The Mongol Rally

Imagine you are driving across the largest desert you’ve ever had the pleasure of gazing upon. Imagine you’re looking at the fuel gauge and realizing you’re about to run out of gas. Your heart starts racing as you try to figure out what you’re supposed to do. The car is running literally on fumes at this point and there is no hope of anyone coming to help you out.

Now instead realize that this is exactly what these poor souls are attempting to do. The Mongol Rally is a charity event where teams attempt to drive from the UK to Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, in cars completely unsuited to the task. There is no set route and it is by no means a race. Driving through Kazakhstan and crossing its immense desert is just one of several possible routes and the nightmare described above could very well be a reality. Hopefully this team prepares a bit better.

An added twist to The Mongol Rally is that the cars can have an engine of no more than 1.2L. This only adds to the fun, as teams must then ponder if their respective cars can even make it up a steep hill let alone a quarter of the way around the world to Mongolia. Travelling through familiar places as well as countries that can’t even be spelled let alone pronounced, the destination is Mongolia.

But this amazing, once in a lifetime adventure is not just for fun. Well, mostly for fun. This cross-country trek is being undertaken all in the name of charity. A final stipulation for entering (in addition to paying the fee!) is that each team must raise at least £1,000 for charity.