Guoliang Tunnel

Recently, my flatmate and I started looking at destinations in Latin America, already starting the research that can hopefully lead us to an amazing off road backpacking trip next year. When we were digging into Bolivia's dangerous roads, we were re-directed to a hand built Chinese tunnel that is one of the most impressive things I've seen.

"This tunnel is located in the Taihang Mountains which are situated in the Hunan Province of China. There is an interesting story behind its development. Before 1972, access to the nearby Guoliang village was limited to a very difficult path carved into the mountainside. The village was nestled in a valley surrounded by towering mountains. It was basically cut off from civilization.

In 1972, a group of desperate villagers decided to take matters into their own hands - they would carve a road right into the side of the mountain by themselves!

So they sold goats and herbs to buy hammers and steel tools. Thirteen strong villagers began the project. It took them five years to finish the 1,200-metre-long tunnel which is about 5 meters high and 4 meters wide.

On May 1, 1977, the tunnel was opened to traffic.

There are more than thirty windows. One article suggested they carved windows mainly as a way to push the rubble out. Another reason for the windows might have been the need for light due to lack of electricity."

Source: China Guoliang Tunnel