A 72-year-old Moroccan endurance athlete and traveler has completed an extraordinary cycling journey across three continents to China, following the historic Silk Road route in a mission he says was meant to inspire younger generations.
“I cycle, write books and give talks because I want to tell young people that anything is possible,” Karim Mosta said Tuesday during an interview in Hangzhou, according to China News Service.
Two years ago, Mosta decided to embark on a transcontinental cycling expedition from Morocco to China, determined to challenge perceptions about age and prove that dreams have no expiration date.
“I wanted to break the limits associated with age and show that courage can cross mountains and seas,” he said.
His journey is being highlighted in the “Cycling the Silk Road – From Morocco to China” photo exhibition, which opened Tuesday at the China National Silk Museum in Hangzhou.
The exhibition, part of the warm-up events for the 2026 Silk Road Week, features Morocco as this year’s guest country and presents 50 documentary photographs tracing Mosta’s remarkable route.
During the opening event, Mosta shared stories from the road, reflecting on the physical endurance and personal determination required to complete the trip.
His connection to the Silk Road journey is deeply rooted in his hometown of Tangier, northern Morocco, the birthplace of the famed 14th-century explorer Ibn Battuta.
Ibn Battuta remains one of Morocco’s most celebrated historical figures. His legacy is visible across the country, from an airport bearing his name to school textbooks and museums dedicated to his travels.
For Mosta, following a path inspired by Ibn Battuta was both a personal and cultural tribute, linking Morocco’s historic spirit of exploration with a modern-day journey of endurance and discovery.
The exhibition in Hangzhou aims not only to document that adventure, but also to strengthen cultural ties between Morocco and China through the shared symbolism of the ancient Silk Road.
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