Tanggula Mountain Pass

Tanggula Mountain Pass

Introduction Tanggula Mountain Pass is the boundary line between Qinghai and Tibet provinces (regions), with an altitude of about 5,231 meters, and is the highest point along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. It is located 604 kilometers from Golmud City in Qinghai Province. At the pass stands a memorial statue dedicated to the People's Liberation Army soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway, an altitude marker, as well as a monument commemorating the completion of the "Lanzhi-La Optical Cable Project jointly built by the military and civilians."

"Tanggula," meaning "the mountain above the mountains" in Tibetan, is known as the "warehouse of wind and snow" due to its year-round harsh weather. Tanggula Mountain serves as the watershed between the Yangtze River and the Nu River, and is also called Dangla Mountain or Dangkong Ridge. The mountain range spans over 150 kilometers in width, with most elevations ranging between 5,000 and 6,000 meters. Its main peak, Geladandong, rises over 6,000 meters and is the source of the Tuotuo River, the true headstream of the Yangtze River. The uninhabited Hoh Xil region at its foot serves as a peaceful grazing ground for endangered wildlife such as the Tibetan antelope.

Qinghai Golmud