Road Trip Diary: Western Charity Poverty Alleviation Road Trip Enters the Sichuan-Tibet Highway

The sun-drenched highlands, where heaven seems just a few steps away—if you haven't set foot on this sacred land yourself, you'll never truly understand why Tibet becomes such an emotional attachment in life. Here, there’s brilliant sunshine, white clouds, pristine skies, tranquil lakes, continuous snow-capped mountains, numerous temples, devout pilgrims, and a simple, sincere folk culture....

Over the years, Xing Tian Xia has consistently recommended the Sichuan-Tibet route for those embarking on road trips across Tibet. For any self-driving enthusiast, entering Tibet from Sichuan not only helps overcome altitude sickness but also lets you experience the wonder and magic of being “on the road.”

The Sichuan-Tibet route encompasses nearly all the scenery the Tibetan region has to offer. From the fertility of the southern Tibetan valleys and the verdant forests of Nyingchi, the Rawa area known as the “Alps of the East,” alpine lakes backed by snow-capped peaks, to the dramatic canyon where the Three Rivers (Nujiang, Lancang River, and Jinsha River) converge—experiencing the rugged beauty of Tibet. Travel through the Chamdo Khampa Tibetan area to feel the rich religious atmosphere, admire the pastoral scenery of Bangda Grassland, then head to the small town of Kangding to see elderly ladies strolling on Running Horse Mountain. This entire journey is nothing short of breathtakingly diverse.

From July 22 to August 1, 2018, the fifth edition of the “Western Journey” Charity Poverty Alleviation Road Trip, jointly organized by Beijing Xing Tian Xia Auto Club, China Traffic Radio, MixTravel, and Zhihui, and sponsored by Delvac Lubricants, arrived as scheduled. Together, we embarked on a joyful trip, experiencing both the physical and spiritual trials and baptisms that Tibet—the Roof of the World and Source of All Waters—brings. We also infused our road trip with charitable elements, giving it even deeper meaning.

Before departure, many were deterred by concerns over landslides or altitude sickness. Indeed, the Sichuan-Tibet route changes daily in summer. But it is precisely these ever-changing conditions that test the team’s resilience and unity. When our convoy finally arrived in Lhasa, there was a small incident that deeply moved our team leader: due to a communication mix-up, our hotel hadn’t held rooms for us. Yet everyone felt this little hiccup made the trip all the more interesting. This diary was written in a quaint café right by the Jokhang Temple.

As always, I’ll start by outlining the full route of our fifth “Western Journey” Charity Poverty Alleviation Road Trip.

The fifth edition started from Beijing, passing through Xi’an and Chengdu, following the Sichuan-Tibet Highway all the way to Lhasa.

As usual, special thanks go to our sponsor, Delvac Lubricants, and our book donation partner, Fude Public Welfare Foundation.

D1

July 22 | Location: Xi’an | Event: Team Gathering

This time around, we had quite a bit of help loading the books.

Soon, the books were all loaded into the vehicles.

Back to our favorite spot—we enjoyed some authentic Xi’an cuisine.

D2

July 23 | Location: Xi’an → Chengdu | Event: Beginning the Sichuan-Tibet Highway Road Trip

Earlier, we’d quietly discovered that both Chengdu and Xi’an have vehicle traffic restrictions. As luck would have it, four out of our six cars were restricted—so we simply rose early and headed straight for Chengdu, kicking off a day of food exploration.

Thanks to the thoughtful pre-trip breakfast provided by Yado Hotel.

Wasn’t it worth getting up early?

Once again, thanks to Chengdu Tibet Hotel for their strong support of our activity.

Finally, here’s a bit about the team leaders' impressions: Vehicle 1 was a Touran (team leaders were Brother Ding, the “eternal youth” from Nanjing, and Sister Shan, the low-key cool chick from Beijing); Vehicle 2 was a Lincoln MKC (a couple from Beijing, especially the husband whose online alias “Watermelon Little Monkey” has remarkable literary talent); Vehicle 3 was a Toyota RAV4 (the “Chief” couple brought along their sister—quiet yet passionate about photography); Vehicle 5 was a Honda CR-V (Mr. Zhao, the eldest and most persistent Tibetan-bound Beijinger, with his Mongolian companion serving as the team’s comedian); Vehicle 6 was a Patrol (a family of three, the team’s strongest support and relay base—and yes, the most cargo-capable vehicle—no misunderstanding intended); Vehicle 11 was another Touran (our sweep vehicle, with our old friend Wenqing and our Fangshan buddy Brother Meng bringing up the rear).

D3

July 24 | Location: Chengdu → Kangding | Event: Luding Bridge, Kangding

The Luding Bridge over the Dadu River

Had some delicious Sichuan wontons near Luding Bridge—pretty awesome.

Eventually, we smoothly arrived in Kangding—the City of Love Songs.

D4

July 25 | Location: Kangding → Tagong Monastery → Yajiang | Event: Tagong Grassland / Tagong Monastery / Scenery Along the Way

Today, we officially entered the scenic realm of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway.

Spotted the “Kangding Love Song” signs along the road.

Here’s a shot from a distance.

And one up close.

And here’s a classic group photo.

Group photo of the entire fleet

Beer goes well with the beautiful scenery around the world

Flowers blooming on the grassland

Beautiful roads

Of course, there's also delicious food

At Tagong Temple, we also encountered an annual temple event