Guoliang Tunnel Road
China, asia
1.2 km
1,752 m
extreme
April to October
The Guoliang Tunnel Road is a 1.2-kilometer tunnel carved through a sheer cliff face in the Taihang Mountains of Henan Province, China. What makes this road extraordinary is that it was hand-carved by thirteen villagers from Guoliang Village between 1972 and 1977, using only hammers, chisels, and dynamite. Before the tunnel was built, the only access to the remote cliff-top village was via a perilous set of steps carved into the rock face known as the "Sky Ladder," which was too narrow for vehicles and dangerous even on foot.
The tunnel is approximately 5 meters high, 4 meters wide, and features over 30 irregularly shaped "windows" carved into the cliff wall, which provide light and ventilation while offering vertigo-inducing views of the valley 200 meters below. The road surface is rough and uneven, reflecting its hand-carved origins, and the tunnel bends and undulates following the natural contours of the rock. Passing another vehicle requires extreme care, as there is barely room for two cars side by side in most sections.
The village of Guoliang, home to only a few hundred residents, has become a popular tourist destination and has been featured in numerous Chinese films and television programs. The surrounding Taihang Mountains offer dramatic scenery of red sandstone cliffs, deep canyons, and cascading waterfalls. The tunnel road is open year-round, though it can be icy and dangerous in winter. It stands as a remarkable testament to human determination and has become one of China's most famous feats of rural engineering.
Where is it?
Guoliang Tunnel Road is located in Henan Province, China (asia). Coordinates: 35.7219, 113.5531
Driving Tips
The tunnel is very narrow; honk before entering blind corners. Best visited on weekdays to avoid tourist crowds. Combine with hiking in the Taihang Mountains. Avoid in icy winter conditions.
Road Surface
Rough carved rock
Road Details
- Country
- China
- Continent
- asia
- Region
- Henan Province
- Length
- 1.2 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,752 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Surface
- Rough carved rock
- Best Season
- April to October
- Coordinates
- 35.7219, 113.5531
Related Roads in asia
Chalus Road
🇮🇷 Iran
The Chalus Road is a 190-kilometer mountain highway connecting Tehran, Iran's capital, to the Caspian Sea coastal town of Chalus. The road climbs through the Alborz Mountains, reaching elevations above 3,000 meters before descending dramatically through lush Hyrcanian forests—an ancient forest ecosystem recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site—to the subtropical Caspian coast. Built during the reign of Reza Shah in the 1930s, the Chalus Road is one of Iran's most famous and heavily traveled routes, especially on weekends and holidays when Tehranis escape to the Caspian seaside. The road features a remarkable series of tunnels, bridges, and viaducts carved through steep mountain terrain. The contrast between the arid, brown southern slopes near Tehran and the verdant, misty northern forests is striking, and the descent through ancient beech and oak forests with their dense green canopy feels like entering another world entirely.
Friendship Highway
🇳🇵 Nepal
The Friendship Highway, officially China National Highway 318, stretches approximately 800 kilometers from Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, to Zhangmu (Kodari) on the Nepal border. This is one of the highest and most spectacular road journeys on Earth, crossing multiple passes above 5,000 meters including the Gyatso La at 5,220 meters and the Lalung La at 5,050 meters, while offering views of four of the world's fourteen 8,000-meter peaks. The highway passes through the vast Tibetan Plateau with its sweeping grasslands, yak-dotted valleys, and turquoise lakes before descending dramatically into the subtropical gorges near the Nepalese border. Key stops include Gyantse with its ancient Kumbum stupa, Shigatse with the Tashilhunpo Monastery, and the Rongbuk Monastery—the highest monastery in the world—with its iconic view of Mount Everest's north face. The road was originally built in the 1960s and represents one of the greatest feats of high-altitude road construction ever undertaken.
Mae Hong Son Loop
🇹🇠Thailand
The Mae Hong Son Loop is a legendary 600-kilometer motorcycle and driving circuit in northern Thailand that winds through the mountainous terrain between Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces. The route features an astonishing 1,864 curves as it passes through lush tropical forests, terraced rice paddies, hill tribe villages, and misty mountain passes along the Myanmar border. The loop can be driven in either direction and typically takes 3 to 5 days to complete at a leisurely pace. Highlights include the town of Pai with its laid-back atmosphere, the fish cave at Tham Pla, the hot springs at Tha Pai, and the stunning viewpoints above the cloud-filled valleys. The road reaches elevations of around 1,500 meters and provides an authentic glimpse into rural northern Thai life far from the tourist beaches.
Pamir Highway (M41)
🌍 Tajikistan
The Pamir Highway, officially known as the M41, is a 1,252-kilometer road connecting Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, to Osh in Kyrgyzstan via the autonomous Gorno-Badakhshan region. Built by the Soviets in the 1930s, it is one of the highest and most remote highways in the world, crossing passes above 4,000 meters including the Ak-Baital Pass at 4,655 meters, the highest point on the former Soviet road network. The highway traverses the heart of the Pamir Mountains, often called the 'Roof of the World,' passing through vast, treeless high-altitude plateaus, turquoise lakes including Karakul and Yashilkul, ancient Silk Road caravanserais, and remote Pamiri villages where hospitality is legendary. The road surface ranges from decent tarmac near Dushanbe to deteriorated Soviet-era concrete slabs and unpaved gravel tracks in the most remote sections. It is considered one of the ultimate overlanding routes on Earth.