An extreme traveler from Poland is aiming to become the first person in history to cross the Mongolian part of the Gobi Desert by bike in winter.
Mateusz Waligóra set off on his 1,400km record-breaking feat on Wednesday 19, five days later he had already covered 300km.
Waligóra, who in 2018 became the first person to walk the same route alone and unassisted, said on Monday 24: “I am reaching Shinejinst, and thus slowly leaving the Gobi Altai and entering the Gobi, on a road that I know from the hiking expedition.”
To help cope with one stage of the expedition seeing him 250km from access to water, Waligóra has packed four thermos flasks with enough water for 5.3 days – which he will need to keep heating to prevent it from freezing when temperatures drop to -15 C inside his tent and to below –25 outside.
“So far my days have been sunny. The hospitality of the people living in the desert is incredible. They invite me to their yurts, offer me food and ask what I'm doing here. I explain that I'm going to the next village, because they might not understand why I need the remaining 1,100 km,” says Waligóra.
Following his 2018 Gobi crossing, Waligóra subsequently marched across Greenland from west to east, reached the South Pole, and became the first Pole to reach the summit of Mount Everest, starting at ocean level.
He has also completed a bicycle traverse of the world's longest mountain range – the Andes, a solo bicycle ride along the most difficult route marked out on Earth – the Canning Stock Route in Western Australia, and a solo pedestrian traverse of the world's largest salt desert – Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
Waligóra, who in 2018 became the first person to walk the same route alone and unassisted, said on Monday 24: “I am reaching Shinejinst, and thus slowly leaving the Gobi Altai and entering the Gobi, on a road that I know from the hiking expedition.”
To help cope with one stage of the expedition seeing him 250km from access to water, Waligóra has packed four thermos flasks with enough water for 5.3 days – which he will need to keep heating to prevent it from freezing when temperatures drop to -15 C inside his tent and to below –25 outside.
“So far my days have been sunny. The hospitality of the people living in the desert is incredible. They invite me to their yurts, offer me food and ask what I'm doing here. I explain that I'm going to the next village, because they might not understand why I need the remaining 1,100 km,” says Waligóra.
Previous achievements
Following his 2018 Gobi crossing, Waligóra subsequently marched across Greenland from west to east, reached the South Pole, and became the first Pole to reach the summit of Mount Everest, starting at ocean level.
He has also completed a bicycle traverse of the world's longest mountain range – the Andes, a solo bicycle ride along the most difficult route marked out on Earth – the Canning Stock Route in Western Australia, and a solo pedestrian traverse of the world's largest salt desert – Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
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