Mongol Rally: 10 stupid ways to get to Mongolia
The Mongol Rally is a marathon car rally beginning at various locations around Europe and ending in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. This year 879 adventurers took part. Each crossed 10,000 miles of mountains, deserts and rough terrain to reach their final destination.
The teams aim to reach their Ulan Bator in four to five weeks. The city is situated in the centre of the country on the Tuul River, at an elevation of 1,310 meters. Teams can take any route they choose, as long as they finish in the Mongolian capital. Some teams head south through Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, others through Central Asia, and some even cross through the Arctic Circle.
The first rally took place in 2004, where only four out of the six competitors finished the course. The second rally attracted 43 teams, of which 18 competitors finished, and the 2006 rally began with 167 cars, 117 of which reached Mongolia.
Each team who competes is required to raise a minimum of £1,000 for charity, with over £2,000,000 raised since the rally began in 2004.
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The rally is not officially recognised as a race - due to the illegality of racing on highways – and there is no prize for the first team to reach Ulan Bator. The prime aim of the rally is adventure; to get out and see the world. Despite this, there are certain rules which the teams have to abide by.
Cars should be small with an engine displacement of 1.2 litres or smaller. 4x4 vehicles are “unacceptable”, as they would make the journey far too easy. Motorbikes should be no larger than a 125cc engine, and as of next year, any car to compete must be less than 10 years old.
In 2007 the League of Adventurists, headed by Tom Morgan, took over organisation of the event. The Adventurists are a company who, in their own words are, “hell bent on fighting to make the world less boring but also raising massive buckets of cash for charities.”
“We believe there is still adventure to be found in the world. We just need to try that little bit harder to find it. Let's cut new edges into our maps, break our GPS and set forth into the world to find out what happens.”
The Adventurists are keen to point out on their website the dangers of getting involved. "This is not a glorified holiday. It's an unsupported adventure and so by its very nature is extremely risky. You really are on your own and you really are putting both your health and life at risk. That's the whole point."
If you fancy taking part in the 2013 rally, then registration for the tenth edition of the Mongol Rally is now open. The entry fee is £980 per team, with the UK launch day on July 13, 2013.
The teams aim to reach their Ulan Bator in four to five weeks. The city is situated in the centre of the country on the Tuul River, at an elevation of 1,310 meters. Teams can take any route they choose, as long as they finish in the Mongolian capital. Some teams head south through Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, others through Central Asia, and some even cross through the Arctic Circle.
The first rally took place in 2004, where only four out of the six competitors finished the course. The second rally attracted 43 teams, of which 18 competitors finished, and the 2006 rally began with 167 cars, 117 of which reached Mongolia.
Each team who competes is required to raise a minimum of £1,000 for charity, with over £2,000,000 raised since the rally began in 2004.
RELATED CONTENT
The Mongol Rally 2012: part one
The Mongol Rally 2012: part two
The world's most extreme places
The world's toughest horse race
The rally is not officially recognised as a race - due to the illegality of racing on highways – and there is no prize for the first team to reach Ulan Bator. The prime aim of the rally is adventure; to get out and see the world. Despite this, there are certain rules which the teams have to abide by.
Cars should be small with an engine displacement of 1.2 litres or smaller. 4x4 vehicles are “unacceptable”, as they would make the journey far too easy. Motorbikes should be no larger than a 125cc engine, and as of next year, any car to compete must be less than 10 years old.
In 2007 the League of Adventurists, headed by Tom Morgan, took over organisation of the event. The Adventurists are a company who, in their own words are, “hell bent on fighting to make the world less boring but also raising massive buckets of cash for charities.”
“We believe there is still adventure to be found in the world. We just need to try that little bit harder to find it. Let's cut new edges into our maps, break our GPS and set forth into the world to find out what happens.”
The Adventurists are keen to point out on their website the dangers of getting involved. "This is not a glorified holiday. It's an unsupported adventure and so by its very nature is extremely risky. You really are on your own and you really are putting both your health and life at risk. That's the whole point."
If you fancy taking part in the 2013 rally, then registration for the tenth edition of the Mongol Rally is now open. The entry fee is £980 per team, with the UK launch day on July 13, 2013.
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