reporter

As the epic Silk Road journey drew to a close, Oasis Overland trip leader Alexis documented the final stretch through China - from the historic heart of Xi’an to the iconic sights of Beijing. After months on the road crossing deserts, mountain passes, and cultural frontiers, this last leg brought the group full circle with ancient wonders, misty mountains, and quiet reflections on an unforgettable overland expedition. In this trip report, Alexis shares the highlights: from a dumpling-making detour in rural Xi’an and a misty marathon trek across the Great Wall, to the emotional final day standing in Tiananmen Square. A journey that began in Istanbul four months ago now ends in Beijing - filled with stories, sweat, and memories that will last a lifetime. XI’AN Obligatory terracotta warriors day! It is easy to forget how monumental this is. The sheer scale of this terracotta army buried with Emperor Qin is just immense. Qin was the first emperor of a unified China and he took with him to the afterlife at least 8,000 terracotta warriors, 130 chariots, 520 horses among many figures and objects. I wanted to do something a bit different after as our time had been predominantly spent in cities, so I arranged for a lunch in a more rural area, up in the mountains, where we can have a different look at local life and eat some new things. It was wonderful! Such great views, food and people. A successful experiment! We even got a dumpling making lesson! The next morning I set out at 6:30 in search of my favorite Chinese breakfast street food, the jian bing. The best way to eat it is from the stalls set up only in the early morning. I have been to Xi’an 6 times before, but somehow I had never been to the Xi’an Museum and the Small Wild Goose Pagoda (dating back to the Tang dynasty) so I headed over for a lovely afternoon before our overnight train to Beijing! XI’AN TO MUTIANYU GREAT WALL Evening overnight train (our last!) took us to Beijing. While Beijing is our final destination we had one stop before! We were scooped up at Beijing West railway station and taken to the mountains. The Wall of China at Mutianyu to be exact! Last year it was a brutal day of morning arrival, breakfast, drive to the Great Wall and drive back to Beijing. Not only did it limit our time at the wall, but it is such a long and hot day, we were all shattered by the time we got to the Beijing hotel, so this time I decided to try an overnight there and I think it worked perfectly! We had over 5 hours to explore which made it very easy for those who wanted to walk from the 1st watchtower to the 20th and this year I did just that! It is nearly 1000 steps to walk up to the wall and 5.5 kilometers across it. That isn’t to say it is flat, it is absolutely not. 203 floors is what the app told me I climbed! The final stretch to the 20th watchtower or hero platform, was the intimidating to look at, 500 steps directly up, but well worth the extra effort. Even the rainy day didn’t stop the views from being amazing. I did cheat and take the cable car back down but I thought it would be good to have that experience as well and it was a great idea in that it also gives you a different vantage point, some really awesome views of the full wall as it snakes across the mountains. Being at this section is also extra special having visited the very start of the wall way out west in Jiayuguan. It also differs from other Beijing adjacent sections like Badaling, in that there were times when I was entirely alone. I can’t tell you how unheard of this is in China, much less any section of the Great Wall. We stayed in a quaint small town hotel that was lovely and while there were limited dining options, the food was actually fantastic I thought. But tomorrow is officially the last day of this trip. MUTIANYU GREAT WALL TO BEIJING Well this is it. 4 months and 9 countries ago I was in Istanbul full of nerves about to embark on this adventure I had never run in its entirety before. An overland journey following the ancient Silk Road across half the world, from Europe to the furthest reaches of Asia. We have now made it, from Istanbul to Beijing. It is wild to think about. It is wild to think about it being over, it felt like a full lifetime was lived. The extraordinary experiences we’ve shared, the extraordinary places we’ve visited, the extraordinary people we’ve met, the sheer scale and complexity of this adventure! It almost doesn’t feel real, but oh boy is it ever. Of course, our final day had to include a visit to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square before the last group dinner. The end of a trip is always bittersweet and this was certainly no exception. This was a big accomplishment for all! Thanks to everyone on the trip, everyone who helped along the way, to Al the star driver and to all the wonderful people and places we were lucky enough to meet and visit. We did it! And now I have 2 weeks before I do it all again! View the full article

The last couple of weeks have seen the release of some awesome overland and adventure-adjacent gear. Namely, some updates and new versions of some of our favorite gear have hit the market, and we’re excited to check them out in person at Overland Expo Mountain West. If you walk through the Overland Expo campground, you’ll notice a trend amongst ground tents. A high percentage of them are of a particular hue of orange or green, and that’s because the Gazelle T4 tent series is incredibly popular at our events and out on the trail. Now, Gazelle has updated the T4 with a new edition geared towards cold temps and inclement weather. Dubbed the T4 Overland EXP, this model features the same easy setup and take down that Gazelle tents are known for, but with updates that will help campers stay comfortable in colder temps. Up top the mesh panels can be closed with zipper panels. It also features closable vents for use with diesel heaters or portable air conditioning units, so you can stay comfortable even in extreme temperatures at both ends of the spectrum. And thanks to a new pole design, the T4 EXP packs down to 9.5″ x 9.5″ x 57″ so it fits in tighter spaces than previous models for easy transport. Photo by Gazelle Tents Photo by Gazelle Tents Photo by Gazelle Tents Photo by Gazelle Tents LEARN MORE READ MORE: Our Top 6 Tips on How to Work From the Road as a Digital Nomad There’s hardly a product more ubiquitous with overlanding than Maxtrax, and now these tried and trusted traction platforms are no longer limited to those adventuring on four wheels. The new Maxtrax Moto Boards are more than just a smaller version of the OG boards. The tread pattern is specifically engineered to work with ADV moto tires. There’s also an integrated 2-liter water reservoir and concealed linkage straps. Even when you aren’t stuck, the Moto Boards can be used as kickstand stabilizers. Photo by Maxtrax Photo by Maxtrax Photo by Maxtrax LEARN MORE Most of our readers are deep into the dog days of summer, so any way we can beat the heat and humidity is a welcome relief, and if you’re headed outdoors, a good pair of shades is a summer staple. The innovators at Ombraz sunglasses just released a new model that’s great for lounging, hitting the trails, or even the water. The Refugio, Italian for “shelter,” shares the same armless design as the rest of the Ombraz lineup and offers a full shield design and Zeiss optics that protect 100% of UVA and UVB. The integrated nose pads offer a subtle lift away from the brow for increased ventilation and reduced fogging even in the hottest conditions. You can tighten down the abrasion-resistant cord and hit the rivers without fear of losing your sunglasses if you dive in, no matter if it’s planned or not. Learn more We’re always looking for cool gear and innovative brands. From strict rig-focused gear to the small things every adventurer needs. If you see something you want to let us know about, tag us on social media! View the full article