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.

Located in the Ngari Prefecture of the western Tibet Autonomous Region of China, the 301 Provincial Road (S301) is a very scenic trip through the middle of nowhere.

Located near Shiquanhe town, in the Ngari (Ali) Prefecture of the western Tibet Autonomous Region in China, the road to the Shiquanhe (Ali) Observatory and the Ali CMB Polarization Telescope (AliCPT) is a high-altitude concrete route built to provide access to these scientific facilities.

Kye La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.829m (19,124ft) above sea level, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It’s one of the world's highest motorable roads.

Zizhu is a high mountain temple at an elevation of 4,474 m (14,678 ft) above sea level, located in the Chamdo Prefecture of the Tibet Autonomous Region in China.

Najia is a high mountain town at an elevation of 5,154m (16,909ft) above sea level, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. It's one of the highest accessible towns by car on Earth.

Wenquan Daban (Hot Springs Daban) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.808m (19,055ft) above the sea level, located in the Xinjiang autonomous region of China. It’s one of the highest roads on Earth.

Medo La is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 5,915m (19,406ft) above sea level, situated on the border between China (Kamba County, Tibet) and India (Sikkim). Finished in 2021, this purely military road is one of the highest motorable road passes in the world. The route is a strategic logistical corridor located in a totally isolated area, requiring specialized 4x4 vehicles and military authorization that is extremely difficult to obtain due to its proximity to the sensitive international border.

Running along the Hengduan Mountains, in China, the Yunnan-Tibet Highway is a very scenic drive. The road is 702-kilometer-long.

Tielong Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.200m (17,060ft) above the sea level, located in Rutog County in far western Tibet, in the People's Republic of China.

Tai Tam Road is a very scenic drive located in the eastern part of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The journey is a plesaant surprise.

The S206 Provincial Road is one of the most remote and highest paved highways in the world. Located in the Ngari Prefecture of central Tibet, this 401 km (249-mile) route serves as a strategic shortcut between the northern (S301) and southern (G219) regional roads. Fully paved in 2015, the S206 is a lonely journey through the "middle of nowhere," crossing vast uninhabited stretches of the Tibetan Plateau.

Located in the prefecture-level city of Xinxiang, in Henan Province, China, the Huilong-Hanging Tunnel is a very challenging road. Be careful: this road is not for the sissies. It’s one of the famous Chinese tunnel roads.

Hongshi Highway is a very defiant drive located in Shiping County, in the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture in the southern part of the Yunnan province of China.

Spanggur Gap is an international mountain pass at an elevation of 4,308m (14,133ft) above sea level, situated on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India (Ladakh) and China (Tibet). This strategic gap in the mountains is a critical mountain road, located just west of Spanggur Lake. The 20 km unpaved road connecting Chushul to Jieso Gongma serves as a high-altitude transit route, requiring specialized vehicle preparation due to the extreme thin air and volatile terrain conditions.

205 Provincial Road is one of the highest roads in the world. This extreme high mountain road located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, reaches a top elevation of 5.488m (18,005ft) above the sea level at Drong La. The road is unpaved, with some sections in very bad conditions.

Mi La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.010m (16,437ft) above the sea level, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

La Ken La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.190m (17,030ft) above the sea level, located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Cho La is an international high mountain pass at an elevation of 4,593m (15,068ft) above sea level, situated in the heart of the Himalayas. Linking the Indian state of Sikkim with the Tibet Autonomous Region in China, this strategic pass is located just four miles northwest of the famous Nathu La.

Daoda Top is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.175m (16,978ft) above the sea level, located in the Himalayan mountain range, in Tibet, China. 

Kompas La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.476m (17,965ft) above the sea level, located in the southwestern part of Hotan Prefecture of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in China. 

S207 Provincial Route is a high mountain road located in the Ngari Prefecture, in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.

Bongru La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.838m (19,153ft) above the sea level, located in the Ngari Prefecture of China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

S217 is a very remote high mountain road located in the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, in southwestern China. The road is mostly paved running entirely above the 4.200m above the sea level.

Shengli Daban (Victory Pass) is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 4.091m (13,421ft) above the sea level, located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China in Northwest China.

Located in Shanxi province, Pingshun county, in China, the infamous Jingdi Hanging Tunnel is a very exciting drive surrounded by high mountains. It’s one of the famous Chinese tunnel roads.

Located in Tibet, an autonomous region of China on the northern side of the Himalayas, the Cho Oyu base camp sits at an elevation of 5.573m (18,284ft) above the sea level. It’s one of the highest roads of the country.

Located in Pingshun County, in the southeast of Shanxi province, China, the old Hongtiguan Tunnel Road is a scary drive with an incline of about 30 degrees. It’s one of the famous Chinese tunnel roads.

The Karakoram Pass is one of the highest motorable points on the border between China and India, reaching an elevation of 5,542m (18,182ft). Located in the Karakoram Range, it connects the Xinjiang region with the Ladakh sector. Logistically, this is not a public road; it is a restricted military corridor. While the Chinese side is serviced by the Hashen Highway, the Indian side relies on the high-altitude DS-DBO Road, a technical track that ends near the Daulat Beg Oldie military base, just south of the pass. It's one of the highest roads in the country.

Xiaguo Wall Road is the name of a challenging mountain road located in the prefecture-level city of Xingtai, in the southern part of Hebei province, China. It’s one of the famous Chinese tunnel roads.

Located in Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, in southeastern Chongqing, China, Blade Sky Road is the name of a very defiant road.

China National Highway 317 (G317), also known as the Northern Sichuan-Tibet Highway, is one of the highest and most scenic road trips in the world. Stretching 2,030 km (1,261 miles) from Chengdu to Nagqu, this legendary route has evolved from a treacherous dirt track into a modern, fully paved engineering marvel that crosses the heart of the Tibetan Plateau.

Located in the Nyalam County of the Shigatse Prefecture, Kǒng Táng Lā is a high mountain pass reaching an extraordinary elevation of 5,251m (17,227ft) above sea level. Situated in the heart of the Tibetan Plateau, this pass is a legendary crossing on the route between Gyirong and the stunning Paiku Co lake, offering one of the most technical driving experiences in the region.

Located in Zezhou County, in the southeast of Shanxi province, China, a spiraling section of the National Highway 207 is one of the most challenging drives in the world.

Charding La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.594m (18,353ft) above the sea level, located in the Ngari Prefecture of China's Tibet Autonomous Region. It's one of the highest roads of the country.

Gela Mountain is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.172m (16,968ft) above the sea level, located in the Tanggula Mountains, a mountain range in the central part of the Tibetan Plateau in the People's Republic of China.

210 Provincial Road is a very scenic drive in the heart of the Jiajin Mountains on the western part of Sichuan province, China.

Located in Huailai county, in northwestern Hebei province, in China, the Youzhuda Grand Canyon Wall Road is a very challenging drive. It’s one of the famous Chinese tunnel roads.

Jamgang La is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.257m (17,247ft) above the sea level, located in Nyalam County, in Tibet's Shigatse Prefecture.

Qizil Dawān is one of the highest driveable points in the southwestern part of the Hotan Prefecture, in China. Reaching an elevation of 5,317m (17,444ft) above sea level, this mountain pass is located north of Tso Tang Lake in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region. More than a simple road, the route to the summit is a high-altitude logistical mission where the thin air and the unpredictable terrain of the Aksai Chin border region test the limits of both driver and machine.

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