The Ultimate 5100km Prep: Setting the Stage for an Epic 19-Day Challenge Part 1

Why You Must Drive the Sichuan-Tibet Highway at Least Once in Your Lifetime

In a person’s life, if you ever get the chance, you absolutely must drive the Sichuan-Tibet Highway (川藏线) yourself. Only when you actually set foot (or wheels) on this route will you truly understand what real beauty is and what untouched natural scenery really means.

When most people travel in China, especially in the developed eastern coastal cities, they usually visit man-made attractions inside ticketed scenic areas. But in the western highlands, especially on the Sichuan-Tibet route, the real attractions are all along the road. You don’t even need to deliberately detour to any particular “scenic spot” — the scenery the entire way is breathtaking enough.

I fulfilled this dream in September 2024. I flew from Kunming to Chengdu, rented a car there, entered Tibet via the legendary G318 (Chengdu → Lhasa), and returned via G317, ending back in Chengdu. The whole self-driving loop took 19 days (including the days traveling from Kunming to Chengdu).

Driving the Sichuan-Tibet Highway had been my dream for many years. Back in university, I planned to cycle from Wuhan to Lhasa with classmates. I was full of confidence and even bought a Merida bicycle. But I got lost before even leaving Wuhan city limits, and the training was too intense — I gave up almost immediately. Many people wonder, “How do you get lost in your own city?” Well, back then there was basically no smartphone navigation. Those two reasons killed the cycling plan, but my longing for Tibet never faded.

After graduating more than 10 years ago, I never found the right chance. First, the cost of self-driving to Tibet was quite high; second, I needed to properly adapt to high-altitude environments.

In 2018, I lived in Chengdu for a whole year. I didn’t own a car yet and rarely went to the plateau — only once or twice. The deepest memory is a group tour to Seda (色达). The county seat sits at over 3,800 meters. During the day I felt fine, but at night I couldn’t sleep at all. Around 2 a.m., the headache became unbearable. I told the guide and went to the hospital to inhale oxygen. I didn’t sleep after 2 a.m. and waited until 6 a.m. the next morning to head back to Chengdu.

While chatting with the doctor, he said every year some tourists die from lack of oxygen in these areas. Conditions and facilities back then were much worse than today, and tourists’ awareness was lower. Now, safety awareness is much higher and supporting facilities are far better — fatal high-altitude pulmonary edema cases have dropped dramatically.

In 2022, I lived in Chengdu again for a year and self-drove countless times around the Western Sichuan Plateau. The only regret: I never crossed into actual Tibet. But I became very familiar with plateau environments and had been to almost everywhere below 4,500 meters. My fear disappeared, and my desire to visit Tibet only grew stronger.

Early 2024, I made plans with two friends to drive together in September. But in August, one backed out due to personal matters, and the other said he didn’t want to go with just two people. I thought: this is something I must do, I’ve already postponed it for years — no more delays. So I decided to go alone, rented the car in advance, and on September 3rd, 2024, officially started my journey into Tibet.

A little side story: Because I wanted to visit Tibet so badly, when the driving plan fell through the first time, I flew there in May 2024. I was lucky — we landed safely in Lhasa. Many people don’t realize that a safe landing in Lhasa is actually a matter of luck. I’m not talking about flight accidents. Lhasa Gonggar Airport is one of the highest airports in the world, with strong winds and frequently low visibility. Sometimes planes circle and can’t land, so they return all the way to Chengdu (there’s no suitable alternate airport in between). Even Kunming airport at only ~2,000 m sometimes diverts flights because of wind!

During that May trip, I ignored online advice that says “rest completely on the first day, don’t walk far.” Since my body handles altitude well, I walked 5–6 kilometers on arrival day — no problem at all. The second day I walked even farther — still perfectly fine, and I barely felt any serious altitude sickness at night. That experience gave me huge confidence for the self-driving trip.

So when the two friends canceled at the end of August, I immediately confirmed the rental car, and on September 3rd, the adventure officially began.

What Preparations Did I Make?

Here’s what I did — hope it helps anyone planning the same trip:

1. Physical preparation

I’ve been to plateau regions more than 10 times over the years. Overall, my altitude reactions have never been severe. I also take good care of my health normally. As they say, “Your body is the capital of revolution” — I definitely meet the requirements.

2. Financial preparation

My total cost was quite reasonable — under 20,000 RMB (~2,800 USD). I stayed in ordinary hotels/guesthouses and rented a Toyota RAV4 (荣放). Not luxury, but perfectly sufficient.

3. Time preparation

Driving the Sichuan-Tibet Highway cannot be squeezed into a weekend. I never drive at night on the plateau — it’s extremely unsafe. My full loop took 19 days; even counting only from Chengdu and back, it was 16 days.

Recommendation: If you want to drive both ways, budget at least this much time. If you’re short on time (e.g., only one week), you can drive one way to Lhasa, return the car there, and fly or take the train out. Currently the only railway out of Tibet is the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Xining. The Sichuan-Tibet Railway is still under construction — the earliest completion estimate is 2032 or later.

4. Gear & supplies preparation

- Tow hook & anti-slip snow chains — Even in September, snow is possible at high passes. Temperature drops 6–7 °C per 1,000 m elevation gain. 25 °C in Chengdu can become sub-zero at 4,000+ m.

- Folding camping chair (“Kriete chair”) — Perfect for stopping anytime on the roadside to sit, eat, and enjoy the insane views.

- Small vials of liquid glucose — Fastest energy source when you feel weak from altitude. One box of 5 vials costs less than 10 RMB in any Chengdu pharmacy.

- Rhodiola (红景天) — Helps some people prevent altitude sickness. Effects vary; best to start taking it one week in advance. If you don’t have time, skipping it is fine too.

- Cold medicine — A cold on the plateau is completely different from lowland colds. It can quickly develop into life-threatening pulmonary edema if not treated promptly.

5. Mental preparation

You will feel some discomfort — that’s normal. Don’t panic and give up at the first headache. Once you’re one-third or halfway through the journey, you can’t easily turn back anyway. Remember: G318 & G317 are now mature, well-paved national highways, not extreme off-road adventures. Millions have done it safely.

More tips will come later when I remember them!

For first-time plateau travelers, please study guides carefully and take altitude sickness seriously.

This post is just the preparation part of my 5,100-kilometer self-drive journey.

In the next part, I’ll share the detailed itinerary of the first 5 days.

All the really in-depth topics —

“How to stay safe from altitude sickness”,

“How to drive safely on the plateau”,

“How to book hotels & find fuel along the way”, etc. —

will be exclusive content for my Lifetime Members. The value of any single one of those guides far exceeds the membership price.

Stay tuned for Part 2! 🚙💨