
S217, a remote high mountain road in Tibet
China, asia
546 km
4.2 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, buckle up for the S217 in southwestern China's Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture! This incredibly remote mountain road is mostly paved but sits entirely above 13,800 feet.
The 217 Provincial Road stretches 339 miles, snaking from Garzêt to the X219 Provincial Road near Wangguotong, running north to south. Heads up: don't even THINK about tackling this route in bad weather! Rain and landslides frequently wreak havoc, leaving it underwater and damaged, so closures can happen anytime. The trickiest section hugs the Yalong River, where you'll find yourself on a cliffside road with absolutely zero protection and drops of hundreds of feet – seriously, no guardrails! The highest point will have you gasping for air at 15,239 feet. This is a scenic drive that'll test your nerves!
Where is it?
S217, a remote high mountain road in Tibet is located in China (asia). Coordinates: 38.4230, 102.4512
Road Details
- Country
- China
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 546 km
- Max Elevation
- 4.2 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 38.4230, 102.4512
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