"Traces of Silk"

Explorers of Asia in the early 20th century such as Francis Younghusband and Sven Hedin did not express much enthusiasm for the terrain they passed through on their missions.

For those who plied the trade routes across the Himalaya, it mattered little that such staggering landscapes surrounded them. Their mission was to overcome such obstacles as altitude, snowstorms and bandits, deliver their trade goods or complete a pilgrimage and return home.

This Expedition secured permits from the highest levels of the Indian Government to enter the 'closed' Eastern Karakoram mountains of Ladakh with the aim of retracing one of the 'feeder' silk routes from the capital city of Leh to the Karakoram Pass on the border with China. It was a rare opportunity to travel with our own small caravan through this "Desert in the Sky".

The spirit of these silk routes pervade the memories and character of traders still living in the North West Frontier of India.

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