THE NEW SILK ROAD | PART 1 — PORTO TO CENTRAL ASIA

THE NEW SILK ROAD | PART 1 — PORTO TO CENTRAL ASIA Three 4x4s. Four friends. One road from Portugal to China. This is Part One of The New Silk Road Expedition 2026, an overland journey from Porto, Portugal, to Beijing, China — more than 20,000 kilometres across Europe and Asia. Our adventure begins with a fast crossing of Europe before reaching Istanbul, the gateway between two continents. From there, the real expedition begins. We cross Turkey through Cappadocia and the spectacular Dark Canyon, experience an unexpected snowstorm in the mountains of Georgia, and enter Russia after almost nine hours at the border. Russia brings its own challenges — countless police controls, navigation problems and long days on the road — before we reach Astrakhan and cross into the vast landscapes of Kazakhstan. From there, we leave the asphalt behind. Remote tracks, endless steppes, mud, water crossings and the enormous landscapes of Central Asia lead us towards Uzbekistan, where we discover the legendary Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara. Finally, we enter Tajikistan and reach Dushanbe. Ahead of us lies one of the great objectives of the expedition... The Pamir Highway. But that story belongs to Part Two. This is not a tourist trip. It's a journey about the road itself — the landscapes, the people, the borders, the mechanical challenges, the unexpected moments and the freedom of travelling thousands of kilometres overland. THE NEW SILK ROAD EXPEDITION 2026 Porto → Beijing 🚙 3 vehicles 👥 4 friends 🌍 18 countries 🛣️ 20,173 km 📅 40 days Vehicles: Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ100 Toyota Land Cruiser HDJ80 Land Rover Defender 110 Part 1 — Porto to Central Asia Part 2 — The Pamir Highway Part 3 — Mongolia to Beijing If you enjoy overland travel, remote tracks and discovering the world beyond the usual tourist routes, join us for the journey. The road to Beijing has only just begun.