Once China’s Most Dangerous Road — Climbing Tibet’s Legendary Hairpins | 4K Drive

Eight tight hairpins climb a steep mountainside on a road once associated with some of China’s most difficult journeys. This immersive 4K drive follows the Zhamo Highway in Xizang (Tibet), starting near Gongri Village in Medog, also known as Motuo, climbing the Eight Hairpins and passing through Galongla Tunnel before reaching the prayer flags near Galongla No. 1 Middle Bridge. The story here is the contrast between the old mountain ordeal and the road driven today. In earlier times, the hairpins and the connecting route over Galongla formed part of a difficult, seasonally accessible corridor. Basic road conditions, steep bends, rockfall, landslides, debris flows and avalanches made travel unpredictable. Winter snow could cut off the mountain crossing for months. This video shows the upgraded Eight Hairpins, rather than a drive over the abandoned high-pass road. Road improvements and protective structures have changed the experience, while the repeated switchbacks still follow the uncompromising shape of the mountain. Gangrongle Avalanche Shelter is one of the engineering features encountered along the way. Galongla Tunnel was a decisive project for access to Medog. Its initial breakthrough came in 2010, and the Zhamo Highway officially opened in 2013, ending Medog’s history as China’s last county without a road connection. The tunnel bypassed the long route over the mountain; later protection and maintenance continued to improve the corridor. Here in the Gangri Gabu mountains, moist air from the Indian Ocean meets the colder plateau environment. Forested slopes, rugged terrain and changing cloud create a distinctive southeastern Xizang landscape. Nearby walking routes follow sections of the old road toward waterfalls and alpine lakes; those are separate excursions, not destinations reached in this drive. No narration or music—just the road, the mountain landscape and the sounds of the journey. 🧭 Route Information 📍 Start: Near Gongri Village, Damu Lhoba Ethnic Township, Medog County, Nyingchi, Xizang (Tibet), China 🏁 Finish: Prayer flags near Galongla No. 1 Middle Bridge 🛣️ Via: G559 Zhamo Highway, Eight Hairpins, Gangrongle Avalanche Shelter and Galongla Tunnel 📏 Distance: 11.5 km ⏱️ Driving time: Approximately 22 minutes 🏔️ Elevation: 3,435–4,194 m (recorded during filming) 📅 Filmed: October 11 🌥️ Weather: Overcast, becoming partly cloudy #Tibet #ChinaDriving #MountainRoad #Motuo #HairpinTurns #4KDrive