Howdy!
The Smith family are planning on traveling to China’s remote Xinjiang Province with the below as a VERY tentative itinerary and are looking for two additional and compatible travel mates….
27 March – arrive in the PM – Shanghai – Jiayuguan – sight see at Jiayuguan on the Great Wall
28 March – Jiayuguan – Dunhaung – Grottos, singing sands temple – out to desert – Lop Nur?
29 March – Lop Nur – camels and rodents and other wildlife
30 March – Lop Nur – camels and rodents and other wildlife
31 March – Lop Nur – Rouqiang – camels and rodents and birds
01 April – Rouqiang – Korla and or Yanqi…who knows – western culture
02 April – Yanqi – Turpan – search for red-tailed gerbils – sight see at ruins
03 April – Turpan – Urumqi – Karamori Ungulate Reserve – Przewalski’s wild horses and goitered gazelles – Any other definite mammals here?
04 April – Karamori and surrounds
05 April – Northern Xinjiang Circuit- birding route for mammals and birds
06 April – Complete Circuit – back to Urumqi – birding route and mammals and birds
07 April – Urumqi – out at around 11AM – I have not purchased these tickets yet but would like to in the coming day or two.
We are breaking new ground in a way. We plan on working with some top-notch Chinese acade mics and trying to see the Bactrian Camels in the Lop Nur-Rouqiang areas. No guarantees -in fact it is kind of a big long-shot! Still working out the details with our contacts but I am very optimistic of a great expedition! Costs are still being worked out but we are shooting toward the “reasonable” side of things, especially considering Xinjiang is a very expensive place to travel in for China.
WE have TWO seats available on our expedition. So if you are potentially interested and are willing to fit in the above tentative plan, mixing some wildlife viewing opportunities and culture, please contact us asap!
Cheers,
Coke, Som and Cokie
Coke, wish I could join you. Maybe I will! In any case this article might of interest and have some more contacts for you
http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/wild-bactrian-camels.html#cr
Do it Jon! Should be a blast! 😉 Very cool article. I have tried without luck to contact the Wild Camel group but so far they have not gotten back to me…. Sure would love to hear from them! (In case anyone from the organization is reading…;-))
This trip is taking shape! We have quite a crew – the national expert for Bactrian camels is going to lead us through the desert for a few days in search for this long shot. He’s also suggested a few spots that have yet to be visited by tourists for mammals…Oh just wish I could steal more time!!!!