The relationship between man and horse on the Eurasian steppe gave rise to a succession of rich nomadic cultures. Among them were the Mongols of the thirteenth century - a small tribe, which, under the charismatic leadership of Genghis Khan, created the largest contiguous land empire in history. Inspired by the extraordinary life nomads still lead today, Tim Cope embarked on a journey that hadn't been successfully completed since those times: to travel on horseback across the entire length of the Eurasian steppe, from Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia, through Kazakhstan, Russia, Crimea and the Ukraine to the Danube River in Hungary. From horse-riding novice to travelling three years and 6,000 miles on horseback, accompanied by his dog Tigon, Tim learnt to fend off wolves and would-be horse-thieves, and grapple with the extremes of the steppe as he crossed sub-zero plateaux, the scorching deserts of Kazakhstan and the high-mountain passes of the Carpathians. Along the way, he was taken in by people who taught him the traditional ways and told him their recent history: Stalin's push for industrialisation brought calamity to the steepe and forced collectivism that in Kazakhstan alone led to the loss of several million livestock and the starvation of more than a million nomads. Today Cope bears witness to how the traditional ways hang precariously in the balance in the post-Soviet world.
Tim Cope Books
Tim Cope is an award-winning adventurer, author, filmmaker, and motivational speaker with a particular interest in Central Asia and the states of the former Soviet Union. His extensive wilderness experiences include training in the Finnish and Russian Arctic and expeditions cycling across Russia to China, as well as rowing a boat through Siberia to the Arctic Ocean. His writing draws upon these adventures, offering unique insights into remote cultures and the rugged landscapes that have shaped his lived experiences. Through his work, he invites readers on a journey of discovery, revealing the profound connection between humanity and the wild.
On the Trail of Genghis Khan. Auf den Spuren Dschingis Khans / Der Steppenreiter, englische Ausgabe
- 528 pages
- 19 hours of reading
"The relationship between man and horse on the Eurasian steppe gave rise to a succession of rich nomadic cultures. Among them were the Mongols of the thirteenth century--a small tribe, which, under the charismatic leadership of Genghis Khan, created the largest contiguous land empire in history. Inspired by the extraordinary life nomads lead, Tim Cope embarked on a journey that hadn't been successfully completed since those times: to travel on horseback across the entire length of the Eurasian steppe, from Karakorum, the ancient capital of Mongolia, through Kazakhstan, Russia, Crimea and the Ukraine to the Danube River in Hungary"--Amazon.com