Litang is one of the highest towns in the world, at roughly four thousand metres, a Tibetan settlement on a wide grassy plateau in western Sichuan, where the G318 highway crosses on its long journey from Chengdu to Lhasa. The mountains around it are rounded and bare, the sky is huge and the air is thin enough that every staircase becomes a conversation with your lungs.
The G318, known as the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, is one of the great road journeys of Asia, and this section is among its most beautiful. The road climbs over passes above four thousand metres, crosses wide grasslands dotted with yaks, and drops into canyons with prayer flags on every bridge. The surface is usually good, though landslides and roadworks can interrupt it, and altitude sickness is a real risk. Acclimatise slowly, and do not rush the stages. Winter is cold and snowy, summer is bright and often wet in the afternoons.
Litang is famous for its monastery, a big Gelug complex founded in the late sixteenth century under the Third Dalai Lama, and for its annual horse festival in August, when riders from across the plateau gather to race and show their skill. The Seventh Dalai Lama was born near here, and Litang's long history has made it a spiritual centre for the region. Tibetan culture is strong here, with butter tea, tsampa and yak meat on the menu, and bright prayer flags fluttering from every roof.
A word of caution for foreign riders: China has strict rules about foreign drivers and motorcycles, and you cannot simply arrive and ride. A temporary licence, a registered vehicle and usually a guide are required, so plan well in advance and use a licensed operator. Roads, permits and checkpoints can change at short notice. If you are allowed to ride, wear warm layers and carry some altitude medicine, as the weather swings between sun and snow within the same hour.