanggar Tzoxe La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.613m (18,415ft) above the sea level, located on the border of Tolung Dechen and Qüxü Counties of Lhasa Prefecture, in Tibet, China. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Chugyu La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,415m (14,484ft) above sea level, located in Tingri County, within the Xigazê Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region, China.

Yamtse La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.685m (15,370ft) above the sea level, located in Kangmar County of Xigazê in the Tibet Autonomous Region, bordering India's Sikkim state to the south.

Gongnaisi Daban is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 3,066m (10,059ft) above sea level, located on the boundary between Hejing and Xinyuan counties, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China.

Damne La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.031m (16,505ft) above the sea level, located in Biru County, in Nagqu, Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Kyi La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.106m (16,751ft) above the sea level, located in the Comai County of Shannan, in the south-east of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Gang La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.824m (15,826ft) above the sea level, located in Biru County, the most populated county within Nagqu of the Tibet Autonomous Region, in China.

Dzekri La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.693m (15,396ft) above the sea level, located in Riwoche county, in the prefecture-level city of Chamdo in the northeast of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Lungdri La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,689m (15,383ft) above sea level, located in Baiyü County, in the far western part of Sichuan Province, China. Situated directly on the border with the Tibet Autonomous Region, this pass is one of the most technically demanding unpaved routes in the region, requiring maximum concentration and a high-performance vehicle.

Lumu La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.797m (15,738ft) above the sea level, located in Sichuan, in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of China.

Dongu La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.944m (16,220ft) above the sea level, located in the Namling County of Shigatse in the Tibet Autonomous Region, in China.

Shimo Co is a glacial lake at an elevation of 5,070m (16,633ft) above sea level, located in Xigazê in the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Orkyi La is a high-altitude mountain pass reaching an elevation of 5,567m (18,264ft) above sea level, located in Kangmar County of Xigazê, within the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Positioned near the Bhutanese border, it is officially one of the highest roads in the country, demanding extreme mechanical preparation.

Phenpogo La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.086m (16,686ft) above the sea level, located on the boundary of Chengguan and Lhünzhub districts, in Lhasa City Prefecture, in Tibet, China.

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