Hiker takes 7,000-km trek in his stride on way to Lhasa

Traveler overcomes earthquake, road accident on quest to reach the Potala Palace

Over the past seven months, Zhao Fanchao has hiked 5,500 kilometers and survived floods, an earthquake and being hit by a car.

He recently arrived in the Tibet autonomous region after crossing the Jinsha River. Zhao, 30, set out from his home in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on May 1 and still has another 1,500 km to travel to his final destination, the Potala Palace in Tibet's capital, Lhasa.

He said he didn't spend much time planning his route or preparing for the journey, adding he had "no particular reason" for the trip other then to travel to somewhere different.

"I have never been to Tibet, but the holy and pure atmosphere of Potala Palace has drawn me in since I saw a TV program on it in 2005," he said. "Therefore, I made it my destination."

So far he has passed through Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces, the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and Tianjin.

Zhao hopes to complete his journey around the time of the Spring Festival. "I feel so excited that I will have the chance to welcome the new lunar year in Lhasa," he said.

To make his travels easier, Zhao pulls a three-wheel carriage behind him which he sleeps and cooks in. He installed a motor in it in Henan to help the vehicle traverse steep terrain. "In order to reduce the burden, I only took a few clothes and necessities," he said.

Zhao said he often walks more than 25 km per day, sometimes reaching 30 km, and typically spends about 12 hours on the road. One summer day he spent 17 hours walking before reaching a mountain area. "Thanks to several years of military life, I am in good physical shape," he said.

He spent eight days walking through the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi during the National Day holiday in October.

"I chose a route along which I hardly saw any tourists or local residents," he said.

"Before entering the mountain area, I had prepared enough food. I was not worried about drinking water because it is plentiful in the mountains."

Zhao said he was forced to plan his route as he could not navigate using his mobile phone as reception was poor in the mountains.

He has also enjoyed interacting with people in big metropolises. "When I walked through the cities, I liked to visit the parks and scenic areas to see different people, scenery and cultures," he said.

Risk management

However, he has faced some dangers during his travels.

"I was sleeping in a park in Tangshan, Hebei, when a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit the city on the morning of July 12," he said. "I was shaken awake and then received the news of the earthquake on my mobile phone."

Before walking into the Qinling Mountains, he was hit by a car. "I got cuts and bruises on my right leg and left arm," he said.

"After basic treatment in the hospital, I had a one-day rest and then continued my journey although I still had a limp."

Despite the challenges, Zhao said he doesn't feel tired and likes to physically challenge himself.

Although he travels alone, Zhao doesn't feel lonely.

Almost every day, he spends several hours on the livestreaming app Douyin sharing his experiences. He now has more than 230,000 followers and receives thousands of likes.

In September, due to his popularity, he was invited to open on online store on Douyin.

"My fans are deeply interested in my route, my safety, as well as the delicious food from my hometown," he said, adding he sells Harbin sausages online, which are popular with his followers.

Zhao has also been kept company by a stray dog he came across in June.

"It was a rainy day in Chaoyang, Liaoning," he said.

"When I was seeking shelter from the rain, I found the puppy shivering. I picked it up and toweled its wet fur. I couldn't be so cruel as to abandon it again, so I decided to take it with me."

It is not the first time Zhao has undertaken a long-distance journey on foot.

In 2018, he spent 180 days hiking from Jinzhou in Liaoning to Lijiang, Yunnan province.

Zhao said he feels quite proud when he receives praise and encouragement from strangers when they discover he is from a distant city. "There were also lots of people who helped me during the trip, which gave me a warm feeling," he said.

He said it will be his last long-distance hiking trip as his parents were concerned about his safety. He hopes to continue his travels by making driving trips.

"I love traveling and I hope to practice my photography more to record my experiences along the way," he said.