Skiingthesilkroad.com Introducing the story of a group a good mates from New Zealand setting out to ski the length of the silk road – from Beijing to Venice – exploring skiing’s cultures and origins.

Overview

Skiing the Silk Road is an expedition which encapsulates the spirit of adventure and exploration that we hope to foster in younger generations. The search for something different, looking for the unknown in travel, the most epic road trip on earth undertaken for the first time from a skier’s perspective. We are going on a journey along the Silk Road from Beijing to Venice, to ski in the backcountry of some of the most remote areas on earth, while exploring the history, cultures and origins of skiing throughout a diverse range of political, geographical and economic situations. We hope to share our story with the masses through video blogs and ultimately, a feature length documentary.

The Route

Beginning in Beijing, China, we will travel west across China, into Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and then cross into Turkmenistan. From here the group splits down two paths; one to Iran and the Alborz mountains, the other across the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Georgia. After linkting up again in Turkey we will travel northwest to Bulgaria, then through Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, and finish up in the birth place of Marco Polo – Venice, Italy. The whole trip is to be completed overland using local trains, buses, cars, bikes and by foot. A map of our approximate route is currently under construction and can be viewed below thanks to the genius of Google.

Webisode 1 – Chopsticks and Trains

Webisode 2 – Disco Taxis and Vodka

Webisode 3 – Pillow Lines and Plov