So... What is The Mongolian Rally?
The Mongolia Charity Rally is the ultimate off-road adventure. The only 100% charitable rally to Mongolia.
Departing from London with a spectacular Mongolian Naadam, it will be just you, your vehicle and 10,000 miles of adventure.
All the vehicles that make it to the finish are donated to a charity foundation in Mongolia. You can take any vehicle you want: make it hard and silly with something completely unsuitable, or take something more serious and open up more off-road country and give the charity a great vehicle at the end.
The Mongolia Charity Rally is a pan-continental drive across five mountain ranges, two deserts and more barren and inhospitable lands than you care to shake a gear-stick at. Starting in London, the final destination is the capital of Mongolia, beyond the Gobi desert, Ulan Baatar.
Teams set forth to the sounds of a traditional Mongolian Naadam festival in the heart of London, complete with fermented mare’s milk, some fine music and a crash course in traditional Mongolian wrestling and archery. Once off the island the road is your shepherd - you could choose to take in the delights of Poland, Ukraine and Russia, or boldly point your vehicle in a southerly direction towards Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Whichever road you take, you’ll be faced with a wealth of makeshift mechanics, border bribery, mutton kebabs and pure unadulterated adventure, before passing into the realms of immortal glory at the finish line in central Mongolia.
All the vehicles that make it to the end will be donated to a charitable foundation in Mongolia. The choice of vehicle is in your hands - make it hard and comical with something entirely unsuitable, or take something more serious, allowing for more off-road experience, and giving the charity something really worthwhile at the end.
Every team has to raise money for charities working in Mongolia, along the way, or back home. The whole event is organised by volunteers at Go Help, a UK Charity helping folk raise money for some really great causes. Any funds Go Help raise from commercial sponsorship and TV coverage will also go to the charitable projects in Mongolia.
The launch is a great opportunity to line up all of the vehicles and on the same weekend as the Naadam festival in Mongolia, so we’ve teamed up with the Mongolian Association of Great Britain to put on the largest Naadam Festival London has ever seen.
After the spectacular launch, the teams will head off east for the coast.
The finish is at Dave’s Place next to Sukhbataar Square, Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia. The Mongolians sure know how to party and they’re busy putting together a party to make Chinggis Khan proud.
“When Mongolia throws a party, the rest of Asia locks its doors”
In Mongolia you can do things with a 4x4 which ordinary mortals can only dream of. Saying that, Mongolia can destroy a 4x4 as quickly as a mini.
Mongolia is the size of Western Europe, but with only 1500 miles of paved (tarmac) roads in the whole country. Those teams taking 4x4 will have one big advantage – you can take the central and northern routes through Mongolia. Northern Mongolia is one of the most beautiful areas of the country with areas of densely forested mountains and steppe. With the beauty, and remoteness come the worst roads. These are near impassable on 2wd vehicles, and very difficult on 4x4 vehicles.
