After considering riding a camel through western Mongolia, we finally came up with the suitable route and an interesting means of transportation for this Year.

The Karakorum Highway links the Chinese city of Kashgar with the Pakistani Karakorum following the historical Silk road to India crossing the Himalayans at the Khunjerab Pass at 5500m.

Despite its high altitudes and dangerous terrain, it is still maybe is the safest land passage linking Europe and south east Asia. Circumventing Afghanistan and leading its travellers through some of central Asia’s most exceptional landscapes while experiencing the ethnic and cultural diversity of this chronically instable region.
We decided to Cycle it since our camel and horse riding skills where not sufficient yet.

Day 1. Tashkurgan and the Kunjherab valley (Tajik: valley of blood)

Tashkurgan is located in the western part of the Pamir plateau. Surrounded by high altitude wetland with a backdrop of snow-capped peaks of the Pamir Mountains. The vast valley is farmed by the local Tajik people who build a Stone fort and and live in white yurts scattered around the grasslands. Traditional Tajik Culture is very present. Cycling and exploring the picturesque grassland surrounding to the town of Tashkurgan. Occasionally Tempting to enter the surrounding valleys (they are all guarded by military checkpoints). We spend the night in the grassland surrounded by roaming horses and sheep.

Day 2. TAGHARMA wetlands

Cycling up a gorge to the next valley. The night was setting in and we decided to abandon the idea of tackling the 1000m ascent oft the Subash pass. We decided to stop near the Kazakh village of ____. Setting up the tent we briefly talked to a Kazakh people harvesting. Shortly after the called the police on us to report out camp location. A Police officer arrived on a motorbike telling us we needed to leave. He left to get backup for our arrest. We ceased the moment to hide in the high grass waiting for darkness to make us invisible to those who where searching for us. Today I know that I was underestimating the determination of the chines police to find us. They kept driving around with their pickup until they eventually found us. That night they gave us a forced ride to Tashkurgan.

Day 3

The next day we woke up demoralized and upset at square one of our Bike ride.
After coffee and some breakfast we decided to not give up and fight for our project.
We hitched a ride to back to where we had been ceased by the police the night before.
Out of protest, rebellion and pure revenge we decided to break in the natural reserve around Mount Muztagata (7450m) climbing a fence with our bikes.
Happily riding up the side of Mount Muztaghata we where amazed by the beauty and dimension o the place. Until we discovered a Military base with Missile launching trucks wet up in the middle of the “nature reserve” we still continues to cycled along. Until we spotted a Jeep rushing straight towards us at high speed. Terrified and fearing to have got us in to even greater trouble this time we hid away our camera and started to think of excuses. The Jeep came to a sudden halt right in front of us leaving us in a cloud of thick dust. Two chines men jumped of and approached us. Only to tell us that they where really impressed to see us cycling up such a steep slope. They where really friendly and offered us fresh Melon slices.