2007 · WHERE IT ALL BEGAN · CENTRAL ASIA
21 Jul – 15 Aug 2007
The Mongol Rally 2007
London to Ulaanbaatar in a battered 1985 Suzuki SJ410. Lost in the Kazakh desert, a car that shouldn't have got past the Dartford Crossing, and the adventure that started it all.
The Expedition
Where It All Began
Our very first adventure. 26 days, 11 countries, 8,461 miles, and one very rusty 1985 Suzuki SJ410. We had no idea what we were doing and that, it turns out, was half the point.
The Mongol Rally 2007 launched from Hyde Park, London on the 21st of July 2007. The plan: drive from London to Ulaanbaatar in whatever car we could find with a 1L engine, and scrape together the entry fee. We bought a 22 year old Suzuki SJ410 for exactly £300 in February, installed a roof rack, and hoped for the best.
Over 26 days we crossed Europe, cut through Ukraine and Russia, and pushed on across the steppes of Kazakhstan before finally crossing into Mongolia. There were breakdowns, border guards, a memorable encounter with a Kazakh policeman in the middle of nowhere, and just enough sleep in lay-bys to keep going. This was the birth of the Rusty Rhinos, and we had no idea what a journey we'd take in the decades to come.
Explore
Dive In
52 Posts
Journal
Daily entries and SMS field updates from 26 days on the road — London through Europe, the wilderness of Kazakhstan, and the Gobi Desert to Ulaanbaatar.
7 Albums
Photos
Shots from Hyde Park to Mongolia, covering every border crossing, breakdown, and campfire.
9 Videos
Videos
Footage from the oldest rally in the archive. From the starting grid to Ulaanbaatar.
8,461 Miles
The Route
London to Ulaanbaatar via the long way around. 11 countries and thousands of miles.
1985 Suzuki SJ410
The Suzuki
Our unlikely hero. A 22 year old Suzuki SJ410, bought for £300, that somehow made it to Mongolia.
Fundraising
Mercy Corps
Our first rally for Mercy Corps, the international humanitarian charity.