Taking on the Twists and Turns to Xila Daban
Xila Daban is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 5.292m (17,362ft) above the sea level, located in Zanda County, in the Ngari Prefecture to the extreme west of the Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
The road to the summit is totally unpaved, pretty narrow and very steep, hitting a 7% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Always check the weather forecast before you start your journey: adverse conditions are common.
The road is 99.7 km (61.95 miles) long, running north-south from Qipu Jilie, a border patrol facility near the Indian border, to Menduo. Facilities like electricity, medical aid, hot running water, western toilets etc. are rare to find.
Road suggested by: Hugh Wilson