The seventh stage of the XWORLD Tour 2008/2009 was from the north of China to Mongolia. An account of the journey by the participants, who had to fill the spare fuel cans of the Landcruisers - because fuel was in short supply.

"Our XWORLD Tour starts in Urumqui, a modern city in northwest China, but whose townscape is characterised by deeply rooted Asiatic features. In the early morning we leave the impressive skyline in front of the mountain passes behind us and take the motorway, together with a total of eight participants and three travel guides. The roads from Fukkang are surprisingly well-surfaced, so we put in a stretch away from the asphalt in order to get our first off-road practice on our personal XWORLD Tour. After all, we want to feel stony ground under our wheels and see the sand whirling up.

We have real fun by the Tian Chi "Heavenly Lake", whose shores offer the rough natural conditions which we are looking for. At least on the land - because during the subsequent boat trip we are glad of the pleasant atmosphere exuded by this lake, which is embedded in the green mountain chain. According to a folk legend, the lake is the bath of the Western Goddess of Heaven, and is also called the "Pearl of Heaven". At the end of the day we visit a monastery. In this mystical place there are many religious buildings, for example, the only Taoist monastery in the whole of Xinjiang. This monastery was built in 1221 in honour of the Western Goddess of Heaven.

 
On the third day we leave the "Pearl of Heaven" and the Bodga Shan Mountains. Near Qitai, our guides first of all provide us with culture and show us an old ruined town, before we check into our hotel in the early evening and eat at a typical Chinese fondue restaurant.

To finish off the day we "only just" want to fill up the vehicles and have a rest, because we are due to set out in the early morning towards the Mongolian border. So we drive to the only diesel filling station in the town. Here we discover that in Asia a simple refuelling trip can turn out to be a real adventure. Ten trucks and eight cars are already waiting. As well as this there is the news that there is only diesel for 10,000 Yuan; then there is no more. It is a good thing that our guide takes care of things and (somehow…) after three hours' wait ensures that we can continue our journey.

So, at 7 in the morning we are able to set off as planned. The asphalt roads are good, and we set off full of optimism. However, the nearer we get to the Mongolian border, the worse the roads become. About 100 kilometres beyond Qitai we are driving on nothing but gravel (which is a nice experience with an off-road vehicle). But suddenly there are not even road signs and when the first camels cross our path, we become aware that we are on an adventure of a lifetime. Fortunately we have a local guide, who shows us a wonderful route across the steppes and the mountains to the Chinese-Mongolian border.

At the border we once again have a glimpse of civilisation: the local police, to whom we have to report, because we want to export our Landcruisers to Mongolia that evening. The formalities for leaving the country take a full four hours… Gradually we get used to the Chinese pace of life and are no longer surprised when we have to wait for a further two hours in order to refuel. For the first time we also fill up our spare cans. We spend the last night in China romantically in tents on a hilly, grass-covered camp site. We have little idea what we will have to face the next day.

 
The next morning begins with early morning sports: our Landcruisers "Great Wall" and "Tiger" will only push-start. From now on we have this exercise every day. We have 164 kilometres in front of us until we reach the border. Or rather, the border fuss. In the midst of sand and gravel roads each camera and each laptop are meticulously examined. The customs officers determine which photos can be kept and which have to be deleted. Allegedly, photographing landscapes is not permitted.

After a customs inspection lasting about four hours we leave (admittedly slightly annoyed) the Republic of China and drive along very good asphalt roads to our first Mongolian destination: Bulgan. The town has about 16,300 inhabitants and even an airport. Actually we only want to exchange some money. "We can't do that now - it's the end of the month" is the answer, which surprises us somewhat. We drive on towards the Altai Mountains, ford our first river and find a beautiful campsite right next to the river. The "Hilux" has its first flat tyre at the rear left.

Sixth day: the road gradually winds its way upwards along the river. We share the gravel road with overloaded trucks, little mopeds, herds of cattle and Mongolian families who are transporting all their possessions on a few camels. We guess that this is a nomad family which is relocating….

We cross a pass at an altitude of about 3,000 metres and drive across the high plain towards Altai. There is a little clattering: the first panels beneath the floor pan need to be retightened, and about 180 kilometres from our destination we notice the roof rack of the "Tiger" Landcruiser has not stood up to the weight of the cans of diesel - a bracket has broken. We tie up everything temporarily and transfer the luggage as a precaution. Very happily and without any further breakdowns we reach our hotel at about half-past nine.

We start the day pleasantly, and have learned something: the sub-floor panels of all of the vehicles are checked and tightened. At the same time we also learn how to repair tyres - the "Great Wall" has its first flat tyre. We are only able to leave Altai at about one in the afternoon. Gravel roads take us through the deserted stormy steppes with mountains in the background. At times we can only drive 20 kmh. Towards evening we cross one of the mountain ranges which we have been admiring all day, and after some searching we find a relatively calm place in the mountains to stay the night. Just in time - Landcruiser "South Seas" has a breakdown - fortunately only a cable has come loose. We are lucky…

We have learned something else: we must start out earlier, otherwise it gets too late in the evening… The next morning we set out very early, cross the Altai Mountains and drive east along gravel roads. We pass several small settlements of yurts. The necessary refuelling stop is an adventure in itself: the pump is operated by hand. Our route takes us along the edge of the Gobi Desert and through the "petrified forest" of Ulaan Shand. In the evening we find a nice place in the sand dunes, conjure up a delicious evening meal (the sand in the food hardly bothers us at all) and let the day come to an end with a glass of wine by the camp fire.

The next day we are off to the "Vultures' Gorge" - called the Yolin Am Gorge in Mongolian. Before that we drive through the Gobi Gurvan Saykhan National Park, which gives us an impression of how mighty the desert can be. At the edges of the road, sand dunes rise up to 30 metres high. But we are shocked by something else - a radio message: "I have just lost my wheel", reports one of our Landcruisers. Fortunately it is only a broken bolt and we are able to drive on a short time later.
In the early afternoon we reach the "Vultures' Gorge". What a contrast to the desert through which we have just driven. Across ice sheets(!) we penetrate ever further into the canyon and after the steppes and the desert we enjoy the precipitous cliff scenery and the green trees in the canyon. This evening we spend the night in a well set-up yurt camp - and we enjoy our first warm shower for three days and wash the sand, sweat and dirt from our bodies.

Clean and rested we start the new day and travel further north. The scenery is similar to that of the previous days - but this time there are no little stops to repair the vehicles. No flat tyres, all sub-floor plates secure, no cracked bolts or apparent engine faults. At up to 80 kmh we make rapid progress. We spend the night in a yurt camp beyond Mandalgobi, a small town with about 10,000 inhabitants. However no day ends without a surprise… For the evening meal there is a local speciality: a goat is specially slaughtered for us and we eat "Goat in Milk Pot".

The next morning we start on the last leg of our tour - the onward journey to Ulan Bator, the end of this stage of the XWORLD Tour. In comparison with the past few days, the region which we drive through today is densely populated. Once again we enjoy the steppes and the beautiful Mongolian scenery, before we once again have asphalt under our wheels after almost 2,000 kilometres of sand, gravel and boulders. When we arrive in Ulan Bator, we check into a hotel and enjoy the luxury of civilisation."