Places to explore in 2012

       In a sense, we are all natural travelers, unable to stay in one place without moving. We always see the distance as paradise, and thus, the reasons for traveling are diverse. Before this, each of us might have been preparing for some kind of trip, often dreaming of going here and there, but mostly making vague plans and rarely putting them into practice.     
       And in 2012, we chose the following five destinations for travel.

       Inner Mongolia — Right Bank of the Erguna River 
       Route: Shiwei — Moridaga
       Hiking distance: about 170 kilometers
       Time: 4 days hiking, 2–3 days by bicycle
       The route from Manzhouli — Erguna — Shiwei — Moridaga presents, in August, scenery reminiscent of works by Courbet and Repin, akin to 19th-century Russian realist oil paintings. On the grasslands of far-northern China, the roads here stretch long, the sky is arched, like the glass dome of a grandfather clock. Looking around, you’ll see vast fields of crops in full bloom. Aside from the rivers and wheat fields, everything else seems empty. Your eyes can see far down the road, and all you hear is the sound of the wind. Along the way, there are few vehicles or tourists.
       Yunnan — Nujiang River
       Route: Dimalu — Chalitong (Lancang River suspension bridge, Yangchao Bridge)
       Distance: about 70 kilometers
       Time: 3 days hiking
       The Nujiang and Lancang rivers, shaped by years of flowing water, create an enduring path through the mountains and rivers. The biggest appeal of the hiking routes here lies not only in the ever-changing scenery but also in the rich ethnic cultures. Uniqueness is sometimes fragile—before these special features disappear, put your feet on the path and go see the sights you’ve longed for.
       Xinjiang — The ancient Xiate Trail  
       Route: Xiate Hot Springs — Pochengzi
       Distance: 90 kilometers
       Time: 6 days hiking
       This is one of the most appealing heavy-load hiking routes in China’s outdoor community. Despite rescue teams being active there every year, adventure teams from all over the country continue to flock here to test themselves. The Xiate Ancient Trail starts from Xiate Pasture in Zhaosu County, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, in the north, and ends at Pochengzi in Wensu County, Aksu Prefecture, in the south. It connects the northern and southern Tianshan Mountains, stretching 120 kilometers in total, and is one of the most rugged and famous ancient post roads along the Silk Road. In 2001, the Urumqi Mountaineering and Exploration Association first opened this hiking route, and in 2005, another team successfully completed a reverse crossing from the opposite direction.
       Tibet — Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon
       Route: Zhachu Village — Tsangpo Badong Waterfall Cluster
       Distance: about 100 kilometers
       Time: 3 days hiking
       The grand canyon is located at the eastern end of the Himalayas, southeast of Nyingchi. The canyon stretches 496 kilometers in length, with the core river section averaging a depth of 5,000 meters and reaching a maximum depth of 5,382 meters. Verified by multiple authoritative institutions, the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon is the deepest, longest, and highest-altitude river canyon in the world. At the iconic point of the canyon, Zhachu Village, you can see a massive bend formed by the Palong Tsangpo River that closely resembles the shape of the grand canyon itself. These two nearly identical horseshoe-shaped bends lying so close together form a unique geographical wonder.
       The 7,782-meter-high Namcha Barwa Peak and the 7,234-meter-high Galabalam Peak stand opposite each other across the Yarlung Tsangpo River. Hiking three days upstream from Zhachu Village will take you to the Tsangpo Badong Waterfall Cluster, which remains largely unvisited due to the steep and treacherous terrain. It is difficult to capture a full view of the waterfalls, and as such, the Tsangpo Badong Waterfall Cluster is still known as China’s most mysterious waterfall.
    Xinjiang — Ili’s Kuodeng
       Route: Ili — Kuodeng
       Distance: 200 kilometers
       Time: 2–3 days by self-driving round trip
       On the map, a long red line extends westward from Urumqi, passing through Changji, Shihezi, Jinghe, and Kuytun before reaching Sayram Lake. From there, it turns south and crosses dozens of kilometers of mountain roads through the fruit valley of the northern Tianshan Mountains to reach flat land in Ili.      Beneath the blue sky, the towering Tianshan Mountain range is awe-inspiring, with snow-capped peaks. The highway stretches westward along the northern slope of Tianshan, and after passing Sayram Lake, you’ll enter the fruit valley of the northern Tianshan Mountains. In early winter, about thirty kilometers of the mountain road are icy and snowy, with Kazakh herders moving their livestock—riding horses, camels, and driving sheep—while the wind and snow turn their faces bright red.      
After crossing the Guozigou Pass, the road opens up—smooth, straight, and steady, winding through numerous small villages in scenes straight out of a road movie. Under the warm western sun, Yili buzzes with life, its air fragrant with the scents of grilled meat and lavender. Continuing on, we arrive at Kuodeng, a paradise of snow mountain spruce forests, where towering spruce trees form a melodious curve through the valleys of the Tianshan Mountains.
Along the journey, unfamiliar sights and people quickly capture all our attention. Everyone here, just like us, carries their own dramatic personal stories. If you’re willing to connect with them, beneath those unremarkable exteriors lie many intense emotions.
We gradually become absorbed by these experiences, slowly losing sight of our own true identities—a kind of happiness, really. Of course, when traveling to these places, don’t forget to bring professional gear, especially a pair of sturdy, durable outdoor shoes with professional waterproofing and breathability, such as those made with Gore-Tex™.?/FONT>The Ozark Gear (OZARK GEAR) outdoor hiking shoe series and ADIDAS brand TERREX!"FAST trail shoes utilize the world-renowned outdoor fabric Gore-Tex™?/FONT>to ensure waterproofing and breathability. Thanks to the Gore-Tex™ material’s long-lasting waterproof performance and high breathability, its core technology—the Gore-Tex™?/FONT>membrane—features over 1.4 billion microscopic pores per square centimeter. These pores are 20,000 times smaller than water droplets but 700 times larger than water molecules, allowing the Gore-Tex™?/FONT>membrane to completely block external water from entering while remaining impervious to dampness and cold, yet still enabling internal sweat vapor to escape—like having a tiny air conditioner inside the shoe, keeping your feet dry and comfortable.
Final tip: Outdoor activities inherently carry risks, and exploration is not the same as recklessness. Each of these routes has its complexities—only fully equipped outdoor gear can ensure you enjoy the adventure safely.