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.

Tea Interview with Tealet and Jeff Fuchs…with Tea

Tealet’s fearless leader Elyse Petersen sits down for an interview with yours truly about tea, where I get to gently rant a bit about Puerh tea, people, and why tea and people cannot be separated. Enjoyed with a sip of … Continue reading

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Two Worlds – The Himalayas and the South Pacific – and Global Warming

So much of the time I’ve had here with the East West Center in Honolulu as an invited speaker has been time spent showing, seeing, and being reminded of the very similar plights that people share, while living in very … Continue reading

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Himalayas Change – A Nomad’s Words About Mountains

A’bing of Ganzi at 4,700 meters in a tent speaking of life in the heights. “Winter no longer knows when it wants to come. It no longer comes with white snow. Now it is mainly dry. Maybe it is time … Continue reading

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JalamTeas Tea Review (a good one) of our Nannuo Shan Puerh

Our Jalamteas’ Nannuo Shan unfermented Puerh from one of the areas I hand source, finds a fan and gets a great review from witty tea blog “Steep Stories”. With our latest JalamTeas’ Nannuo Shan we touch upon a neutral and … Continue reading

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Himalayas’ Words – The Wolf aka, ‘The Old Master’

“Wolves are what we (nomads) fear most. They know us well and though I fear them, they are important for the land. They know how to wait and they know when to strike. My mother used to call them the … Continue reading

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Interview with Wild China about Trade Routes

  The Enduring Obsession and Importance of the Himalayan Trade Routes here

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The Himalayas’ Guardian of the Pass

The face of Lhamo, 23, of Ala Dhotok (Stone Roof) at over 5,000 metres in Eastern Tibet. Her ‘community’ deep within the folds of the Himalayas involved nothing more than a loose trio of yak wool tents that rippled with … Continue reading

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Expedition Final: An End With Warmth

It is northwards into Central Asia and the old kingdoms of Turkestan that beckon but borders now are things of great sensitivity and we are heading south again. We’ve headed as far north as we will be permitted to go. … Continue reading

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Mountain Eyes

One of the immortal faces of the mountains…even though only four-years old. A nomadic girl, whose predecessors were a clan of ‘guardians’ for trade caravans on the top of the world. Caravans of precious salt, tea, and wool passed through … Continue reading

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Expedition Update: West, Up, North

  -Back for the final instalments of our expedition along the Route of Wind and Wool. Leh is gentle pandemonium, but this is an overstatement really because it is more a case of Michael and I being overly sensitive to … Continue reading

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