After spending 6 weeks bikepacking in Mongolia, crossing the country West to East, I reached Ulaanbaatar, where I applied for and received a Chinese tourist visa for two months. I decided to enter China via rail, as the Erenhot border doesn’t permit pedestrians or cyclists to cross the border independently. The train from Mongolia’s capital to Hohhot, Inner Mongolia’s capital (more Mongolians live in the Northern Chinese provinces than in Mongolia), took a little less than 24

Welcome to the least densely populated country in the world. It was no surprise that crossing from China into Mongolia was like stepping back in time a couple of years – although it has its benefits. No more constant police checks, no surveillance cameras every few meters, and surprisingly much better grocery stores. Finding nutritious food in Chinese stores was surprisingly difficult. I crossed into the country in the West, near a city called Bulgan. After stocking up on foo

Notes about cycling across Xinjiang/China, coming from Kyrgyzstan: – entry was smooth, friendly border officials who even spoke English– great road surface & cell phone reception everywhere– signs in Chinese & Uyghur (Arabic script)– cameras & fences almost everywhere– modern police stations even in tiny villages– Western Xinjiang has a beautiful reddish mountain landscape– frequent passport checks, sometimes 3 minutes, sometimes 30.– great food again! also cheap, less than $

My journey across Tajikistan began in the Fergana Valley in the northern and least mountainous part of this landlocked country. It is therefore more densely populated than the other regions, so I quickly experienced the famous Tajik hospitality, being invited for lunch while searching for a working ATM in the city (easier said than done!), or given fruits and honey on the side of the road. On my way to the capital, Dushanbe, I had to overcome the first major mountain range, t

I touched down in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital, after a short three week break in Germany where I had to sort out some personal stuff, and also built my new bike. Over 90% of Kyrgyzstan is covered with mountains – the third most mountainous country in the world (1. Bhutan, 2. Tajikistan). Cities are usually located in the valleys, and roads connecting cities are sparse as they will require steep passes or kilometre long tunnels. On my way towards Uzbekistan, I had to overcom

As soon as entered Oman from the UAE, I took a turn onto a small road heading into the Hajar Mountains. I was rewarded with a rugged but beautiful mountainous landscape, and butter-smooth yet empty roads. This part of the country is sparsely populated, and you will come across many more goats than humans. Despite this there are frequent drinking water dispensers on the side of the road, often even cooled! If you are looking for a challenge, search for unpaved roads or paths