China-Nepal Highway – Sino-Nepalese Highway

China-Nepal Highway is the only one international Highway of Tibet. It leads to Kathmandu, the capital of the Kingdom of Nepal by way of Shigatse, Tingri, Nyelam, Zham Port and Friendship Bridge. It is approximately 943 kilometers long, which is about 829 kilometers long in Tibet Region. It has been opened to traffic since 1965. Large number of tourists would like to appreciate the scenery along China-Nepal Highway.

China-Nepal Highway – Brief Introduction

G318 National Highway is originated from Shanghai throughout the whole Tibet region. The section of G318 National Highway in Tibet region is liked to be called China-Nepal Highway by people (Tibet Tour from Kathmandu - Sino-Nepalese Highway). China-Nepal is also called Sino-Nepalese Highway. It is the highway which stretches from Lhasa City to Kathmandu City. It is about 829 kilometers long in Tibet region via Duilong Deqying, Shigatse, Sakya, Latse and Nyelam, etc. It is about 114 kilometers long in the Kingdom of Nepal by way of Kodari, Dangtari, Balabishi, Uday Bhaskar, and Bakdapu town, etc. It was constructed in June of 1963 and opened to traffic in May of 1967. It is very difficult to climb over the Himalaya Mountain and ride through the thick primitive forests along the way. When you entered to Nepal, you need to ride along the south part of Himalaya Mountain and Boda Keshi River and finally reach Kathmandu City.

China-Nepal Highway – History

In 1961, China-Nepal Highway was constructed by Chinese government and Nepalese government. In the north, China-Nepal Highway is originated from Yamchen of Dangxong City to Nepal by way of Shigatse, Latse, Tingri, Nylam, Zham Port and Friendship Bridge. People just need to ride across this bridge to reach the Kingdom of Nepalese. The average elevation in China is about 4000 meters high and the average elevation in the Kingdom of Nepal is 1500 meters high. It is one section of G318 National Highway which stretches from Shanghai to Tibet. China-Nepal Highway is available in the west part of Lhasa City. Another section of G318 National Highway of the east part of Lhasa City is Sichuan-Tibet Highway.

It is the only one international highway of Tibet of China throughout 1 city, 9 counties and 1 port. It climbs over 4 high mountains, Cola Mountain (4950m), Gyatsola Mountain (5220m), Tongla Mountain (5324m) and Yaruxongla (5627m). The level-2 asphalt road is 67 kilometers long, the level-3 asphalt road is 251 kilometers long, and the level-3 gravel road is about 430 kilometers long. As China-Nepal Highway is located in the Diluvial layer of Himalaya Mountain Range and the plateau terrain zone, the geology, hydrology and climate are complicated along the way. The earthquakes happened frequently. In the mean time, other natural disasters damaged the highway a lot, too, such as the landslide and debris flow, etc.

China-Nepal Highway – Port

Zham Port is the only one overland border crossing of Tibet connecting with other counties. It is the most important way to have the commercial intercourses between China and the Kingdom of Nepal.

China-Nepal Highway – Notes

As of now, the roadbed of China-Nepal Highway is about 7.5 meters in width, and the road surface is about 6 meters in width. The speed per hour is 30 kilometers.

In addition, the natural disasters frequently happened in some sections of China-Nepal Highway as following: K4798~K4809, K5068~K5100, K5127~5266, K5255~5368, K5386~K6397