L'Austin Transit's Mongol Rally Story

We had driven a 1300 Maestro 3000 miles to the Gambia a couple of years previously on the Plymouth-Dakar Rally and fancied doing something a bit longer, so we applied to join the Mongol Rally and on our second attempt were accepted. It took quite a bit of planning, with timing of visas, problems in Iran, website info, flyers for charity donations to friends and family etc, but it all came together at the last minute (literally) as we were reunited with our passports at Goodwood an hour before we left.

Our journey took us through 19 countries. Roads and signage deteriorated from eastern Iran onwards and became virtually non-existent by the time we reached Tajikistan. Bridges were down, diversions had no signs and progress was arduous, slow and dusty.

Three days after leaving Goodwood we made it to the Czech-out party at Klenova Castle nr Klatovy, Czech Republic where a themed party ‘The Age of Adventure continued through the night.

Easter Iran, along the coast of the Caspian Sea. All of Iran seemed to be on holiday with families camping everywhere – on the hard shoulder and in the mini-golf.

Iran – trying to avoid Tehran and the Iranian Election riots in the pouring rain.

Turkmenistan - The ‘Marbled City’ of Ashgabat lay before us like a vision as we descended through the mountains from Iran. (Note the absence of people).

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan – the Arch of Neutrality – a typical example of president Niyazov’s modesty and good taste.

Following the Silk Routes takes us to Samarkand in Uzbekistan. This photo taken with moon rising over Guri Amir Mausoleum.

Scary road in Tajikistan heading towards Dushanbe, demonstrates ability of a 1.3 Maestro to drive up a glacier. Thankfully we didn’t realise how impossible this was until afterwards.

An even scarier road in Tajikistan – mountain pass along the Afghanistan border. After a second night on the mountain we spent the night in a ‘Home Stay’ which turned out to be an Islamic Madrassa.

Tajikistan – the Pamir Highway as we head up to 15,400 feet which is believed to be the altitude record for any car built by Austin-Rover.

The most interesting (and also most difficult part) was the 3000 miles from entering Iran and travelling through Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and along the Pamir Highway.

One of the most memorable moments was when we discovered that the ‘Home Stay’ in Khorug, Tajikistan that we were staying in, just over the Afghanistan border was in fact an Islamic Madrassa (school), run by a Pakistani.

The Pamir Plateau, Tajikistan where we spent a very cold and lonely night camping by a lake surrounded by snow leopards and Yetis. The gas stove refused to work and we were both ill, but the view in the morning was worth it (probably).

A Kazakhstan graveyard – somewhat better accommodation than a typical village. This one was twinned with Gainsborough.

Mongolia, after heavy snow the Maestro slides off road into deep mud on a mountain pass headed towards Khovd.

Service area on route to Ulaanbaatar – OR a loo with a view.

After the Rally finish, the Mongolian village children are interested in pictures of Mongolia in the Lonely Planet Guide.

The Mongol Rally was hard work but well worth the time, money and effort and the Maestro was the star, coping with conditions no vehicle should have to tackle, right up to when the snow and mud in the Mongolian mountains took it’s toll.

Overwhelmingly people were very friendly towards us, being strangers driving a car none had ever seen before on a journey most found unbelievable “Why not take a plane?” asked one man – but where would the ‘Adventure’ be in that?