Accommodation along Yunnan-Tibet Highway

Noted as one of the four highways heading to Tibet, Yunnan-Tibet Highway has been the choice for a large number of tourists planning to make a self riding tour or self driving tour to Tibet along the highway. As a professional Tibet tour operator, Tibet Tour would like to provide information regarding the accommodation along Yunnan-Tibet Highway for tourists' reference.

Most sections of Yunnan-Tibet Highway are stretching in the sparsely populated regions with dangerous topography. Due to the challenging natural environment, the construction and the preservation of the Yunnan-Tibet Highway have been great difficulties since the very first. Some sections on this highway are always blocked by the frequent natural disasters (such as land slide) in the rainy season between June and August. Hence, tourists planning to make a Tibet tour along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway are strongly suggested to avoid the rainy season. On the contrary, it is a good season to make a Tibet trip along this highway in late spring or early autumn. It might snow heavily in late autumn, winter and earlty spring along Yunnan-Tibet Highway and it would be very cold during these periods.

The road condition of Yunnan-Tibet Highway has been greatly improved recent years. More than half of this highway has been asphalted. But the road condition at the Tongmai section is very limited due to the local special topography. The self-riders are always suggested to be careful about the stones falling down from the cliff occasionally.

The temperature in some sections of Yunnan-Tibet Highway is relatively lower due to their higher altitude. Tourists need to prepare a jacket in advance even you are traveling to Tibet along this highway in mid summer. A sleeping bag should also be prepared in case of need. But the sunshine radiation is always stronger than that on the plain area. In addition, it snows frequently between October and March. Hence, tourists are not advised to ride or drive to Tibet in the winter season.

Currently, some guesthouses and simple hotels along Yunnan-Tibet Highway have been opened to tourists. Generally, the hot water supply is available in the relatively larger hotels, but there is no hot water supply in the guesthouses. The restaurants along this highway provide simple Sichuan style cooking. The self riders and self drivers heading to Lhasa along the Yunnan-Tibet Highway are sincerely suggested to prepare some solid food in case of need.

Tourists making a self driving tour or self riding tour to Lhasa along Yunnan-Tibet Highway should also make preparation for the possible high altitude sickness. Tourists have to conquer several mountain passes with high altitude. While choosing the night halt sites, tourists are suggested to choose the sites with lower altitude. It is always a good choice to climb over the high mountain passes rather than spend a night at the high point in consideration of health. It is quite necessary to have a good rest and save energy for the next driving or riding day.