While browsing some Chinese maps I stumbled upon an interesting place marked as a tourist attraction: The Muji Mud Volcanoes. Located deep in a remote valley in Xinjiang, close to the Tajik border, I couldn’t find much information about this place on the internet. So, I decided to cycle there.

The route took me along a beautiful road with stunning mountain & plateau scenery, and passed by yurts and small settlements inhabited by Kyrgyz people, who are living off their livestock, mainly yak, camels and sheep. After the usual struggles with strong headwinds, I eventually reached the volcanoes: Like with many attractions in China, one has to buy a ticket and go on a guided tour. But I managed to convince to workers to allow me to visit the volcanoes with my bicycle, while the other (exclusively Chinese) tourists had to get on a mini bus.

I was probably the first person ever to ride a bicycle here, as there actually weren’t too many other tourists around. The volcanoes weren’t massive, with the tallest ones measuring roughly 20m in height and a diameter of 50m, but they were still an impressive sight with the rugged & remote landscape all around.

After snapping some (or a lot) of photos I initially wanted to continue further down the valley towards the Tajik border, but the weather forecast wasn’t great, so I decided to head back to the Karakoram Highway were I could wait out the rain in a hotel.

Usually I’m not a big fan of out-and-back routes, but the combination of the mesmerising landscapes of the Pamir, insights into the local Kyrgyz culture and very little traffic on the roads, made this valley one of my favourite places I have cycled.