I actually found the place by luck, I didn’t ask anyone for directions, I just drove my car up and down the peninsula of Nouadhibou. I wanted to get an overview of one of the most dilapidated cities I had ever seen. This is where Iron Ore Train ends, one of the longest trains in the world, which makes Nouadhibou the most important area in poor Mauritania.

When A White Western Woman Enters The Office Of The Mauritanian Railway Authorities.

So here I was, walking into the shed of the Mauritanian Railway Authorities to enquire about the possibility to transport my car and myself to Choum, approximately 500 km east of Nouadhibou. The deal was done in the blink of an eye. With one place still available, I could put my car on the train. I only had to decide immediately, since the train was about to leave. I quickly checked my water and food supply, which would last for some days and gave it a go. 120 Euros for the car plus myself was a fair price and within the next couple of minutes, my car was loaded and tied to a platform for vehicles. My ticket said no passengers in the car, but nobody obliged when I asked if I could spend the journey in or on the car. I started making arrangements for the coming 30 hours: water, food, snacks were all at hand, towel, toothbrush and toilet paper on the dashboard, cameras and mobile phone as well within easy reach. Check, check, double check.

It took hours of turning switches, pulling the wagons and platforms up and down the tracks, back and forth to have them all in right position ready for the long journey East. Finally, around 8pm, after seven hours of waiting (talk about an immediate decision making), everything was set and the train took off honking repeatedly, taking the endless semicircle track out of Nouadhibou.

A Long, Rocking Night, The Most Beautiful Sunrise And A Frustrating Awakening.

Even with 40° Celsius during daytime, temperatures drop fast and I was happy that I had blankets and a sleeping bag nearby. Lying outstretched in the back of my station wagon, the night was almost comfortable… well not really, but better than expected. Nights in the desert are cold and pitch-black. I knew this from my trips across the Sahara Desert in the 70s & 80s and so I wasn’t able to see anything when the train stopped at night. I just heard voices somewhere in the distance. The position of my platform was near the end of the train, so I was not bothered by anyone during the night.

Morning arrived and I watched a beautiful sunrise while the train tugged leisurely into Choum. The wind had covered everything with layers of sand mixed with dust of iron ore from the wagons. Choum was actually the place where I had planned to get off, but I quickly realised that there was no loading off point for cars. “Sorry Madam, next stop for unloading cars is Zouérat” I was told, though in the guys in Nouadhibou had told me otherwise. Unloading cars in Choum was only recently stopped, so there was no chance for me to get off here. This was a bit upsetting, because it would put me approximately 200 km in the wrong direction, but I couldn’t do anything about it. I sat back down on top of my car and looked into the Mauritanian desert.

The toilet situation was a bit of a hassle. It was a new experience for sure. Hanging out of the car, hanging on to the platform needed concentration, one wrong move and you could fall off. I got the hang of it after a couple of times.

From Hero To Zero.

Another few hours further, with lots of stops in between, the train finally pulled into Zouérat. Again, the turning of switches, pulling and pushing of wagons took two hours until my platform finally came to a halt somewhere in the middle of nowhere. All I could see was how the Diesel locomotive pulled away.

Close by, though lightyears away, I could see the unloading facility for cars. Another platform was already loaded for the trip back to Nouadhibou, while my car was just a stone throw away, without a chance of getting off. This was very annoying and put my patience to the test. I asked several officers and workers when my car would be unloaded and I got the same answer every time “In a while Madam”. In Africa, “in a while” can mean one hour, five hours, 12 hours or more than 24 hours. Time runs slow here. So, after waiting another three hours in the soaring heat, with someone occasionally walking by, noticing my impatience yet not doing anything, my nerves went rock bottom. I stepped down from platform and walked along the railway tracks up to the station office and demanded to speak to the station master.

Mauritanians are generally very polite people but are definitely not used to talking to Western (female) tourists. The country is dominated by males, especially in this business. Politeness is very helpful and I demanded politely to see the station master. It took a while until one of the men started to move to show me the way to his office. After a couple of minutes, this guy came out of his office with some other officers in tow, and was frankly quite irritated to see a Western woman demanding to speak to him. I explained my situation and he and the others didn’t seem to be bothered at all and said that my car would be unloaded in a while. Then it was over, my nerves collapsed and I started crying.

My breakdown changed the entire situation. The officers stared at me and my crying, not sure whether to be astonished or shocked and immediately started talking in their local language. After a minute of discussion, the station master said I should stop crying, they will immediately start the Diesel locomotive and will unload my car within 10 minutes.

What more can I say? The station master guided me to his car, drove me back to my car and presented me with a big box of water bottles. During my breakdown, I might have also mentioned that I was running out of water, which I hoped would increase the unloading process, and he must have really felt sorry for me. It didn’t take long and my platform was towed up and down the tracks to bring me to the unloading section. The car was unlocked from the platform, I drove down and followed the station masters car until I was on the right road back to Choum where I actually had planned to get off.

This evening I stopped near a military checkpoint along the road and asked for permission to sleep nearby, since there was no hotel to be found anywhere. I set up my tent and fell asleep immediately.

The Iron Ore Train fills its 2.5 km of wagons (which is the second longest on earth) with the iron ore and then heads back to the coastal city of Nouadhibou.

The view off the coast of Mauritania’s Bay of Nouadhibou used to be spotted with rusting hulks in every direction. Today, this Ship Breaking Yard is almost gone, due to an injection of capital from the Chinese.

The Mauritanian Railways opened in 1963. It consists of a single, 704 km railway line linking the iron mining centre of Zouérat with the port of Nouadhibou.

Two or three trains make a daily departure to pick up iron ore from a mine in Eastern Mauritania.

Uploading my car onto the Iron Ore Train in Nouadhibou was already an adventure itself.

While the Iron Ore Train snakes its way through Mauritania, you’ll come across wrecks from all sorts of vehicles – here, old Diesel locomotives that were once in use have been parked.

Wrecks are a normal sight when riding through Mauritania on the Iron Ore Train.

One thing is for sure: the sunset and sunrise while on the Iron Ore Train in Mauritania were some of the most beautiful ones I have ever encountered.

Sitting on top of the Iron Ore Train, while looking at nothing around you but the Mauritanian desert, is an experience of a lifetime.

The bulk cargo train travels from the Sahara desert to the coast through dry nowhere to transport valuable minerals across Mauritania.

The Mauritania Railway serves not only as the sole connection between remote locations and the country’s only major shipping port, Nouadhibou, but as free transport for locals seeking to travel from isolated communities to the coast.

The Sahara desert lived up to its nickname, ‘the White Man’s Grave’, as temperatures during the day sore to a blistering 50° Celsius.

The Iron Ore Train is up to 2.5 kilometres long, making it one of the longest and heaviest in the world. It normally consist of 3 or 4 diesel-electric EMD locomotives, around 200 cars each carrying up to 84 tons of iron ore, and 2-3 service cars. The total traffic averages is 16.6 million tons per year.

Nouadhibou is the second largest city in Mauritania and serves as a major commercial centre and is the country’s economic capital, due to being the final stop of the Iron Ore Train.

The Legend Of The Erg Chebbi Sand Dunes.

Morocco might not the the first destination that comes to mind when thinking about skyscraper high sand dunes, but think again! With Zagora and Merzouga you’ll find two great gateways for a true Sahara desert experience. Our road trip would lead us to Merzouga, a small village only approximately 20km from the Algerian border and on the edge of Erg Chebbi.

A Moroccan legend says that the Erg Chebbi sand dunes were sent by God as a punishment because a wealthy family refused to accommodate a poor woman with her son. Moroccans believe that the dunes piled up outside Merzouga and buried them underneath to teach them a lesson so that they would never refuse to help a tired traveller ever again.

The sand dunes here fulfill Morocco’s promise as a dream desert destination. But unlike in the old days when my parents travelled through Africa, Merzouga is now easily accessible due to the paved road. This has it’s prince: during high season convoys of 4WD’s race across the area and you won’t be able to get photos without people in them (like the ones below).

In winter, temperatures are only slightly above 10 degrees during the day, which keeps many tourists away. For us, it was perfect, because we had the dunes to ourselves. Driving into Merzouga, we immediately recognised the only open Quad shop: Sahara ATV Quad Adventure.

Off We Go: Sand Dunes, Here We Come!

We booked a two-hour ride and only a couple of minutes later, we were on our way. Mohammed was our guide and I’m sure that at first he though something like “here we go again with two chicks who probably don’t know how to drive…”. Well, he realised pretty quickly, that we were not your ordinary girls. Faster, higher is what we wanted. Mohammed took us to the very top of the sand dunes and we had the most spectacular view of the area! With only the sound of the wind, not a single person in site and the taste of sand in your mouth made the experience absolutely unforgettable!

The dunes of Erg Chebbi reach a height of up to 150 meters in places and altogether it spans an area of 50 kilometers from north to south and up to 5–10 kilometers from east to west.

The highest dunes are those near, or just south of, Merzouga itself, peaking with the aptly named Grand Dune de Merzouga, a golden mountain recognisable.

Erg Chebbi is one of Morocco’s two Saharan ergs near the small village of Merzouga. And erg is a large sea of dunes formed by wind-blown sand. The other is Erg Chigaga near M’hamid (south of Zagora).

On top of the highest sand dune of the Erg Chebbi. What a view?!

A berber walks along the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi.

When trying your luck with the Erg Chebbi sand dunes, be sure to know what you’re doing, or you’ll end up digging…

The view from up the top of the Erg Chebbi sand dunes was absolutely sunning. On one side, you see the Algerian border, on the other side the village of Merzouga and Hassilabied.

The Erg Chebbi sand dunes are spectacular at any time of day, but late afternoon was really the best time to view them.

The West Coast of the United States is a popular road trip destination among tourists and locals. Driving from South to North (or vice versa) will offer spectacular views, amazing national parks and vibrant cities. From Los Angeles to San Francisco you’ll either drive along the scenic and legendarily Highway 1, or along the faster inland route Highway 101. One of California’s most beautiful cities lies along the way: Santa Barbara.

It’s not for nothing that Santa Barbara is a fancied wedding destination and a popular weekend getaway for towners. There are plenty of reasons: the superb location along the ocean, the beautiful beaches of its surroundings, the European-Mediterranean architecture and of course the hiking trails. Santa Barbara offers some of the best day-hikes in California.

Beach Hikes In Santa Barbara.

A hike along Santa Barbara’s beautiful coastline is a must. Clifftop trails offer breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Harbor seals are a common sight and if you’re lucky, dolphins and even whales can be seen not far from shore. Some of the hikes are along the beach while others are on the top of beachside bluffs. Watch out for high tide through, because some of the beach trails can be inaccessible or your return trip can be cutoff during high tide.

Santa Barbara has some amazing beached along the Central California coastline with a Mediterranean feel.

The Golden State is the perfect getaway spot.

Watching the surfers while walking along the coastline of Santa Barbara can be really relaxing.

Mountain Hikes In Santa Barbara.

Just behind Santa Barbara County lie the beautiful Santa Ynez Mountains. This range forms a stunning green backdrop for the American Riviera as Santa Barbara is often referred to. There are many trails along these mountains, visiting quiet canyons & waterfalls, and several tranquil overlooks with stunning ocean views. Keep an eye out for poison oak and bring plenty of water!

An early morning hike in the mountains of Santa Barbara County is strongly recommended to soak up the atmosphere and to recharge your batteries.

Whether you’re experienced, or prefer shorter walks, Santa Barbara offers hikes for every fitness level.

The cemeteries we’re used to are all (more or less) the same: tombstones either next or atop of each other (like for example the Jewish Cemetery in Prague), walkways through the various paths, smaller and larger mausoleums as well as flowers decoration one or the other grave. So when we first heard about hanging coffins high up on cliffs, it sounded quite strange, but our world is huge and packed with different customs and rituals.

From One Bus To The Next: The Normal Way Of Travelling In China.

Our last summer journey brought us to China again. We flew into Chongqing, a city that’s an experience itself not only due to it’s enormous size. We only had 10 days to explore the city and the hanging coffins southeast of Chongqing. Sounds enough, but when travelling through China, you can never be sure where to end up due to the language barrier so a time buffer is strongly advised.

From Chongqing we had to travel to Yibin. A lady at the airports tourism facility booth helped us in securing a seat on a bus the next day. Busses depart straight from the airport to many destinations near or far from Chongqing. The ticket booth and the bus station are located right next to the domestic airport (the international airport is approx. 500 meters away and it’s easy to walk there, even with luggage). There are also other bus stations in the city near the Northern and Southern train stations, but since we don’t speak Mandarine and locals outside of Beijing don’t really understand English, this was our best bet to arrive where we actually anticipated to.

Next Destination: Luobiao.

Once we got to Yibin, we had to transfer again. This meant a local trip through Yibin to get to the right bus station. You can take a taxi if you want to skip all these mini adventures, but it was fun and we got a look at Yibin at the same time. Some of our fellow passengers immediately had an idea where we were headed and directed us to the right bus. After we got to the southern outskirts of Yibin, we hopped onto our transport to Luobiao.

After approximately three hours, leaving the Yangtze River behind us, we arrived in Luobiao, in the area of Xuanguan (which means hanging coffin in Chinese). We didn’t bother with accommodation, and went with what we came across. Right next to the bus station was a hotel that had a nice room with great view and free Wi-Fi. We rested a little while and started exploring.

Some Practicalities:

• You’ll come across a hotel near the bus station for about 80 RMB per night. It’s nothing too fancy, but good enough for what one needs.
• A local market in the morning gives you all the necessary food options.
• The bus back to Yibin leaves early in the morning. And at around 9.00 am, a bus leaves to Gongxian. From here you can take another bus to Bamboo Sea another attraction in the area, but with hordes of local tourists.

In Persuit Of Ghosts: Hanging Coffings Of Luobiao.

As it was already evening, we didn’t venture far out, but the town looked promising, with the strange feeling of being in persuit of ghosts. So early next morning we were on our way to check out these mysterious hanging coffins. The lush valleys and cool mists of southwestern Sichuan province is truly astonishing: beautiful rice paddies, small farm houses, the most friendly people working their crops and only now and then you hear a truck passing by. We didn’t come across any western tourists and even Chinese tourists are a rare sight. This part of the world does not only seem far away from civilisation, but it actually is.

The hanging coffins of the Bo people, a Chinese ethnic minority, have puzzled historians for generations. Nailed into the cliffs high above the farmland, hundreds of wooden coffins keep silent watch over the valleys below. Over the years, several coffins have fallen down, but you get a good impression on how many must have once hung there by counting all the holes carved into the mountains. The Bo tribe was exterminated in the days of the Ming Dynasty and these coffins are the only relict. It seems obvious that little now is known of them, who they were, or how they lived.

The hanging coffins are really interesting, but what fascinated us even more was the atmosphere and feeling we had when wandering through the rice paddies, as well as the hospitality of the local people. We definitely left Luobiao with a big smile.

We started wandering along the path to the first set of hanging coffins and then further up into a huge cave with ruined structures inside it. The view from up here was breathtaking!

The handing coffins were a unique burial custom of the Bo people was carried out to prevent the dead bodies from being eaten by wild animals and was also believed to be a way for the soul of the deceased to gain an eternal blessing.

If you enjoy peace and quite, then the area of Luobiao is the right sport for you. Here you can truly disconnect from the outer world and experience nature at its best.

The hanging coffins are interesting no doubt, but the experiences we had with the local people, as well as the atmosphere and nature of the Luobiao area deserves just as much attention!

The hanging coffin was a widespread form of burial in ancient southwest China, but the practice ended with the mysterious disappearance of the Bo People.

Luobiao is located in a small river valley with some of the most impressive vegetation we’ve come across.

Some believe the hanging coffins of the Bo people must have been lowered down with ropes from the top of the mountain. Some think the coffins had been put in place using wooden stakes inserted into the cliff face to be used as artificial climbing aids. Others believe that scaling ladders or timber scaffolds were used. However, investigators have failed to find even a single stake hole.

The market in Luobiao offers everything you expect from a market in China: live animals, fresh fruits and vegetables and lots of street vendors.

Getting Ready For Our African Adventure.

After travelling through western Africa a few times, the idea to visit Sudan, the Central African Republic and the back then called Zaire (nowadays Democratic Republic of the Congo) stuck with me. In those days, most of the western population has never even heard of these countries. Beside the occasional cruelty report of course (e.g. King Bokassa of the Central African Republic doing shitty things, or President Mobutu Sese Seko becoming a megalomaniac, of course the first Ebola outbreak and Aids was linked down there as well…). This idea of mine went into the final stage with the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 truck – only the best would do for this trip (until then, we’ve travelled Africa with an Dodge WC52, a Mercedes-Benz Unimog 411 truck, a Gräf & Stift truck, and and outside broadcasting van from the Austrian Broadcasting cooperation). We added a huge tailored aluminium cube onto the back that served as our miniflat; bedroom, kitchen, storage, sink and closet. The roof rack was used for the transportation of fuel, water supplies, spare tyres and a place to set up the tent at night when the weather was fine. This also gave us some sort protection, because from the top of the vehicle we could scan the area around us better. Nisa’s baby cot was stored between the front seats. I have to admit that everything was a bit cramped, but we were happy to set off to these countries that were hardly ever visited by people just for fun. Oh and of course we had a dog with us as well. The Maier family was set and ready to leave.

This is how we travelled through Africa: a Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 truck, a tent, a dog and lots of food, water & Diesel supplies.

Entering Egypt In Alexandria And Continuing To The Nile Valley.

We drove down to Greece via former Yugoslavia. From Athens to Crete by local ferry and from Crete to Alexandria with a huge car/passenger ship. In Egypt, the real adventure started.

It took quite some hours to get the permission to enter Egypt with a private car. We had all the relevant papers (Carnet de Passages, etc.), but in Egypt one needed local number plates as a temporary registration with a local insurance…to cut a long story short, we waited for hours to get all these requirements. The only issue that we had worried about before, turned out to be a non issue at customs: the dog.

We spent the first night sleeping on our roof rack right in front of the pyramids in Giza. It would have been a stunning night, but the barking dogs around us made it impossible. We were told that there are occasional dog chasers if things ran out of control (rabies was a big issue). Sometimes we even had hordes of dogs following us when driving along the Nile river, and at times it was impossible to get out of the car. And when there were no dogs around, we were immediately surrounded by hordes of children once we stopped. It was an exciting trip through Egypt indeed, nevertheless the Nile Valley is one of the densest populated areas in the world, so we didn’t have a single moment without people – even when sneaking behind a bush for our private business one had interested company…

Egypt has been called the gift of the Nile, for without the river it could not exist as a fertile, populous country. Its character and history have been shaped by the stark contrast between the fecund Nile Valley and its Delta, and the arid wastes that surround them.

A main attraction of Farafra is its White Desert, known as Sahara el Beyda. The White Desert is a national park. The deserts centrepieces are the snow-white to cream coloured rocks.

The desert landscape in Egypt sometimes really looked like out of space.

Off We Were To Aswan To Enter Sudan On A Barge.

Contrary to the Nile Valley, Dhakla and Farafra Oasis in the western part of Egypt are remote. Only sparsely populated villages can be found here. For hundreds of kilometres not a single soul can be seen along the road. It was quite a unique experience to camp between strange rock formations without any noise at all except our own heartbeats. The only light came up from the sky (I’ve never seen more stars than that night).

Finally, after visiting the valley of the Kings in Luxor, we arrived in Aswan, home to the Abu Simbel temples and the reservoir dam from where you can travel to Sudan by barge. This is how we wanted to enter Sudan. We’ve done exactly the same a few years before, back then with a smaller car, which made the shifting onboard easy. But now with our big truck, the complications started. First they always tell you that is ‘s possible, but for how much money? Secondly, the timing wasn’t ideal: our Sudanese visa was almost expired, and we were told that you have to arrive in the country a certain amount of time before the visa expires. And thirdly, this barge that would have carried our baby really looked a bit too worn out.

Aswan has always been an important strategic point. For us it would be our entering point to Sudan.

The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, located beneath the cliffs at Deir el Bahari on the west bank of the Nile near the Valley of the Kings.

Making New Friends & Decisions.

Decision needed to be made. We sat in Aswan on the one and only campground (if that’s what you want to call it), in the middle of the town with hustle and bustle day and night. It was rather an empty lot where the occasional overland traveller took shelter. The decision was made the next evening when a big MAN truck, followed by two BMW cross-country motorbikes, pulled in.

It only took a bottle of whatever and a bit of brainstorming and our goal was clear. Since there was no chance to get a permission to enter Sudan from Egypt legally (officials had told us there were some incidents with lost travellers in the past), this Austrian-German-Canadian convoy would cross the Egyptian-Sudanese boarder illegally through the desert.

Our Austrian-German-Canadian convoy that would cross the Sudanese-Egyptian border illegally: our Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406, a MAN truck and two BMW’s motorbikes.

Our Plan: Map, Compass & Sand Dunes.

Our plan was to leave the road into the desert at nighttime. The two Canadians with their BMW’s would drive in front; they were a lot faster and able to check for possible traces of presumed border patrol cars. Our trucks would follow and we would wait together every 5 kilometres. We would do this until our first night stop. It was going to be an exciting and also dangerous trip, yet our Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 truck, our desert experience and our ability to navigate with nothing but a compass and map (that was all we had) convinced us that we could do it.

First, we decided to drive down to Abu Simbel to look at the possibilities where to get off the road. In Aswan at the checkpoint one had to show papers and in Abu Simbel you had to report to the police station and fill out lots of paperwork. So, as it was a full moon night, we decided to pretend to leave Abu Simbel just before the checkpoint closed in the evening. We told the officers that we’d sleep along the road and drive up to Aswan again the next day. This would give us some time to disappear into the desert.

After being out of sight of the checkpoint, and with no other traffic on the road, we turned off our lights and drove off into the vast desert landscape. Only the moon guided us, with the BMW’s in front. Like this we drove for around 30 kilometres in the southwestern direction to our first night stop; no lights, no fire, nothing that could alert anyone who might be in the area as well.

Sudan Here We Come.

With some of the best sleep we’ve had in a while, we woke up well rested and exited that we already made it this far. We didn’t want to waste any time, so we skipped breakfast, packed up and set off with the same pattern. We only crossed one car track that looked pretty recent, other than that we were on our own.

Our map showed a small mountain range along the border of Sudan and until we reached it, we drove over 10 hours – the distances are unbelievable. We came to the mountain range and drove right through it, in between rocks and sand dunes we finally reached the Sudanese border. There were no signs of course but we were sure that we’ve made it.

This night all of us got out our best food and of course whatever drinks we had. We reached Sudan and now it was just a few more days until we’d arrive in Dongola to do the paperwork for customs. Those nights in the desert, without a single trace of life, not even a single fly was truly an unforgettable experience and it still lasts until today. But it would soon be over.

This is the first photo I took after crossing the mountain range were we entered Sudan. It was just us, our trucks and the vast desert landscape. And some cheap booze…

Camping in the middle of the Sahara desert in the Sudan, just after crossing the Sudanese-Egyptian border.

The First Sudanese Villages Came Into Sight.

We spotted the first signs of the Nile river again; a few palm trees, the first small fields along the banks, and finally the first Sudanese working in his vegetable garden. He was surprised to see us, waved at us and pointed South after we asked for Dongola. We passed more villages along the river, stopped here and there and came across the first bakery in Sudan. The bread we bought here, called Aish merahrah in Arabic, tasted absolutely amazing after all the days with tin food. The it didn’t take long for the first invitation. The family that invited us into their home was so generous, offered great food and an unbelievable hospitality. Actually the entire village was up to get a glimpse of us strangers, especially Nisa and the dog got all the attention. It was one of the few times that the dog had to stay in the truck because we were afraid he’s attack someone with all the shouting, laughing and screaming.

These were some of the first Sudanese men we came across after entering Sudan.

The entire village was on their feet to get a glimpse of us.

This was the clay crafted entrance to the families house that invited us near Dongola.

“Welcome To Sudan”.

After yet another remote night in the desert we arrived in Dongola and drove straight up to customs. At first they didn’t know what to do with us, but we showed our documents and the visas and explained that we needed stamps here and there. After some talking we all got the documents stamped and with a Welcome to Sudan we were released. From here on our routes separated, mainly because everyone had different ideas about the travel speed. We always took it easy and stayed in Dongola for a few days, camping in the police station’s yard while drinking tea in the evenings with the officers. We were simply relieved that we had made it to Sudan without a big hassle.

We stopped at a “road house” along the NIle river in Sudan for some great mint tea and immediately caught the attention of the villagers.

Until today camels are important for transporting goods through the desert. All the impressions of this trip, which was almost 30 years ago, are sill in my mind as if it were yesterday. Those were the true African adventures I’ve always dreamed about, and until today, I’m grateful to have experiences this!

The entire village followed us around in Dongola. It was quite an experience and we decided to stick around for a couple of days. Back in those days, only very few tavellers crossed this part of the world and when thinking back, a trip like this wouldn’t (unfortunately) be possible anymore today…

The next part of our adventures through Africa will follow. We’ll write about the trip from Dongola down to the border of the Central African Republic.

Key Facts, Milford Track Day 3.

• Length: 21 km
• Time: 6-8 hours
• Highlight: Mackay Falls & taking a dip in the ice-cold water at the Giant Gate Falls

You’ll reach Mackay Falls (the most photographed place in all of New Zealand) and Lake Ada before hiking past the last waterfall on the track, the Giant Gate Falls. I couldn’t help myself and went in for a little swim. The water was ice-cold and I felt like a million needles pinched me, but afterwards I was re-born with superwomen powers and ready to finish the track. From here it took about one and a half hours to Sandfly Point. It’s a well deserved name, so be sure your have enough insect repellent ready.

Once you reach the accommodation at Milford Sound you’ll have a superb view of Mitre Peak (again, if the weather allows it).

Milford Track, Day By Day Itinerary.

• Day 0: Queenstown to Glade House.
• Day 1: Glade House to Pompolona Lodge.
• Day 2: Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge via Mackinnon Pass.
• Day 3: Quintin Lodge to Mitre Peak Lodge via Sandfly Point (you’re here right now).
• Day 4: Mitre Peak Lodge to Milford Sound.

The landscape you’ll experience during Milford Track reminded me of the one in Jurassic Park.

The Mackay Falls are a wishbone-shaped waterfall on Milford Track. While lacking in height and power, it’s a welcome sight after going for a long stretch without seeing a major waterfall in Arthur Valley.

The fog lifted just after we started walking and what we got was one one of the most amazing landscape we’ve come across so far.

Day 3 of Milford Track meant the crossing of several suspension bridges.

One minute we walked through open fields, the next through a moss covered rain forest.

Warning #2: Heavy flooding and landslides resulting from monsoon rains have caused many deaths. Please keep this in mind as you consider travel to Jammu and Kashmir is highly discouraged. The ability for foreign governments and Indian authorities to provide protection remains severely limited.

Well, two travel warnings are currently up for our first summer travel destination, Jammu and Kashmir. Still, nothing will keep us from exploring this far away place in northwest India.

The Journey Across The Challenging, Scary, Yet Sensational Leh-Manali Highway.

We’ll start our yearly summer adventure in Delhi. After buying the rest of our essentials here, we’ll board the train up to Kakla, from where it all takes its course.

Epic would be the best way to describe the Manali-Leh highway journey. The roads open up for only a couple of months during the year (between May/June and mid-October) with some of the most complicated and challenging roads in the world; with snow, kilometre-long traffic jams, landslides and difficult terrain, making the journey almost impossible for anything other than a good 4×4 vehicle – or some reckless motorcyclists. These 479 kilometres will challenge you, scare you and leave you utterly speechless. At least this is what I’ve heard…

Leh, Thikse Gompa, Chemrey Gompa, Pangong Tso, Lamayuru Gompa.

Jammu and Kashmir consists of three regions: Jammu, Kashmir Valley and Ladakh. And two capital cities; Srinagar is the summer capital, and Jammu is the winter capital. Ladakh, also known as Little Tibet, is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and Buddhist culture … and many Gompas (monasteries). Leh will be our base for most of the time. From here we’ll visit Thikse Gompa, Chemrey Gompa, Lamayuru Gompa and several others, as well as the stunningly beautiful Pangong Tso Lake.

Key Gompa To Varanasi.

Ten days is definitely not a lot of time to explore this region, but travelling to many places with only limited time available is our specialty. Our Ladakh route will end with a trip to Key Gompa in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh. From here, it’s back to Kalka to catch the overnight train to the holy city Varanasi…

Travel map for our Kashmir road trip in July 2015.

Key Facts, Milford Track Day 2.

• Length: 15 km
• Time: 6-8 hours (add 60-90 minutes for Sutherland Falls)
• Highlight: Hot shower, comfy bed and naturally, Mackinnon Pass was kinda cool even with crappy weather.

Starting from Pompolona Lodge, the track first lead to Lake Mintaro, before we started climbing Mackinnon Pass in a series of zig-zags. At the top you’d normally be rewarded with spectacular panorama – in case the weather allows it. Unfortunately we weren’t that lucky and Mackinnon Memorial greeted us with thick fog, pouring rain and temperatures just above the freezing point. We couldn’t wait getting away from the plateau fast enough and continued to Pass Hut, where we stopped for a short lunch break.

The way down was a complete change of scenery again: from wide openness to thick rain forest. After the rocky 1.000 metre descent into the Arthur Valley, I reached Quintin Lodge as the first one, so I decided to continue to the Sutherland Falls, the world’s fifth highest waterfall. It would have been an amazing experience, yet sandflies and rain were enough for me to immediately turn around. The though of a hot shower, drying room and warm bed gave me wings and I was back at Quintin Lodge in no time. I’m really not a sissy, but I wouldn’t have wanted to slip back into my wet shoes the next day, so thanks again for the luxury Ultimate Hikes!

Milford Track, Day By Day Itinerary.

• Day 0: Queenstown to Glade House.
• Day 1: Glade House to Pompolona Lodge.
• Day 2: Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge via Mackinnon Pass (you’re here right now).
• Day 3: Quintin Lodge to Mitre Peak Lodge via Sandfly Point.
• Day 4: Mitre Peak Lodge to Milford Sound.

At the beginning od Day 2, you’ll come across excellent views of Lake Mintaro and the Clinton Valley.

Before arriving at the top of Mackinnen Pass, the walk begins to follow a series of switchbacks out of the bush and into the alpine sections of the route.

The track then reaches the large memorial cairn that honours the discovery of this scenic spot by Quintin Mackinnon and Ernest Mitchell, in 1888.

If the weather is fair, there are impressive views all around of the Clinton and Arthur valleys and several nearby peaks. In this case, trampers like to spend some extra time at the pass; if it isn’t, they can’t get off it fast enough – which was exactly what we did.

The track crosses beneath Mount Balloon and the Jervois Glacier to the Moraine Creek Bridge.

After the Moraine Creek Bridge, it then follows a boardwalk and staircase beside the Roaring Burn River, with its numerous waterfalls.

Key Facts, Milford Track Day 1.

• Length: 16 km
• Time: 5-7 hours
• Highlight: Wetlands

After crossing the emerald green Clinton River over the first of about 400 bridges (I unfortunately forgot the exact number Kelly mentioned), we walked up the valley of beech forest, passing Quintin Mackinnon’s first shelter hut built back in 1889.

A bit further was a little side track to the wetland area, which is definitely worth checking out! Wetland made me think of an area near a rivers or lake, however, this one was in the middle of a valley with no water in sight! Shrub brush and moss is all that grows here, due to a iron pan below the soil. But the beech trees are slowly taking over and will eventually convert the area to a dry land.

From here the walk continued pretty flat, before it climbed as it entered the Clinton Valley. Walking through the lush beech forest, you’ll cross a huge landslide from the 80’s which blocked the river and created a Dead Lake.

After approx. 11 kilometres, we reached the Hirere Falls. If you’re lucky and the weather allows it, you can get a sneak preview of Mackinnon Pass in the distance. After re-entering the forest, the surrounding opened up again. Since it was raining a lot in the last couple of days, countless waterfalls embellished the steep rock walls, which was really impressive. From here, it’s was just a short climb to Pompolona Lodge, where we were greeted with a nice warm cup of tea.

Milford Track, Day By Day Itinerary.

• Day 0: Queenstown to Glade House.
• Day 1: Glade House to Pompolona Lodge (you’re here right now).
• Day 2: Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge via Mackinnon Pass.
• Day 3: Quintin Lodge to Mitre Peak Lodge via Sandfly Point.
• Day 4: Mitre Peak Lodge to Milford Sound.

View of the emerald green Clinton River while passing the suspension bridge on Milford Track.

The walk along Clinton river makes you feel like you’re so far away from civilisation (which is the case anyway).

A short side track to the wetland area. The lack of nutrients in the soil have stunted the growth of these Beech trees . The result is a Bonsai forest.

Although you continue on a flat walk, the area is not any less interesting…

Clinton Valley looks like out of Jurassic Park.

It had rained for many days before we started the track, which was perfect for all the waterfalls in the Clinton Valley.

Unfortunately, all huts were booked and I had no other choice but to go with a guided tour. And I did not regret it.

Milford Track With Ultimate Hikes.

When booking the hike, I was a bit skeptical about the value vs. the costs, because it’s definitely not inexpensive, yet it was worth every single cent! Walking Milford Track with Ultimate Hikes meant private lodges, (hot) showers, amazing 3-course meals, comfortable beds, drying rooms and also meeting some of the best people during my entire New Zealand adventure! Don’t get me wrong, I’m not very high-maintenance, but when passing some of the free walkers on the fourth day, I really started appreciating that hot shower even more!

Our guides Kelly, Adie and Melissa knew every step of the way and did an amazing job preparing us for the trek. They were a great part of one of my best travel experiences ever!

What To Bring When Walking Milford Track.

• Waterproof & breathable Reflex jacket (a good one will cost you, but you won’t regret it)
• Good walking boots/shoes
• Backpack & Waterproof Backpacker liner
• Thermal base layer (top & bottom)
• Headband
• Gloves
• Merino wool socks (good socks are absolutely essential)
• Insect Repellant (needed everywhere along the track, but especially Sutherland Falls & Sandfly Point)
• HikersWool (the best investment you’ll make – the lamb wool sucks away the moisture and you won’t get a single blister, promise!)

The weather in New Zealand can change instantly, therefore it’s really important to be prepared for any weather whilst on the track!

The History Of Milford Track.

Milford Track has a rich history almost as long as that of New Zealand itself. Donald Sutherland and John Mackay were the first European explorers who discovered the Sutherland and Mackay Falls in 1880. Sutherland started building a track up the Arthur Valley so visitors could see his falls. But access was limited by the rugged Fiordland coast and finding an overland route became necessary.

And Then Came Quintin McKinnon.

Quintin McKinnon was the trekker who began guiding tours along Milford Track. In 1887 McKinnon was employed by the Otago Survey Department to try and find a tourist route into Milford Sound. He was unsuccessful in this first attempt but gave it another go in 1888, this time with Ernest Mitchell in tow. They were instructed to cut a track up the river and to find a pass. McKinnon was successful and discovered a passage between the head of Lake Te Anau and Milford Sound, which was then named after him.

Day 0: Queenstown To Te Anau And Glade House.

Walking Distance: 1.6 kilometres / 15 minutes

Our adventure began at the Ultimate Hikes office in Queenstown. This is where my panic buying took its course and I found myself with some HikersWool and Merino wool socks for about 60 NZ$, which turned out to be the best investment I made in New Zealand (apart from my MacPac Waterproof jacket)!

We arrived in Te Anau after about one and a half hours just in time for lunch before continuing to the harbour where a launch brought us to the head of Lake Te Anau. From here it was just a short walk to the Glade House. After settling in, we went on a nature walk in the area and I gotta tell ya, it was a great advertisement for what we would expect the next couple of days! Milford Track is definitely more than just a physical journey; it’s one of those hikes you’ll never forget and tell your kids about.

Milford Track, Day By Day Itinerary.

• Day 0: Queenstown to Glade House (you’re here right now).
• Day 1: Glade House to Pompolona Lodge.
• Day 2: Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge via Mackinnon Pass.
• Day 3: Quintin Lodge to Mitre Peak Lodge via Sandfly Point.
• Day 4: Mitre Peak Lodge to Milford Sound.

I couldn’t wait to start walking Milford Track, one of the finest walks in the world.

The coolest group of friends: The Hokey Pokey Club. And I was lucky to be a part of the club during the Milford Track :)

Ready, set, go! Take-off from Te Anau harbour.

It was a short walk from the jetty to Glade House, which lies right next to the Clinton River.

Sunlight filters onto the moss-covered wetland forest floor along Milford Track, creating soft sculptures.

The rain provides a mystical moss-draped forest along almost the entire way of Milford Track.

Even though we didn’t walk a lot on the first day of Milford Track, nature around Glade house was well worth staying there.