Usually, tunnels are not very scenic, but the Guoliang Tunnel is an exception. It is carved along the side of a mountain and there are several openings that are like windows in the tunnel wall. From these windows you can see the surrounding mountains and the beautiful valley below. There are 30 windows in total.

 

Since it opened in 1977, it has become an important tourist destination in China and it is now considered one of the most spectacular roads in the world. The tunnel is 1.2 kilometers long and on average about five meters tall and four meters wide. In many spots, it is barely wide enough for two cars to pass. In other sections, there are sudden dips and turns. The drive is not for the fainthearted and it tolerates no mistakes by the driver.

 

sky ladder

 

The tunnel is without a doubt dangerous, but before its construction getting to the village of Guoliang was even more perilous. The only access to the village was on foot via a narrow set of stair steps cut into the mountainside— a path the locals call the ‘Sky Ladder.’

 

In 1972, the villagers began construction on the tunnel. It took five years to complete and several villagers were killed during its construction.

 

The new route has brought much needed money to the village, but there are many who miss the quiet times before the tunnel.