Author Archives: JeffFuchs

About JeffFuchs

Bio Having lived for most of the past decade in Asia, Fuchs’ work has centered on indigenous mountain cultures, oral histories with an obsessive interest in tea. His photos and stories have appeared on three continents in award-winning publications Kyoto Journal, TRVL, and Outpost Magazine, as well as The Spanish Expedition Society, The Earth, Silkroad Foundation, The China Post Newspaper, The Toronto Star, The South China Morning Post and Traveler amongst others. Various pieces of his work are part of private collections in Europe, North America and Asia and he serves as the Asian Editor at Large for Canada’s award-winning Outpost magazine. Fuchs is the Wild China Explorer of the Year for 2011 for sustainable exploration of the Himalayan Trade Routes. He recently completed a month long expedition a previously undocumented ancient nomadic salt route at 4,000 metres becoming the first westerner to travel the Tsa’lam ‘salt road’ through Qinghai. Fuchs has written on indigenous perspectives for UNESCO, and has having consulted for National Geographic. Fuchs is a member of the fabled Explorers Club, which supports sustainable exploration and research. Jeff has worked with schools and universities, giving talks on both the importance of oral traditions, tea and mountain cultures. He has spoken to the prestigious Spanish Geographic Society in Madrid on culture and trade through the Himalayas and his sold out talk at the Museum of Nature in Canada focused on the enduring importance of oral narratives and the Himalayan trade routes. His recently released book ‘The Ancient Tea Horse Road’ (Penguin-Viking Publishers) details his 8-month groundbreaking journey traveling and chronicling one of the world’s great trade routes, The Tea Horse Road. Fuchs is the first westerner to have completed the entire route stretching almost six thousand kilometers through the Himalayas a dozen cultures. He makes his home in ‘Shangrila’, northwestern Yunnan upon the eastern extension of the Himalayan range where tea and mountains abound; and where he leads expeditions the award winning ‘Tea Horse Road Journey’ with Wild China along portions of the Ancient Tea Horse Road. To keep fueled up for life Fuchs co-founded JalamTeas which keeps him deep in the green while high in the hills.

Bulang Pu erh Tea – Spring Sips

  The Leaves Arrive There is something called a tea sweat, and I’m experiencing it. So is Andrew, and for someone of 250 lbs of Irish-Scotch bulk and a 6ft 7inch frame, this first time is something to enjoy, cherish, … Continue reading

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Lao Ban Zhang Pu erh – A Tea of Endurance

  Few teas that sit in my collection of leaves have ever not made a journey with me, accompanying me as a stimulant companion, ally, and vegetal mate. It is a kind of rite of passage to be taken, prepared, … Continue reading

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Photo Essay Feature in Action Asia Adventure Magazine: The Tea Horse Road, Nomadic Route of Salt, and The Route of Wind and Wool

Photo-Essay feature of mine out in Hong Kong’s Action Asia this week. Images and tales of the precious Himalayan ‘routes through the sky’, the faces, and the vital memories and lessons along them. Not simply trade routes of economic vitality, … Continue reading

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Interview with a legend of the Himalayas: Sadanand the Mountain Man

That wonderful renegade man of the mountains, Sadanand, who was such a dynamic horseman on our most recent expedition (and unknowingly achieved something near cult status) gets his very own piece, which celebrates his observations on the mountains, the love-lives … Continue reading

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Oolong Tea….Roasted

Oolong tea and particularly a roasted Oolong should be something crafted by masters, but often they are simply the creations of those hoping to ‘hide’ an inherently bad tea.
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Award-Winning Writer Mariellen Ward Got Curious about an explorer, and then Interviewed Me

Explorer Jeff Fuchs gets interviewed by Mariellen Ward on her blog ‘breathedreamgo’. Continue reading

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New York’s Tea Drunk – I’m Bringing Pu erh tea Leaves and We’re Drinking

After the Explorers Club talk this Friday, I head south for tea sips to New York. No regular sips either…Pu erh tea leaves off of ancient trees. I’ll be in New York at the wonderful Tea Drunk sipping, serving, being … Continue reading

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Explorers Club Talk – Jeff Fuchs Presents the Himalaya’s ‘Route of Wind and Wool’

February 14 at 7:15 PM ET: Explorer Jeff Fuchs and the Route of Wind and Wool at  Valentine’s Day Talk….ahem Kensington Tours 36 Toronto St #300, Toronto, ON M5C 2C5 Explorers Club members and friends across Canada are encouraged to … Continue reading

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Tea Tour with Jeff Fuchs and Sri Lanka In Style through Sri Lanka

One of this year’s joys will be hosting another kind of tea tour. This tea tour is aided by  the impeccable talents of Sri Lanka in Style across jungles, into cultures, and all happily fuelled by teas of a different … Continue reading

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Tea Horse Road and the Women’s Touch

As a New Year came in I thought back to those whose ‘new’ year’s have not yet come. I thought back to three generations of women who hosted our team on a barren portion of the Tea Horse Road years … Continue reading

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