Tim Cope

Undertaking a journey not successfully completed since the days of Genghis Khan, a professional adventurer travelled by horseback across the entire length of the Eurasian steppe, an incredible 6,000-mile, 3-year-long trip during which he became immersed in the land and its people.

An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads

On the Trail of Genghis Khan

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 10,000 kilometres 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.

Chris Hatherly

This is the true story of two twenty-year-old Australians who travelled for fourteen months on recumbent bicycles from Russia, across Siberia and Mongolia, to Beijing. It is as much a story about perseverance, passion and belief as it is about the people and remarkable landscapes of Siberia and Mongolia. Tim Cope and Chris Hatherly are fearless adventurers, willing and able to open themselves up to everything from the voice of the steppe to the Russian villagers and the nomads of the Gobi desert. From this, they draw an often funny, moving and inspirational tale of living out a dream.

Off The Rails

Adventurer Tim Cope had a childhood dream: to travel the 10,000 kilometres from Mongolia to Hungary on horseback - a journey undertaken centuries ago by the legendary leader of the Mongols, Genghis Khan. On this journey, Tim met a dog called Tigon. For more than three years, Tim and Tigon endured searing heat and bitter cold; dark lonely nights when wolves circled their camp; hunger; despair; joy; and the wild beauty of the landscape that changed constantly around them. They met the people of the steppe, who welcomed Tim and Tigon into their homes, and shared their traditions and histories. This is the story of a unique journey - a journey filled with the spirit of the pioneering explorers of old. It is the story of an extraordinary friendship. Praise for On the Trail of Genghis Khan'An inspiration to me and I believe he will be an inspiration for many.' Elizabeth Gilbert'An epic tale of an epic journey, told with beauty and simplicity.' Tim Macartney-Snape, mountaineer, first Australian to summit Mount Everest

Tim Cope

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