EXPEDITION I N FORMAT I ON

ASIAN Geographic's first Silk Road expedition to China will run from June 4–10, 2017

from which to watch the sunset drench the basin in shades of orange.

Following an early start and a detour via the White Horse Pagoda, we made our way to Xuan Bi Chang Cheng ( ), translating to

悬壁长城“Overhanging Great Wall”, which was thought to have been built during the Ming Dynasty between 1539 and 1540 by commander Li Han in order to strengthen the Jiayu Pass defence. It formed the entry pass at the western end of the Great Wall of China.

The next morning, we arrived at the first pier of the Great Wall. Built along the cliffs surrounding the Beida River, this area once played host to several military camps. By the afternoon, we were headed east towards the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park. The landforms here resemble a multicoloured layer cake, consisting of strata of different coloured sandstone and minerals, forged over the course of 24 million years.

Marked as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010, it is thought that at one time, the area was completely submerged underwater. Over the years, the landscape emerged, shaped by the movement of tectonic plates and the onslaught of wind and rain, carving out the cliffs and ravines that we find today. This was a highlight of the trip – and a good note to end on.

We began the journey home, driving the long road back to Lanzhou from Zhangye, passing by mysterious Tibetan mani stones and golden rapeseed plantations – some of the largest in the world – before arriving in Lanzhou for our respective flights out.

Having been to the first pass of the Great Wall in the west, I hope to make the journey to the first pass of the Great Wall in the east. Personally, this trip was one of the best I’ve experienced in my lifetime. It was an eye-opening journey that allowed me to learn more about Chinese art, heritage and culture, and the fascinating history of the Silk Road. agp

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