High mountains

The Tibetan Plateau comes to an end in Yunnan

By |2019-08-15T10:03:59+02:00 25th September, 2015|Categories: China, High mountains, West China|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

A well known section of bicycle touring in China. This is what we were preparing ourselves for. Mountain passes up to 4720 meter and no idea about the quality of the roads. We were heading out on an endeavour which would become one of our highlights of our journey. From the wild west of Litang, past mystical [...]

Tibetan hospitality, a high road, Seda to Litang

By |2019-08-15T10:03:59+02:00 11th September, 2015|Categories: China, High mountains, Hospitality, Off the beaten path, West China|Tags: , , , |

Seda and Larung Gar had left a strong impression on us but visa time and wanting to get on the road we left Seda (Sertar). We had almost run out of oats and Martin had used a few hours searching and asking in all Chinese shops nowhere to be found. By chance as we where heading to [...]

Cycling up and over 4000m+ passes in Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan

By |2019-08-15T10:03:59+02:00 3rd September, 2015|Categories: China, High mountains, Off the beaten path, West China|Tags: , , , |

Finally we were heading south again. We knew the next stretch was going to be challenging. Cycling through Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan on our way to Yunnan would bring us over many many passes and the first were coming up. We were cycling up and over 4000m+ passes in Gansu, Qinghai and Sichuan to reach the World largest [...]

Xian to Labrang en-route to the Amdo Tibetans

By |2019-08-15T10:03:59+02:00 22nd August, 2015|Categories: Ancient civilizations, China, High mountains, West China|Tags: , , , , , |

Contemplating on our route through west China we noticed that we had a chance to experience the life of the Amdo Tibetans. So we quickly decided on going west from Xian instead of south to Chengdu. We were cycling from Xian to Labrang en-route to the Amdo Tibetans. This trip has been very interesting so we have [...]

Bulgan to Altai with camels and gers

By |2019-08-15T10:04:01+02:00 24th January, 2015|Categories: High mountains, Mongolia, South western Mongolia, Winter cycling|Tags: , , , |

I was nervous as I was preparing the first leg Bulgan to Altai into western Mongolia, a leg of 600km with very little supplies and people, mind I say the Gobi desert. The photos Bulgan to Altai The morning came and I was as ready as I could be with a small cold coming along. I cycled out of [...]

Discovering the diversity of Kyrgyzstan

By |2019-08-15T10:03:13+02:00 21st November, 2014|Categories: High mountains, Kyrgyzstan, Northern Kyrgyzstan, Winter cycling|Tags: , , , , , , |

Looking at the map we see a red line running from Osh to Bishkek. It is a highway and actually still the M41. We are reluctant to take this road because we prefer to avoid heavy traffic and take smaller roads where possible. At the same time we have heard that many of the smaller roads are [...]

The Pamir Highway M41- 4655m a real high

By |2019-08-15T10:03:14+02:00 6th November, 2014|Categories: High mountains, Hospitality, Kyrgyzstan, North eastern Tajikistan, Southern Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan|Tags: , , , , , , |

Anticipation... Expectations... Personal opinions and the Ak-Baital Pass. Cycling the The Pamir Highway M41 is not only about having the legs but definitely the stamina, the motivation and the persistence. Altitude sickness, bad roads, good and bad stories of other cyclists and illness are all a part of it. It has been a mind blowing, interesting cultural and physical [...]

The Wakhan valley with exciting views, roads and people.

By |2019-08-15T10:03:14+02:00 23rd October, 2014|Categories: Ancient civilizations, High mountains, Southern Tajikistan, Tajikistan|Tags: , , , , , , |

We were excited the day had come Martin was feeling better from the Giardia Lamblia infection and it was our 8 months anniversary for the journey. We had to go and get on the road out of Khorog and cycle onwards to the Wakhan valley. The Wakhan valley we had heard from many people should be a [...]

Roughing it on the M41 to Khorog

By |2019-08-15T10:03:15+02:00 29th September, 2014|Categories: High mountains, Hospitality, Tajikistan, Western Tajikistan|Tags: , , , , |

We are approaching the Roof of the World, the Pamir plateau. It makes us nervous and exciting and we are a little bit worried. At the same time other people have cycled here as well so it will be okay... Won't it? We only know that our preparation ride from Dushanbe to Khorog was tough, very tough. [...]

Leaving Samarqand, cycling south with mixed emotions

By |2019-08-15T10:03:15+02:00 18th September, 2014|Categories: Eastern Uzbekistan, Heat and desert, High mountains, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Western Tajikistan|Tags: , , |

It is hard leaving a place where you feel comfortable en where you are understood by others. So leaving Samarqand was difficult and this was not made easier by a stomach bug that was traveling around. We were cycling south with mixed emotions because it was hard to say goodbye but we were also looking very much [...]

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