205 Provincial Road is an epic enthralling drive
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.
The road is 472 km long. It links the villages of Sangsangzhen (G219 road) and Nyima (S301 road). Located in the middle part of northern Tibet plateau, the road runs entirely over the 4.200m above the sea level. The drive is simply terrible, with a notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Only 4x4 in good conditions. It’s one of the highest mountain roads of the country. The wind in Tibet is usually quite strong at mountain areas. Even in summer, the temperature might drop from 20°C at daytime to -10°C at night. In July and August, it may rain continually for several days and you even can confront with snowy days.
Do not travel this road in severe weather conditions. The road is often underwater and severely damaged by rain and landslides and can be closed anytime. During and after a storm the road may be impassable, even with a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The most challenging parts of the road are running along several glacial lakes and several extreme high mountain passes. The journey offers stunning views of some lakes: Dangqiong Co and Tangra Yumco (the deepest lake in Tibet with a depth of more than 210 meters).
Pic: 陈炜