The World's Most Epic Road Trip
Plan My Trip →National Highway G219 is the longest highway in the world — a 10,000+ kilometer epic spanning the entire western border of China, from the cold deserts of Xinjiang to the Himalaya and the tropical valleys of Yunnan. Here's a guide to this legendary route.
G219 runs roughly 10,000 kilometers along China's western frontier, connecting Xinjiang (Kashgar), Tibet (through the Ali region and Lhasa), and Yunnan (ending at the border with Vietnam). It crosses deserts, the Karakoram, the Himalaya, and tropical rainforests — nearly half of China's territory.
The highway passes through some of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth: the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts, the Pamir Plateau, the Everest region, and the gorges of Yunnan. It's a once-in-a-lifetime road trip for adventurous travelers.
From Kashgar, the highway climbs the Karakoram toward the Khunjerab Pass on the Pakistan border, then continues through the Ali region of western Tibet — high, wild, and remote, with the great lakes and mountains of the plateau.
Through Tibet, the road passes the sacred Mount Kailash, the Guge Kingdom ruins, and onward to Lhasa before descending to the jungles of Yunnan. The Yunnan section winds through the Nu River gorge and the border valleys.
The full route is an expedition requiring serious planning: permits for Tibet and border areas, 4WD vehicles, fuel planning, and high-altitude preparation. Most travelers complete sections (e.g., Xinjiang to Lhasa, or Lhasa to Yunnan) rather than the whole highway.
An organized expedition is the safest way to experience G219. Experienced operators handle permits, logistics, vehicles, and emergency support, allowing you to focus on the extraordinary landscapes.