Category: Asia
Chinggis Khaan Statue

Chinggis Khaan Statue

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Chinggis Khaan Statue

It is a statue like no other! It is the larges equestrian statue in the world according to Guinness World Records! and it surely fits such a great emperor and warrior… The Chinggis Khaan Statue! Although Mongolia is famous for its nomadic life and stunning nature with vast open spaces, no visit is complete to this land without visiting this statue and paying tribute to one of the greatest conquerors in the history of mankind.

The Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex is located 54 km outside of the capital city “Ulanbaatar” (UB) and you would be forgiven to think that it’ll be straightforward to go there; however, as the public transportation in Mongolia is a bit limited outside UB and whenever you ask about how to go there, people will tell you that the only way is going with a tour group which costs at least $40!! That didn’t make sense to me as, for sure, the land of free-roaming nomads can’t depend on tour companies to visit one of its landmarks. So I did my research before my trip and found out that I can go On My Own and On Budget, but still I needed to figure out the exact route when I arrive there. Using the way that I’ll describe below to visit the statue will immerse you with the locals and make you venture into the unknow; yet confident in your planning skills:)

The independent trip to the statue complex is a two-legged trip; first you’ll take a bus from UB, then a local taxi. Since there is no direct public bus from UB to the statue, you’ll need to take the bus going to a village called Naliakh. Finding the right bus, and the right bus stop, is a challenge in itself. I, myself, had to go to two 3 different stops, ask the drivers of 2 different buses, and seek the help of the friendly locals to know which is which! So, for the spirit of the discoverer in you, I won’t reveal these details here; but, in case you want the exact directions, just drop me an email and I’ll be happy to help…for free of course:) (click to request info)

When you are on the bus, ask the driver to tell you when the bus reaches Naliakh as there are no signs to point that out for you. Arriving at Naliakh, the bus will drop you at an intersection and you’ll find a shopping center to your left (click to request info) for the exact signs of this shopping center. Here you’ll find some local taxis, although unofficial, that will take you to the statue safely. Expect to haggle the price with the driver, but not too much as their starting price will be already cheap compared to the $40 option. The driver will take you to the statue complex, wait for you till you finish exploring and enjoying the site with no rush, and then take you back to Naliakh. It is a truly amazing experience to visit this emperor’s statue in his homeland with his own people, and the best part of it is that the total cost of the entire trip from UB is no more than $10!!:) and will take you maximum an hour each way.

The statue is part of a complex with museums and shops. You’ll start seeing the mighty Chinggis Khaan riding his horse from afar and it is really impressive.

Soon you’ll enter through a care gate with the name of Chinggis Khaan engraved on it…Yes you are there:)

When you first arrive, you’ll not be able to hide your excitement…this is really a unique statue in a unique land. The first close view of the statue will be from the side and you’ll start taking lots of pictures then realize that there are still 360 degrees views of the statue and still lots of pictures:)

Start walking the circular trail around the statue’s base, I bet you’ll do it multiple time:), and OH MY…here is the face of the statue and how impressive and detailed is that…amazing 

And the back…it is a real horse!!

But wait! That is not all! You can go up the horse!! Pay your entry ticket at the complex’s entrance and go inside. First, you’ll find some souvenir shops and you can take pictures in traditional Mongolian costumes. Next, and saving the best for last, go downstairs to the museum which has many artifacts belonging to the mighty emperor, himself.

Now… Are you ready!! Head up the big circular stairs, then there will be an elevator and narrower set of stairs. From my excitement, I could not wait for the elevator and ran up the stairs in a second:) and now I’m up in the head of the horse and OH MY!!

Behind me is the mighty man himself and infront of me are stunning green views, so take your breath and take multiple pictures with Chinggis Khaan up close and personal.

It’ll be tough to go down and leave this great man, but there is still one more treat for you! Across the street from the complex’s gate is another statue of Chinggis Khaan’s mother, so ask your driver to take you there, which he will happily do. Yes, it is not as impressive, but still a nice statue and a great way to end your day trip.

Now that you are done, your driver will take you back to Naliakh, which is 20-30 min away, where you’ll take your bus back to UB all proud of yourself that you visited the great emperor…ON YOUR OWN!

 

 
X’ian

X’ian

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X’ian

After all the adventures that you embarked on in Shaanxi province, it is time to unwind and get an intense cultural and historical dose in its lively cultural capital…X’ian.

X’ian is a true multi-cultural city in China with the largest Moslem population in China calling it home since the early ages and, unlike Beijing, it still preserves the rural Chinese feeling. So I would recommend that you spend 2 full days in this magnificent city to be able to enjoy all it has to offer from ancient monuments, it has its own wall:), to a multitude of cultural experiences. The following itinerary will highlight the major attractions of the city and how to visit them, and as always, On Your Own using public buses from the central bus terminal (CBT). I know it might sound a bit daunting, but believe me, if you are ready with a good map (click to request map) it will be a cultural experience like no other!

The first attractions of this city that we are going to explore are the drum and bell towers. Being located in the center of the old town, there will be no need for any public transportation. These towers used to serve military purposes in the past, but now they are open for visit both from the outside and inside.

Next stop is the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. This Buddhist temple complex is slightly out of the old town, but there are a number of buses that will take you there from the CBT to a stop with the same name (click to request info). When you get off the bus, you will be greeted with an amazing view of the main temple/pagoda in the horizon which will be a great opportunity to take amazing pictures.

After enjoying the sight, it is time for a short walk to enter the temple complex itself. There, you’ll find monks praying and people making offerings, so be respectful and enjoy the serenity and peace of the place. Inside the complex there are a number of amazing temples which you can enter and inside you’ll find big and impressive gold Buddha statues.

These two attractions will take most of the first day, so its time to head back using the same bus and grab something to eat and there will be no better place than the Moslem street. This street is in the center of the old town behind the market. Its is a nice pedestrian street where you can stroll, sit at one of the various restaurants, grab a bite and drink, and enjoy people watching:) You’ll find the culture here different than any other Chinese city as both Moslems and non-Moslems live together in harmony and cohesion.

The next day you’ll explore X’ian’s own great wall. Although nowhere as grandeur as the famous Great Wall, this is a wall that is full of culture as you’ll find a lot happening on top of it! To explore the entire wall length, we’ll do it in a fun, different, and adventurous way…by Bike! You can rent a bike for a day from the city and go to the top of the wall from one of its 4 gates. When on top, you’ll find a well-paved path on which you can have an amazing bike ride around the old town. Not only that, but people of X’ian love their wall and tend to hang out on top. You’ll find people exercising, playing table-tennis, vendors, and much more.

Finally, after finishing your wall tour, it is time to head to the famous X’ian market, make sure to take a picture with the gate of the market as it is a landmark in its own.

Enter the covered market where you’ll find all types of merchandise and some amazing bargains, so take your time and get yourself a souvenir. When done with shopping, time to head to the food section of the market and believe me you’ll know you are there from the amazing aromatic smells:) To best enjoy all the delicious varieties at the food market, try different small dishes on the go while enjoying the rich traditions of this market.

As you saw from this itinerary, these are the main highlights of this amazing city, but if you have more time, there are some other landmarks worth visiting like the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and much more…so enjoy and keep exploring:)
Mt. Hua

Mt. Hua

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Mt. Huashan

If you are up for one of the most strenuous and dangerous hikes on our planet; yet it also offers a taste of the true Chinese culture besides an amazing surrounding nature, then head to Mt. Huashan, or as it is better known Mt. Hua.

Mt. Hua is part of the granite-faced Qin mountains range with deep gorges and lush forests surrounding it, that will owe you with every step you hike up. Not only that, but being one of the five sacred mountain in China adds a cultural reward to this hike as you’ll visit a number of sacred shrines and meet a lot of Chinese Pilgrims! Then there is the danger part!! But I’ve to stress…this is an optional detour…you don’t have to do it if you find it too scary; yet you’ll still enjoy all what this mountain has to offer. So lets start our adventure!

Mt. Hua is located in the city of Huayin in Shaanxi province and can be reached & hiked On Your Own from X’ian on a day trip. To reach the east gate, head to X’ian North train station and take the train (click to request info), from there, take a green minibus for a 2-hour drive to Mt. Hua.

When arriving at the gate, buy your entrance ticket & start your uphill hike right away to the top from where you’ll start the hikes to the different peaks & shrines (click to request map). This is a grueling 6-km hike through Hushan Gorge, although beautiful, it’ll take a lot time and you’ll arrive to the top very tired (remember you have to time your hike to catch the last bus back (click to request info). The other alternative, which I recommend, is to take the cable car up to the lower station…it is a spectacular ride and you still have a lot of strenuous hikes to do a top and hike the gorge down.

Reaching the lower station, the first hike you’ll start is the one to the north peak at +1,561 m. This is a very strenuous 2 km hike as you’ll go up on 3,999 steps of stairs!! which will take approximately 1 hour.

From the north peak, you should be armed with your map & start hiking to the other peaks and shrines. The route I took, and recommend, is a counter-clockwise hike, as follows:

Start by hiking the Golden Lock Pass to the west peak. This is an uphill hike to +2,038 m and it’s the start of the real rewards of this amazing mountain. The first section heads west to the memorial pavilion; from there the trail forks and, of course, you have to take the trail going up. The trail will pass up the heaven’s ladder where you’ll start getting the views of the unique granite-top mountains till you reach the meteorological reception. At the meteorological reception, the Golden Lock Pass starts. This is a location where the Chinese offer prayers to the Gods for their safety & health. In an amazing display, they attach golden locks, as an offering to God, on both sides of the pass using red ribbons. The entire pass is filled with these colorful locks and witnessing the actual action of the offering is a very moving sight. So take your time and show respect as you are in a sacred place!

At the end of the pass, and after another tough 1.5-2 hours hike, you’ll reach the west peak and the first shrine. The views here are magnificent and people praying at the shrine adds a sense of sacredness to this place…at the end, nature & faith are interrelated…I Guess!

From the west peak, most of the uphill will be done by now and the remaining hikes will be relatively easy. So hike to the South peak next at +2,160 m. Throughout this hike, you’ll be surrounded by an unobstructed amazing views, pass smaller shrines, and don’t look done…its scary:) At the south peak, you’ll reach another shrine, the South Gate. This section of the hike should take around 30 minutes.

Next, you’ll start heading downhill to the east peak at +2,100 m, but the daredevil in you will want to do what is coming next:) Walking along this trail, there is a detour to a shrine called Changkang Zhado, but the only way to visit it is by hiking on hanging wooden planks attached on the side of the mountain with nothing below you!! Not only that, but this shrine is at a dead end, so you’ll have to do it twice:) and it’s a two-way traffic so you should maneuver yourself around people! This part of the hike is dangerous, yet doable, at the time of my visit, you had to pay the guy there CNY 30 to access it and he’ll equip you with belts and locks to tie yourself to the fixed ropes along the trail.

You’ll be scared, you’ll take small steps, but after few steps, you’ll get the hang of it and start walking more comfortably. After this unforgettable adventure, let us continue the hike to the east peak…the most sacred of the four peaks, where you’ll reach the chess-play pavilion and another pagoda with incredible views.

 

Now, unfortunately, it is time to head back after this tough, yet incredible day. Continue the loop to the meteorological reception, then take the trail down to the memorial pavilion.

The final leg of this hike will depend on your time and energy. If you’ve both, then hike down the 6-km gorge trail to the gate. It’s a different type of hike as you’ll be surrounded by towering mountains and will pass by a dozen or so religious shrines. Otherwise, head to the North peak and take the cable car down from there.

Arriving at the gate, you should have timed your arrival with the time of the last bus heading back and you should have bought your bus ticket when entering the mountain. This bus will take you to the train station from which you’ll catch a train back to X’ian North (click to request info).

I know it was a long grueling day, with a lot of tough hikes and a life threatening one, but you are and ADVENTUROUS DAREDEVIL and survived the day…so CHEERS TO U:)

Terracotta Army

Terracotta Army

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Terracotta Army

Legend says that emperor Qin believed that he’ll rule another empire in the afterlife so he needed his army buried with him! The result was the magnificent Terracotta Army…8,000 life-sized clay warriors, 130 chariots, 520 horses, and 120 cavalry horses! Each with its OWN unique characteristics resembling the real-life army & placed according to their ranks!! Believe me… YOU WON’T BELIEVE IT TILL YOU SEE IT:)   

The Terracotta army is located close to the city of X’ian in Shaanxi province and you can visit it on your own and on budget…its only one bus ride away:)  

From east square opposite to the train station, you have two bus options that will take you directly to the mausoleum that houses the three pits containing the terracotta warriors (click to request info). The journey takes between 40 minutes to 1 hour and it only costs CNY 20 (2012 prices).

At the mausoleum there are three different pits as well as a museum and you can visit them in any order you like, but I, personally, like to save the best for last and this is Pit “1”. So start your exploration with Pit “2”.

In this pit you’ll get a glimpse of how astonishing these statues are as you’ll find soldiers, generals, and horses.

After Pit “2”, head to Pit “3” which is smaller, yet houses the famous headless army.

Next, head to Shi Huang Mausoleum where you’ll find some of the most well-preserved warriors displayed in a museum like displays.

  

Now you’ll feel more & more excited after this introduction and craving for more, and knowing that you saved the best for last…you’ll find yourself running towards Pit “1”:) So prepare to be amazed and astonished my fellow explorer, you are about to see one of the most impressive monuments on our planet!

I won’t talk much about this pit and will leave you to explore it, enjoy it, and admire it. But one thing before you embark on this discovery…here you’ll find the Terracotta Army in its full power

 

Try to view them from every possible angle

& get as close as you can to admire the unique details and characteristic of each soldier.

I’ve to admit, till now, and having visited 44 countries, the Terracotta Army is one of my favorite monuments from all over the world…THEY ARE SIMPLY AMAZING!
The Great Wall

The Great Wall

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The Great Wall of China

It is one of the greatest wonders of the World! It’s a symbol of human engineering marvels, strength, and perseverance! That will make you feel humble and leave you in owe…IT IS THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA!

Yet to fully appreciate this ancient wonder and have a sense of how tough it was for the ancient Chinese to build such a massive long structure, you have to explore it in its original state, with its original stones, imbedded in the nature around it, snaking its way over mountains and into valleys. To do so, lets pack your adventurous spirit, head off-the-beaten path and explore the UNRESTORED part of the great wall i.e. the original wall.  

Few people even know that they can access the unrestored part of the great wall of China. No guidebook or a tour company will mention this part…for all of them, visiting the great wall means visiting the restored part in Mutianyu. They will take you in large tour buses, drop you at Mutianyu with hordes of other tourists where you will take a cable car up to the wall, and walk steps of stairs on modern painted stones that have no authenticity at all.  Therefore, to see the wall in its original state, walk it as the ancients did, away from tourists, and fully be in owe of how did the Chinese build this wall, then you need to do it on your own and have your adventurous spirit at full swing:) So follow me in this blog where I’ll show you that it is totally doable on your own and give you hints of how to explore the wall, not just visit it, by going to the unrestored part in Jiankou and walk all the way to Mutianyu.

The first challenge that will face you when planning this adventure is going to Jiankou itself without speaking Mandarin:) The journey from Beijing involves a metro ride + a bus ride + a taxi ride + a strenuous hike! To begin your journey, you’ll take the underground metro to Dongzhiman station and get out from exit “B” (click to request map), from there you’ll walk to the sheltered bus station and try to catch the bus that goes to Huairou Fangshan (click to request info). You’ll ride the express bus all the way till the last stop and get out opposite to Huairou First Hospital. Now you are in real China and have to use all your communication skills, by that I mean sign language:) to explain to a taxi driver that you want to go to Xizhazi village which is a 40 minutes ride from where you are. But be patient as not all taxi drivers will know where this village is, so be armed with your maps and keep trying with different drivers (click to request info). This is not your only challenge, to go to Xizhazi village, but this village is in the valley and the wall is on the top of the mountain and the only way there is to hike up on an unmarked trail and your biggest challenge will be to locate the trailhead! To reach the trailhead, when entering Xizhazi “5” from Xizhazi “1”, there is a stone bridge, so ask the driver to cross it. Then you’ll have to look for a mark on the road to know where to head and this mark is (click to request info). After reaching the mark, ask the driver to turn left then the road will reach a dead end so ask him to drop you there!! Believe me…he’ll be stunned by this request as you’ll be in the middle of nowhere and once he leaves…there will be no way of going back except THE WALL! Even the locals won’t know what you are doing there…but YOU DO! Personally, my driver even refused to drop me there at the beginning because he was worried about me, but after a lot of explaining, he realized I was confident in what I’m doing and let me out:) I admit that you’ll feel a bit scared, especially at the sight when he pulls back and disappears as you’ll find yourself alone and in the middle of nowhere, but the trailhead and the wall are there (click to request info)!

The next challenge is the hike up to the wall. This is a strenuous all uphill hike and, most probably, you’ll be alone on the trail (I only met 1 Chinese hiker on my way up). After a minute of hiking, the trail forks into two and you have to select the right direction to take (click to request info) then continue going up. Slowly, you will start getting the first sights of the wall from behind the forest trees and the adrenaline will start pumping in your veins 

After about 20 minutes, you’ll encounter another fork so keep on the main trail and you’ll gradually start reaching the wall and Zhengbei tower, from which you’ll access the wall.

The entire hike should take you around 40-45 minutes till the base of the wall, but how will you go up to its top?!! This is one of the truly unforgettable experiences that you only find when you get off-the-beaten path! At the tower, there will be a old local man with a wooden ladder to help you up, but…you’ll have to pay him to drop it for you:) He’ll ask for a very small fee that you’ll happily pay, but between you and me, whatever this man will ask for, you’ll pay it because you are tired and, frankly speaking, you have no other option:)

Now it is time to celebrate…you are on the ORIGINAL GREAT WALL OF CHINA and you did it all alone, so lets start the walk.

From the tower, you can either go right or left, but to reach Mutianyu, you have to go (click to request info) and start the 6 hours walk on top of the wall. This walk will be as wild as it gets…there are broken stones, very steep slopes, no stairs, and very few people.

The walk will start flat, then up, then down and at some sections it will be very steep downhill that you’ll literally have to hang on the wall to be able to go down and it is AMAZING!

In some other sections you’ll have to crawl your way up, but with every turn, you’ll be owed by how difficult this terrain is and how did the ancient Chinese manage to build this wall.

Walking along the wall, there will be nothing to obstruct your view…only the stunning wall snaking its way up, down and around mountains so enjoy, appreciate and take lots of pictures:) 

After around 4 hours, you’ll reach the beginning of the restored part…What A Difference!

You’ll feel like a true Chinese conqueror when you start meeting the tour-bus tourists and ask you where are you coming from and see the surprise in their eyes…You’ll feel like a true adventurer…and You Are, and remember you are the only one of them who walked on the original stones of the wall!

The walk of the restored part will be easy with stair steps to negotiate your way on the steep downhills, but still you’ll get very good views.

 

Finally, to go down Mutianyu village, continue walking till tower “6” because there is still one more fun activity to do instead of taking the cable car! So unleash the child in you and take a toboggan ride down to the village:) Reaching the village, you’ll be greeted by a lively souvenir market, so use all your haggling skills and treat yourself with something to commemorate this adventure.

After you finish your adventure, you’ll be tired and it’ll be late, so I recommend to spend the night in Mutianyu and next day take a direct bus to Beijing (Click to request info)

CONGRATULATIONS MY FELLOW ADVENTURER, YOU CONQUERED THE GREAL WALL OF CHINA      
Asia

Asia

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  • China: Beijing, The Great Wall, Mt. Hua, Terracotta Army, X’ian
  • Hong Kong:  
  • Jordan: Amman, Dead Sea, Petra    
  • Japan: Arima Onsen, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji, Osaka, Tokyo
  • Kyrgyzstan: Bishkek, Karakol, Osh, Lenin Peak    
  • Lebanon: Beirut, Jeita Grotto
  • Mongolia: Chinggis Khaan Statue, Tavan Bogd NP, Terkhiin Tsagaan Nuur NP, Ulaanbataar 
  • Oman: Muscat, Jabal Shams, Misfat al Abriyyin, Wadi Tiwi, Wadi Ash Shab, Bandar El-Khiran
  • Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore
  • Qatar: Doha
  • Saudi Arabia: 
  • UAE: Abu Dhabi, Dubai
  • Uzbekistan: Tashkent, Samarkand, Andijon

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