40 motorhomers complete ten week tour to Beijing

Forty people from Germany, Switzerland and France recently completed a 16,137 kilometre, 67-day journey to Beijing in motorhomes to attend the All in CARAVANING trade fair.

It took the group 10 weeks to complete the journey from Düsseldorf to Beijing on the Silk Road. They crossed nine countries on their way to the trade fair in China’s capital where the travellers were the honorary guests.

Motorhome globetrotters Gabriele and Claus Dieter Schreiber, who escaped from their hometown of Colditz in Germany to travel to China, were ‘overwhelmed by the spectacular natural sites along the Silk Road.’

“We found the mountain ranges in Kyrgyzstan the most moving when we observed wild yaks grazing. And the magnificent places along the Silk Road such as Chiwa, Bukhara and Samarkand or the Taklamakan Desert deeply impressed us,” said Gabriele.

The trip was not easy. The group faced road chaos in Moscow, challenging border crossings, huge distances between towns and cities, tough environments, and scary roads. But, they also enjoyed incredible scenery, cultures, and overwhelming hospitality.

"Only caravanning enthusiasts can experience such a wealth of wonderful impressions..."

Tour manager Kostya Abert said:

“Only caravanning enthusiasts can experience such a wealth of wonderful impressions. With this way of travelling you can breathe in the aroma of the steppe, enjoy freedom every single day and be carried away by the bliss and the encounters, experiences and natural impressions.”

The group experienced 45°C in Xian, China, a small rear-end collision, a smashed side window and only three punctures in their odyssey.

Abert recounted one memorable occasion:

“At the Caspian Sea we ended up with wet feet in the early morning when the wind drove the sea water onshore flooding our shoreline site. Many vehicles could not free themselves and had to be towed by the 4-wheel mobile homes.”

On a mountain road in Kyrgyzstan leading to Bishkek, a huge storm swept large amounts of stones, rubble and mud onto their road, which stopped them moving for 14 hours. Fortunately for them, they were well-prepared to sit out the delay in their motorhomes with the supplies they had aboard.

Anyone attending the Caravan Salon in Düsseldorf this year can see highlights of the journey at 4PM daily at the show in the ‘Traumtouren-Kino.’ Alternatively, visit the event website here to learn about their adventure.