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Karakoram Highway
One of the most anticipated parts of my journey is the Karakoram Highway (KKH), the highest paved international road in the world. It crests the Khunjerab Pass 4,877 km on the border between China and Pakistan and marks the a …
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Kashgar
Leaving Urumqi, I had a desire to cross the cold Taklamakan Desert, meaning “go in and you’ll never come out”. The Silk Road splits into northern and southern routes around the desert, sprouting oasis towns along the way.
Thus …
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China’s Wild West
Knowing Urumqi is no longer the Silk Road oasis stop it once was, its still kind of a shock being greeted by today’s vast urban city of over 2 million. By my rough estimate, arriving here marks the 10,000 km …
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Magao Caves
For a day I jumped off the train to visit the Magao Caves near Dunhuang, four hours out of Jiayuguan. The Magao Caves (or Grottoes) consist of 492 chambers carved in the side of a cliff 1700 meters long and …
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On the Silk Road
On now out of Mongolia and back across the Chinese border. Spent a night in Hohhot and had a gander at the Indian influenced five-tired Wuta Pagoda, home to the only Mongolian star chart ever found.
Via Lanzhou I took …
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Goodbye, Mongolia
The second half of my time in Mongolia has proceeded much like the first: lounging around the ger camp, reading, helping when I can, and riding horses.
I went on a 3 day horse and camping trek with some Australian …