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.

Expedition Update: An Epic Horseman

Bandits and brigands who were ever creative would often strike not at or after the crossing of a pass but rather in the valleys leading to the great passes, where escape routes were numerous and sightlines blurred and blocked. Mountain … Continue reading

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Expedition Update: Spiti, The Middle Land

Suresh and his power are gone. We have come out of the Chandra River Valley and climbed up and over and into the Spiti Valley…known to locals simply as the ‘Piti’ Valley or ‘Middle Land’. As significant Suresh’s powers are, … Continue reading

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Expedition Update: The Glacier’s Breath

Karma has gotten into the habit of preparing popcorn for us at night. We’re not sure when it began but it is welcome and it always comes as an ‘appetizer’. He has (as all characters in life do) begun revealing … Continue reading

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Expedition Update: The Ice Cometh and Porter Power

  Chandra River Valley   To fuel and propel our team we’ve had to enlist another team. Seven Nepali porters await us in this valley of the Chandra River. They wait in flip flops looking gentle but being tough beyond … Continue reading

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Expedition Update: Faces of the Mountains – A Team Convenes

Manali Assembling a team that is about to enter into the mountains for a prolonged period of time is part art, part availability, part luck…and perhaps some providence. We have known our team’s names and that they have worked together … Continue reading

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Expedition ‘The Route of Wind and Wool’ – Getting There

A trader once said that there was no point thinking too much about how one would spend his money when he was only half way to his destination to trade. Too much could happen, the fates could decide an alternative … Continue reading

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Expedition Preparation in Hong Kong – The Route of Wind and Wool

With Hong Kong’s torrents coming down and heat coming off of every surface, it seems strange to be packing down jackets, crampons, gloves, and kit for the mountains (though tea will not seem a strange addition to any). With the … Continue reading

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Johnny Jet Interviews Jeff Fuchs for Travel Style

A bit of fun about favourites, ‘un-favourites’, food and why’s with America’s Mr. Travel Johnny Jet here.

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Expedition Update: Jalamteas sponsors ‘The Route of Wind of Wool’ with green fuel

Not coming as a shock to many, our expedition has gained some fuel of the ancient green variety from my own co-founded ‘Jalamteas‘. Michael and I will sip of the tea trees of southern Yunnan with a variety of leaves … Continue reading

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Expedition Update: ‘kora’ 100% Yak Wool Performance Baselayers joins as sponsor

Our expedition of ‘Wind and Wool’ will proudly and happily be encased in the Himalayas’ own yak wool on this journey thanks to kora. Under my North Face shells, and fleeces a snug himalayan sourced yak wool baselayer will be … Continue reading

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