Taking on the Twists and Turns of Laofan Pass
China, asia
70.6 km
4,155 m
hard
Year-round
Okay, picture this: you're cruising along the G213 (Suqi Highway) in northwest China, right on the edge where Gansu meets Qinghai. You're smack-dab in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and the scenery is unreal, like something out of a dream.
This is Laofan Pass, a seriously high mountain pass topping out at 4,155m (that's 13,631ft!). The whole road is paved, so no need for a 4x4, but hold on tight! You're winding through the majestic Qilian Mountains, climbing some seriously steep sections – think gradients of up to 17%!
The whole stretch from S204 (Erga Highway) to Qinglong is about 70.6 km (43.86 miles), and if you don't stop (though you'll definitely want to for photos), it'll take you about 2 to 2.5 hours. The cherry on top? A massive tunnel bypasses the trickiest parts, but trust me, the views are still worth it! Just opened in 2021, this route is a must-do for any road trip enthusiast.
Where is it?
Taking on the Twists and Turns of Laofan Pass is located in China (asia). Coordinates: 36.7762, 103.2218
Road Details
- Country
- China
- Continent
- asia
- Length
- 70.6 km
- Max Elevation
- 4,155 m
- Difficulty
- hard
- Coordinates
- 36.7762, 103.2218
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