Adventurer aiming to tap into nomads’ knowledge in ‘daft’ mission to cross Gobi Desert in winter
A veteran of polar expeditions says that at least the Antarctic had snow everywhere, but he could be battling to find water on his next adventure
Newall Hunter climbed Everest, helped lead an expedition to the North Pole and became the first Scotsman to walk solo and unsupported to the South Pole. But crossing the Gobi Desert in the dead of winter did not even seem possible until he consulted the nomads.
“If there’s more than three days between water sources, it’s undoable,” Hunter said. “The nomads have said it’s doable ... but they haven’t tried it themselves because it’s a bit daft really.”
Hunter will be crossing from Bugat in the west to Sainshand in the east– some 1,600 kilometres – on his own with no support.
He will be dragging over 100kg in a cart on wheels through temperatures ranging from -25 degrees Celsius to -40 degrees, with only the sand for company.
Hunter estimates the journey will take between 70 and 90 days.
Only a handful of people have crossed the Gobi Desert even in summer, and most used camels.