This past Monday, National Geographic ADVENTURE posted an article discussing the excitement – and danger – of skiing the increasingly-popular Mt. Minya Gongga (or ‘Konka’) region in China’s western Sichuan province.

Cliff Ransom writes,

In recent years the [Minya Konka] region has seen a marked increase in climbing expeditions, driven in part by a looser permitting process within China and a growing trend among elite climbers to favor smaller, more technical and unclimbed peaks over 8,000 meter behemoths. It has also seen a concurrent rise in morbid headlines—the rough terrain and unpredictable weather conspire to make the mountains of western China particularly avalanche prone.

While the risk is high, it is certainly rewarding if one can successfully ski this incredible area of China. However, it is equally incredible to trek through this area – as Rigby, Backstrom, Monega, and Chin did in the article – sans skis. WildChina offers an adventurous expedition to Minya Gongga , summiting three high-altitude passes, trekking through alpine forests and grasslands, and hiking the pilgrimage trail to Gongga Temple. Accompanied by expert local guides, travelers experience trekking that challenges even the most avid of climbers.

The reward? An extraordinary adventure in one of the most remote and untouched corners of China. With or without skiing as a part of your trip in this area of Sichuan, Mt. Minya Gongga’s awe-inspiring peaks will provide an unforgettable experience for the adventurous traveler.

This October, Michael Yamashita will lead a 9-day photography journey on the Silk Road. We caught up with Michael Yamashita to chat about photography tips, his passion for the Silk Road, and the lessons he hopes to share on the road this fall.

For over 25 years, Michael Yamashita has covered the world, with a concentration on all things Asia, as a photographer for the National Geographic. In his work, he has combined his dual passions for photography and travel, and shot on assignment on six continents. In addition, he has authored seven books, including Marco Polo: A Photographer’s Journey, Zheng He and The Great Wall, and produced two full-length documentary films, featuring Mr. Yamashita as writer and host. Mr. Yamashita has received numerous awards for his work. His photographs have been shown in major exhibitions in Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, Rome, Venice, Frankfurt, Perpignan, France and Massachusetts, USA. Mr. Yamashita is a frequent lecturer and instructor for photography workshops around the world.

When not on assignment, Mr. Yamashita lives in rural New Jersey where he is a volunteer firefighter.

WildChina (WC): How did you first become interested in the Silk Road?

Michael Yamashita (MY): I did a three-part story for the National Geographic about Marco Polo in 2001.  I retraced his route to China, much of which followed the Silk Road. I used Marco’s book, The Description of the World, written in the 13th century, as a sort of travel guide. Working on that story was an incredible eye-opener, mainly because so much of what Marco Polo wrote about can still be seen and photographed today. It was an amazing experience to still be able to find things today that the world’s greatest traveler described over 700 years ago.

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Yunnan continues to be an inspiration for interesting commentary, with National Geographic‘s May 2009 issue featuring a piece on Shangri-la (Zhongdian). Mark Jenkins explores this “complicated” and “confounding” Tibetan town in southwest China and the competing visions for its future. Will tourism and development invariably lead this area to lose all of its mythical and spiritual qualities?

As Jenkins notes, “tourism saved the place” after the Chinese government banned commercial logging in 1998; but that, in turn, has led to the commercialization of Tibetan culture. This trend — seen in many other hidden gems in the developing world — is certainly troubling. But as travelers, that doesn’t automatically mean we should stop visiting such places, which still have a lot to teach us about traditional lifestyles and choices.

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Everyone at WildChina is proud to have been included in National Geographic ADVENTURE magazine’s annual ranking of the Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth. This list of oustanding operators was compiled based on a survey that was sent out this Fall, as well as from customer feedback.

Our scores as posted (out of 100):
Overall: 92.83
Quality of Service: 95.50
Sustainability: 90.50
Spirit of Adventure: 91.00
Education: 90.50
Client Satisfaction: 96.67

WildChina is honored to be grouped in this distinguished list of operators, and is always working to execute distinctive journeys at a very high level of service. While we’re pleased with our score, there’s always room for growth and improvement – definitely one of our goals for 2009.

We hope you’ll join us to Experience China Differently!