An "ordinary" highway in China has become a very popular route over the past five years, inspiring numerous individuals to travel the whole length of the road as tourists.

Even more unbelievable, the majority of China's 1.4 billion inhabitants believe that the G318 route is the one highway they must go on at least once before they pass away.

I'm currently at the G318's "KM3528" milestone (957 kilometers from Chengdu) with a large group of traveling companions. We are in Zuogong County, which is a crucial rest area for motorists along this highway and is located in the Tibet Autonomous Region at a height of 3,877 meters above sea level.

Five days earlier, 22 of us were driving westward toward the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet, in seven Toyota 4WDs driven by Tibetan driver-guides along the Chengdu part of the G318. We took a detour down route G227 towards Shangri-la in Daocheng Yading when we arrived in Litang, Sichuan Province, which resulted in an additional 450 kilometers to our planned trip.

Despite the distance, the scenery along the way has been really beautiful.

We reached the 3,700m-high Jinsha River loess valley after five days of traveling up and down hills and valleys. At 11 a.m., we "officially" arrived at the Mangkang Checkpoint in the Tibet Autonomous Region after crossing the bridge into Tibet.

The hardest part of the entire G318 route is the Mangkang-Bome portion. The roads here are not as nice as they are in Sichuan, first and foremost. In addition, Tibet is covered in mighty mountains and wide ravines. Here, accidents are frequent, and significant roadwork and landslides may exacerbate already intolerable delays that could last anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours. However, the landscape along the way was gratifying and improved our mood. Before reaching Lhasa, we still have 1,119 kilometers to travel across mountainous terrain, traveling through Rakwa, Bome, Linzhi, Gongbo'gyamda, and Shannan. We will then need to travel a further 736 kilometers from Lhasa to reach the end of G318. The Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge serves as the bridge's true end.

From September through December, the weather is typically sunny and warm, and you'll almost certainly get to see the spectacular Mount Everest while traveling along this route.

"If you want to complete the entire G318, you should do it as soon as possible while you are still physically fit and mentally strong," Terry from the Chinese tour inbound firm told me.

Interestingly enough, after the epidemic, one of my top travel priorities has been to take the G318 road, particularly the 2,094-kilometer Chengdu-Lhasa segment. One of the top ten most well-known portions of the G318 is supposed to be this one.

Unfortunately, I was affected by altitude sickness this time, so I wasn't able to fully enjoy it. This, I suppose, is undoubtedly the reason tourists from all over the world have sought to push themselves to travel to this part of the national highway. While traveling from Chengdu, which is at 512 meters of elevation, to Dongda Mountain, which is at 5,130 meters of elevation, we must always be on the lookout for any signs of altitude sickness in addition to taking in the

This is still a pretty unique and thrilling cross-country adventure, though.

The G318 has gained popularity thanks to social media, making it the "darling" of adventure seekers in Mainland China. With its diverse geographical features, which include towering mountains and flat plains, different seasonal shifts, and notably while crossing provincial and county borders, the G318 boasts numerous alluring qualities.

Most importantly, G318 was built gradually beginning in the early 1950s, just after the People's Republic of China was established. The highway was first entirely constructed by hand; tunneling operations were only made feasible later with the arrival of mechanization.

By the time the work was finished, the entire section of the national highway that crosses several provinces near the 30th parallel north had been connected, making it one of the world's longest horizontal roadways.

It is noteworthy because the G318's "Zero" mark is located on People's Avenue in the heart of Shanghai, before traveling through numerous provinces and cities, including Suzhou, Huzhou, Xuancheng, Wuhu, Chizou, Anqing, Huanggang, Wuhan, Jingzhou, Yichang, Enshi, Chongqing, Dazhou, Nanchong, Suining, Ziyang, and Chengdu. After all of that, you reach the fabled Chengdu-Lhasa section. After that, it travels to Garze, Changdu, Linzhi, and Lhasa until concluding at the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge in Shigatse City, Tibet.

The roadway is 5,476 kilometers long in its entirety.

The G318 national highway traverses the entirety of mainland China from east to west, going through lush plains, undulating hills, basins, and highland landscapes, taking in the picturesque Watertown cultures of the lower Yangtze in the provinces of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, the Sichuan Basin, as well as Tibetan culture.

The Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the Chengdu Plains offer a diverse range of captivating vistas.

This is a magnificent viewing gallery for the entire world, not just China! Therefore, it is not surprising that "pilgrims" from all across China have rushed to this location, including budget cyclists, walkers, and passengers arriving in all types of motorized vehicles.

Notably, the G318's Chengdu-Lhasa segment spans 2,094 km over 10 peaks that are higher than 4,000 m and at least two peaks that are over 5,000 m.

Among the magnificent natural wonders that are just waiting to be discovered are Mount Gongga (the 1,000 m-vertical Hailuogou Glacier), Mount Zheduo, Yala Snow Mountain, and the three snow-capped peaks in Daocheng (Xiannairi, YangMaiyong, and XianuoDuoji), Namjagbarwa, and Gyala Peri.

Four of the 14 peaks that are higher than 8,000 meters can be found if one continues west for another 736 kilometers after the Friendship Bridge: Makalu, Cho Oyu, Everest, and Shishapangma. At 5,200 meters above sea level, you can even spend the night at the Mount Everest Base Camp.

With the knowledge that I was traveling along G318, my buddy Chiharu-san wrote to me with the following message: "Inside everyone's heart there's this 'Tibetan Dream', and I sincerely envy you for being able to confront this magnificent 'pilgrim's route'. One's soul is said to be

You may take a deep breath of the pure snow mountain air, touch the broad expanse of golden grasslands, and feel the tranquil and heartwarming bell tolls resonating from Potala Palace in the distance. It transports you to the crystal clear azure blue lake and sky. Please convey my Tashi Delek greetings to all the Tibetans you come to encounter while traveling, Lee San.

Once more hitting the road, our 4WDs wind past the numerous twists and hairpin curves, which make me think of Han Hong's wildly popular song, The Heavenly Road.