A few months ago two intrepid adventurers, Rob Lilwall and Leon McCarron, embarked on a 5,000 km winter expedition through the heart of China to raise funds for Viva.

Carrying all of their gear on their backs, including portable kayaks, they set off from the wastelands of Mongolia and headed south by foot through the Gobi Desert. Crossing into China they are following the Great Wall down to the turbulent waters of the Yellow River, where they will inflate the kayaks in order to paddle downstream to the legendary city of Xi An. Leaving the water they will then hike onwards through the snow-capped mountains of central China, until finally they reach their finishing point beneath the glittering skyscrapers of Hong Kong.

You can follow their progress on our interactive map, and later this year you'll be able to share in their adventures on the big screen - National Geographic will be airing footage of the expedition!

Rob Lilwall

Rob is a British geography teacher turned adventurer who is now one of the National Directors of Viva Hong Kong. Best known for his 48,000 km Cycling Home from Siberia expedition, which saw him cycle from Russia back to his home in London via places like Papua New Guinea, Tibet and Afghanistan, Rob has already raised more than £20,000 for Viva through his adventures. He has also given motivational talks about his expeditions to over 25,000 people on four continents, and is looking forward to the fresh material he knows this new adventure will provide him with!