Once your vehicle is legally in China, the question becomes where to drive. These ten routes are the ones we recommend most — a mix of difficulty, scenery and season so you can match one to your time and experience.
The classics
- G318 Sichuan–Tibet Highway — Chengdu to Lhasa, passes above 4,000 m. The dream route (10–14 days, Apr–Oct).
- Duku Highway — Xinjiang’s one-road-four-seasons highway (4–6 days, Jun–Oct).
- Qinghai Lake loop — the gentlest entry into plateau driving (4–6 days).
For long adventures
- Southern Xinjiang loop — Kashgar, the Taklamakan desert highways and Silk Road oases (15–21 days).
- G219 border highway — Yecheng to Lhasa across the highest border road in the world (15–20 days).
- Northeast border loop — Harbin, Mohe and the Hulunbuir grasslands (10–14 days).
Cross-country and coastal
- G7 expressway — the straight shot from Beijing to Ürümqi across deserts and grasslands (5–7 days).
- Hexi Corridor — Silk Road sights from Lanzhou to Dunhuang (6–8 days, easy).
- Western Sichuan loop — snow peaks and monasteries close to Chengdu (6–9 days).
- Hainan Island — a relaxed tropical loop, ideal for winter and first-timers (5–7 days).
Every route page on this site lists distance, season, itinerary and costs. Pick one, then contact us to file the route and handle the border paperwork.