Pursuing an explorer's spirit

Modern voyagers follow in the fascinating footsteps of the great 14th-century adventurer Ibn Battuta, Yang Feiyue reports.

When Moroccan adventurer Karim Mosta pedaled away from Casablanca, Morocco, on a February morning in 2024, he had one goal in mind: retracing the epic path of 14th-century explorer Ibn Battuta.

The 70-year-old set off on his bicycle and embarked on a 204-day-long journey that spanned 15 countries, immersing himself in the unforgiving landscapes and centuries of cultural memories in pursuit of the spirit of his predecessor Battuta, whose curiosity bridged civilizations long before globalization had a name.

Battuta was one of the most prolific explorers of the Islamic Golden Age around the 7th-13th centuries, marked by flourishing scientific, cultural and economic development across the Muslim world.