Venturing into the No-Man’s Land of Hohxil
Date: June 2016 Type: Overland/Adventure
After twice trial driving, Kalsang and his fellow drivers finally embarked on “the Great Challenge” on 3 June 2016, driving 1500 km deep into the no-man’s land of Hohxil on an unpaved road for 10 days without stopping, a remarkable adventure that nobody has done before.
Hohxil or Kekexili, “Lord of Ten Thousand Mountains”, is an isolated blank space in the northwestern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in China. Covering 83,000 square kilometres, at an average elevation of 4,800 metres above sea level, it was just listed as “the largest and highest plateau in the world” among the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO on July 7, 2017. Despite the extreme climate, harsher than other Tibetan regions, it is still home to more than 230 species of wild animals, 20 of which are under Chinese state protection, including the wild yak and the endangered Tibetan antelope. Thus, almost half of it was designated as a national nature reserve in 1995.
They set off from Golok in the Amdo Tibetan region, then travelled to Yushu in Kham, and then entered the non-protected area of Hohxil. Over 30 off-road vehicles, including three devoted to carrying supplies, with a crew of about 80 people, including 30 drivers, winding along the wilderness, to embrace the unexpected dangers, hardships and thrills of conquering a land that few have set foot on.
No mobile signals, no electricity, no tap-water…… that’s just a few things awaiting them. Sleeping in tents wrapped with sleeping bags to withstand the cold weather (about 0℃), eating on the road with simple food like noodles, bread and fruits, occasionally a feast of mutton and white spirit, all these didn’t trouble them. With a carefree mind escaping from daily life, challengers were fascinated by the vast space and the endless horizon.
But there were indeed unexpected dangers ahead. As the pioneer of the motorcade, Kalsang reminds of an encounter with a wild yak, which is fierce and powerful, more than an elephant, able to gore anything that gets in its way. Mixed with fear and excitement, Kalsang stopped his Landcruise and gave way to it. Surprisingly, the wild yak shied away from him until they drove through.
Another danger lies in driving in snowy weather when visibility is limited. Such weather conditions lasted for about 4 to 5 days, resulting in many vehicles getting trapped or having tyre breaks. Luckily, most of them survived without breakdown. With the aid of a satellite phone and other equipment, they finally fulfilled the journey.
“The most dangerous place might be the safest,” Kalsang reflected afterwards. “Now I am much more confident and comfortable meeting even harder challenges, such as driving through Lop Nor. ” Born to rise to challenges, with a great sense of direction and over ten years of experience as a tour guide in the highland, Kalsang always enjoy exploring new territories and sharing exciting moments with others.
