Road trip guide: Conquering the Mengkete Ancient Road
China, asia
70 km
3,528 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, picture this: Xinjiang Province, China. You're carving your way along the Mengkete Ancient Road, a route with a thousand years of history etched into its very surface. Forget your sedan, you absolutely NEED a 4x4 for this adventure!
We're talking about a 70km (43-mile) stretch of mostly unpaved road snaking through the eastern edge of the Borokonu Mountains. You'll find it within the Tangbula National Forest Park, following the Kuitun River upstream.
The views? Next level. Think dense forests giving way to wide-open grasslands, glimpses of glistening glaciers, and maybe even a sneaky peek at some hot springs. Seriously, the scenery is out of this world.
Your destination is Menketing Daban, a mountain pass topping out at 3,528m (11,574ft). The name? In Mongolian, it translates to "the snow peak that never melts," and trust me, it lives up to the name. Expect snow, and lots of it - so much that the road is usually closed from October to June. Keep your eyes peeled for the wildlife too; snow leopards have been spotted roaming this area! The adventure begins east of Zhongfengfanzhichang, where the ancient road branches from the smooth S315.
Where is it?
Road trip guide: Conquering the Mengkete Ancient Road is located in China (asia). Coordinates: 35.2894, 105.6852
Road Details
- Country
- China
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 70 km
- Max Elevation
- 3,528 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Coordinates
- 35.2894, 105.6852
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