One Steppe Ahead
An expedition to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Sir Charles Howard-Bury’s travels through the Tien Shan Mountains.
Kyrgyz soldiers travelling along the Kyrgyzstan steppe border China
Conten ts: 1. Introduction
2. Aims and objectives 3. Team Overview - Charles Howard-Bury biography - Jamie Maddison biography - Matthew Traver biography 4.
Our journey: Overview and Stages
5. Challenges 6. Itinerary 7. Q&A 8. Sponsorship and support
Dusk on the rolling sub-hills near the 9. Training and micro-projects Djangart region, Kyrgyzstan (Jamie Maddison, 2010)
1. 1. Introducti Introducti on: on: In 2013, Jamie and Matt will re-trace Charles Howard-Bury’s inspiring, yet little known 30,000km overland grand circuit through the Eurasian Continent. Departing 100 years from the day of Charles’ original journey, Jamie and Matt will travel by train, boat, horseback and bicycle to complete this historical route. Through completing this journey they hope to raise awareness about this little-known explorer and offer others an opportunity to learn about history,
Kaichi Valley, Kyrgyzstan/China border (Jamie Maddison, 2010)
2. Aims and objectives: Primary objective:
- To re-trace the route taken by Charles Howard-Bury. Secondary objectives: - Complete first ascents and exploration in the Jungar Alatau of eastern Kazakhstan. - To document the journey through photography, writing and the production of a documentary film. Aims: -To travel entirely overland and to set an example of low-carbon travel as alternative for modern day expeditions and general travel. -To stimulate interest in the geography, culture and history of Central Asia to the wider public. - To raise public awareness of Charles Howard-Bury as a notable British explorer. - Comprehensive documentation of our journey through photography, writing and video, with an aim to publish articles, a book and a film. Evening in the Central Kokshaal-Too range, Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan
Jamie and Matt met whilst on a climbing expedition to the Djangart region of Kyrgyzstan in 2010. Whilst in base camp, Jamie was first introduced to Lt. Sir Charles Howard-Bury through reading Marian Keaney’s account of his travels through the Tien Shan mountains in her book, ‘Mountains of Heaven’. Although Charles has long since passed away, he will travel with us in spirit as we follow in his footsteps and come to understand more about who he was, the experiences he encountered along the way and how he has contributed to our modern day knowledge and understanding of culture, history, adventure and exploration. Along with Charles, Jamie and Matt comprise a team capable and experienced in photography, film making, climbing, journalism, public speaking and expedition planning.
3. Team overview 3. Team
Sir Charles Howard-Bury
Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury (15 August 1881 - 20 September 1963) was originally a British soldier, who later became a noted explorer, botanist, philanthropist and Conservative politician.
He is most well-known for leading the first reconnaissance expedition to Mount Everest in 1921. However, he also completed a number of trips within the Eurasian continent during the early 20th Century, his most notable being his journey through the Tien Shan mountains.
Jamie www.punchjournalist.co.uk Maddison
Jamie Maddison is a freelance journalist and photographer with a passion for expeditions, adventure and outdoor reporting. His assignments have taken him far and wide; from the serene forests outside of Fontainebleau, to unexplored valleys in the Tien Shan Mountains, through to adventurous climbing in South Africa’s Cederberg Rocklands. His articles regularly appear in the UK national climbing magazine ‘Climber’ as well as a variety of other mountaineering publications and websites. Always willing to travel, no matter how remote or insecure the destination, Jamie is an ideal documenter for those keen and adventurous souls intent E-mail: on jamie.benjamin.maddison@gmail.com exploring lost and forgotten cornersTel: of the Earth, wherever they may lie.
Matthew www.matthewtraver.com Traver
Matthew Traver is originally from Hong Kong and is a British and American national, currently residing in the UK. He is the founder and managing director of Beast Products Ltd., a caving and outdoor equipment manufacturer. He has organized, participated in and lead a number of expeditions, such as the first ascent of the Dragon’s Horns West Face on Tioman Island, Malaysia. In 2010 he was the British leader for an expedition to the Djangart region, a sub-range of the KokshallToo Mountains, which borders with Kyrgyzstan and China.
Some of Matt’s current projects include E-mail: matthewtraver@gmail.com Tel: +44(0)7791 486 802 ‘China by Kayak’ – a world’s first sea kayaking
4. Our journey: Overview
Departing from Mullingar, Ireland exactly one hundred years to the day, we will follow the original route taken by Charles Howard-Bury. Our journey will take us 30,000km overland, through 20+ countries to complete this historical and grand circuit through the Eurasian Continent. In order to complete the trip we will utilise a mixture of trains, horseback, ferry and barge just as Charles did. Bicycles will be used between Almaty, Kazakhstan and Tashkent, Uzbekistan in order to make the numerous border crossings between these points more efficient.
Stage 1: Ireland to Moscow, Russia 1. Belvedere House, Mullingar, Westmeath to Dublin, Ireland (bicycle) (4Co.days) 82.7km. 2. Dublin to Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales (ferry), 1 1 8km. 3. Holyhead to London St. Pancras, England (train), 442km. 4. London St. Pancras to Berlin, Germany (train) via Brussels, Cologne, Bielefeld and Hanover 1107km. 5. Berlin to Warsaw, Poland (train), 561km. 6. Warsaw to Moscow, Russia (train) via Brest, Minsk, Krasnoye and Smolensk. 1401 km
Stage 2: Moscow to Omsk, 1. Moscow Kazanskaia station to Penza 1 station (#N052 train) via days). Riazan 2Russia (Ryazan), Riajsk(2 1, Kenzino, Verda, Morshansk, Vernadovka, Bashmakovo, Pachelma and Belinskaia 555km.
2. Penza 1 to Omsk (#N124, 134 or 097 trains) via Ufa and Note: Please note that this is a general domestic train service and Chelyabinsk. is not to be confused with the Trans-Siberian railway. Our intended route takes us through Morshansk, Ufa and Chelyabinsk, the same towns which Howard-Bury passed through
Stage 3: Omsk to Semey, Kazakhstan (5 days). 1. Omsk to Semey (aka Semipalatinsk) via
Karaagash, Russia/Kazakhstan border crossing (bicycle on M38 and/or ferry/barge hitching up Irtysh River), 1000km.
Stage 4: Semey to Horgos border crossing, Xinjiang Province, China (10 days) 1. Semey to Sergiopol/Ayagoz (horseback), 340km – 2. Sergiopol/Ayagoz to Lepsy via Tanshik and Lake Balkash (horseback), 230km – 3. Lepsy to Kapal (horseback), 200km. 4. Kapal to Kugalinsk (horseback), 300km. 5. Kugalinsk to Zharkent (horseback), 40km. 6. Zharkent to Horgos border crossing, Xinjiang Province, Note: China Our horses will rest at Zharkent (bicycle), 25km and await for our return from China. Due to border restrictions and for logistical purposes we are unable to
Stage 5: Horgos border to Gulja/Yining, Xinjiang Province, 1. Horgos to Gulja (bicycle), via China to Jungar Huocheng, 100km Alatau, 2. VisitKazakhstan Gulja, China 3. Gulja to Horgos border (2 days) crossing (bicycle), 100km
4. Horgos to Zharkent (bicycle), Kazakhstan, 50km
Stage 6: Jungar Alatau exploration 1. Zharkent directly north over and first ascents
the Jungar Alatau range and in to the Little Kustai, Big Kustai, Tekes, Jirgalan, Kinsu, Karagai Tash and Kurdai Valleys (horse), 200km – during our exploration of the Jungar Alatau we will travel over a number of high passes above 3000m, such as the Sarytin Pass and cross the Karatal River. Whilst rediscovering the areas visited by Howard-Bury, we also hope to venture in to the remote NE
Stage 7: Across Southern Kazakhstan and in to (4100km days): 1. Jungar Alatau toKyrgyzstan Ili River (horse), – via the Altyn Emel National Park and Kapshagai Reservoir.
2. Ili River to Almaty (horse), 130km – our arrival in Almaty signifies the end of horseriding and from this point we will change over to and ground transportation. Note: Negating the bicycles use of horses after Almaty is a necessary logistical requirement due to the strict national laws barring livestock from crossing international borders. Therefore we are required to use bicycles to allow for smooth travel through the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border crossings and beyond to Tashkent.
Stage 8 – Almaty to Tashkent, Uzbekistan via Kyrgyzstan (5 days): 1. Almaty to Tokmok border crossing, Kyrgyzstan (bicycle), 300km – passing due north of Ile-Alatau, National Park, Kazakhstan 2. Tokmok to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (bicycle), 50km. 3. Bishkek to Merke border crossing, Kazakhstan (bicycle), 119km 4. Merke to Shymkent, Kazakhstan (bicycle), 336km via M39. 5. Shymkent to Tashkent, Uzbekistan (bicycle, train or bus), via M39 south, 135km.
Stage 9 - Tashkent to Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan days): 1. Tashkent to(3 Bukhara (train), 547km via Samarkand.
2. Bukhara to Turkmenabat border crossing, Turkmenistan (train), 137km
Stage 10 - Turkmenbashi to Baku, Azerbaijan via Caspian Sea ferry (2 Turkmenbashi to Baku, Azerbaijan (ferry), 250km days): via Caspian Sea.
Stage 11 - Baku to Istanbul, Turkey via Azerbaijan and Georgia (5 days): 1. Baku to Balakan border crossing (train), 393km via M4 road – passing Ismailli and Ilisu State Reserves.
2. Balakan to Tbilisi, Georgia (train), 181km 3. Tbilisi to Sarpi border crossing (train), 381km 4. Sarpi/Sarp, Turkey to Istanbul (train), 1250km via Black Sea highway.
Stage 12 – Istanbul to Belvedere House, Mullingar, Ireland via Eastern and Western 1. Istanbul to London St. Pancras UK(5 via Bucharest, Europe days): Budapest, Munich and
Paris (train), 3125km – passing through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Austria, Germany and France. 2. London St. Pancras to Holyhead, Anglesey, Wales (train), 442km. 3. Holyhead to Dublin, Ireland (ferry), 118km.
River fords
Crossing remote mountain regions
5. Challenges few of the challenges we expect to face on our
A few of the challenges we expect to face on our expedition include: expedition include:
Off-road
Long distance horseba ck
6. Itinerary:
1. May 1st – Depart Ireland via boat and train to Moscow, Russia 2. May 5th - Depart Moscow to Omsk, Russia via train
3. May 7th – Depart Omsk for Semey, Kazakhstan via Irtysh River (boat and bike) 4. May 12th – Arrive in Semey and depart for Horgos border crossing, China (horseback) 5. June 10th – Arrive at Horgos border and cross in to Gulja China (bicycle) 6. June 11th – Return from Horgos to Zharkent, Kazakhstan 7. June 13th – Depart Zharkent for the Jungar Alatau 8. June 15th to 22nd – Arrive in Jungar Alatau, explore via horseback and climb. 9. June 23rd to 30th – Jungar Alatau to Almaty (horseback) 10.July 1st to 3rd – Arrive in Almaty, dispatch horses and prepare bicycles 11.July 4th to 11th – Cycle from Almaty to Tashkent, Uzbekistan 12.July 12th to 16th – Tashkent to Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan via train Wild and open valleys near Chiimtash in the Thalassian Mountains of Kazakhstan/Uzbekistan
7. Sponsorship and Our expedition represents a unique opportunity in public support exposure for both companies and organisations. We
therefore welcome any offer of assistance and in return we will provide you with: # An extensive expedition report, with a specific mention of your assistance. # Royalty free usage of any expedition photographs for media and publication purposes within your establishment. # Long-term exposure of your support on our website with a direct link to your webpage. # An opportunity for further exposure through any lectures, publications and films produced prior to the expedition. # A complimentary round-up talk to those in your establishment may also be arranged upon your request. # Bespoke publications and films to suit your specific needs.
he long road and vast open plains towards Koktal, Kazakhstan (Dewaele, 2009: http://tinyurl.com/3vz7cxe)
8. Q&A: What is the purpose of this expedition ? The purpose of the expedition is to raise awareness about Charles Howard-Bury’s little known, yet inspiring, overland adventure from Ireland to Central Asia and back.
What planning and preparation is required?
How will the expedition benefit others?
Currently the biggest task is to organize the general logistics of travelling between the various countries, particularly those in Central Asia.
We feel that our expedition will help to stimulate interest in global culture, geography and history through the medium of adventure and exploration.
In addition to this, Furthermore our the largest skill we post-expedition are currently talks and obtaining is horsedocumentation of riding and horse the journey will care. serve as inspiration Early morning light fills the infrequently visited N2 Glacier, Djangart Region, for others to travel Kyrgyzstan (Jamie Maddison, 2010 )
9. Training and microIn the lead up to One Steppe projects: Ahead, Jamie and Matt are planning to conduct a series of micro-projects to help gain significant publicity for the expedition.
Some of the projects include: -‘The jolly gentleman’s bike ride’ – a 430 mile cycle between London and Mullingar, Ireland – Charles Howard-Bury’s home - Long distance horse riding and training in western Mongolia.
www.onesteppeahead.com
One Steppe