We Did It!

20
COUNTRIES
10345
MILES
52
DAYS
15
MISSIONS

CHECK OUT OUR BLOG

What? Are You Serious?

mongol-rally-logo-sm

Yes! We drove a tiny car 10,345 miles from London to Mongolia!

WHAT?

An Epic Roadtrip

The Mongol Rally is an epic 10,000 mile pan-continental roadtrip that begins in London and ended in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. In 2014 three American cuckoos- Young, Graham and Kenneth, decided to take part in this adventure of the lifetime. Our team name is Team Hippo.

We drove through 20 Countries, 10,345 Miles, 5 Mountain Ranges, 3 Deserts, 2 Continents in 52 Days in our tiny 1000cc Suzuki Alto named “Tahki Butter”. En route we faced lots of unknown challenges.

In Russia our engine was dangerously overheated due to a broken radiator, both our rear suspension springs were shattered into pieces in Mongolia, not to mention all the bent wheels and numerous tires changing.

WHY?

For Charity

The Mongol Rally is a charity rally that required the participants to raise money for a non-profit/ NGO. In our case, an awesome non-profit based in U.K. called CoolEarth. Cool Earth works alongside indigenous villages to halt rainforest destruction.

On our Mongol Rally trip we pre-designed 15 different missions we had to complete. Some were funny/ silly and some were very sentimental and meaningful. All of them were inspired by the local cultures, landscapes and traditions.

These fundraising missions gave us a very strong focus, provided us infinite stamina and broadened our horizons tremendously. The best Mongol Rally experiences for us were all the fantastic interactions and cultural exchange with the locals.

WHEN?

Summer, 2014

We started on July 15, 2014 in London and finished the rally on September 3, 2014. Altogether we raised $6,600 for our charity.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for the generous donations from all of our donors! Without you guys, we would have never accomplish such a successful FUNraising trip! You guys provided us the resilience we needed while we were facing difficulties. Hope you enjoy the Mongol Rally missions we accomplished on your behalf.

Also, forever gratitude to all the peoples we met on the road who offered help to us while we were in trouble. Too many beautiful peoples to list here. You know who your are ;-)

The journey is more important than the destination! Check out our Blog for our day-to-day stories. Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө! (Erüül mendiin tölöö)- Cheers and Good Health!

We are doing this to protect rainforest and help indigenous peoples around the world to save their lands.

— TEAM HIPPO —

Charity

DONATE TO OUR FUNraiser MISSIONS

100% of your donations will go to the charity

We were inspired by TV shows like The Amazing Race and An Idiot Abroad. We decided to perform a series of fun and meaningful missions to raise money. We believe we cannot change the world sitting behind our computers. We would like to get down and dirty and raise money for charities. Having no access to this specific kind of online fundraising platform, we decided to build it. Hence the birth of FUNraiser.us.

If you pledge money to a mission, once it’s finished all your donations will go to our charity Cool Earth.

Click on the image below to see the missions you can support, it will takes you to our “Missions” pledge page on our FUNraiser site.

FUNraiser-Mock-Up

We are doing this to protect rainforest and help indigenous peoples to save their lands.

All of your donations will go to the following charity

CoolEarth_Logo

We are raising money for a wonderful cause, a non-profit called Cool Earth.

Cool Earth works alongside indigenous villages to halt rainforest destruction.

To this day Cool Earth has protected over 500,000 acres of rainforest that lie directly in the path of chainsaws and bulldozers.

Rainforest-Destruction-Brazil

We know that saving the rainforest isn’t a new idea. Managing to do it is.

Over the last 40 years, half the world’s rainforests have been destroyed. That’s why cool earth decided to go about things differently.

We don’t create reserves or put up fences. We don’t buy land. Instead, we put indigenous people back in control of the world’s most endangered rainforest.

Logging-in-Brazil

These people have lived in the forest for countless generations. Their homes are now on the  frontline of deforestation. They have the most to lose from deforestation.

By building better incomes, better schools and better clinics, we give our partner villages the  resources they need to keep their forest intact.

Cool earth is now working alongside 65 rainforest villages throughout the world.

Ashaninka_Girls_Peru

These partner villages are protecting 500,000 acres of forest that lie directly in the path of chainsaws and bulldozers.

The clever part is that this forest is forming a shield to make the neighbouring forest inaccessible  to loggers – saving millions of acres of further forest.

At least 90% of each donation to cool earth goes directly to our projects.

Cool-Earth-Infographics

 

About Cool Earth

  • OVER 500,000 ACRES OF RAINFOREST SAVED

    — FACTS —
  • OVER 120 MILLIONS TREES PROTECTED

    — FACTS —
  • OVER 35,000 PEOPLE HELPED

    — FACTS —
  • EVERY $7 YOU DONATED A TREE IS PROTECTED

    — DONATIONS —
  • CLICK ON OUR MISSIONS AND HELP SAVE THE RAINFORESTS

    — PLEDGE NOW —

You Really Gonna Drive That Far?

20 Countries, 52 Days, 10,345 miles, 3 FUNraisers, 15 Missions, 1 Tiny Car

Mongol_Rally_Route

the map above is our original drafted routet in Google Map

Below is the actual route we took in Mongol Rally 2014, it’s approximately 1/3 of our planet earth and a big chunk of it are unpaved roads starting from Mongolia.

Inevitably, our original drafted route was changed due to mechanical problems, border crossings waiting time, health issues, visas time constraints and conditions of the roads. Our car “Takhi Butter” broke down multiple times- in Russia our engine was dangerously overheated due to a leaking radiator, our suspension springs were shattered into pieces in Mongolia, not to mention all the bent wheels and tires changing.

Thank You for your tremendous support in helping us overcoming these challenges! The ones with an asterisk next to them are the days when we tackle our FUNraiser missions.

London, U.K.

Calais, France

Brussels, Belgium*

Vianden, Luxembourg

Munich, Germany*

Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

Klenová, Czech Republic

Sedlec, Czech Republic*

Bojnice, Slovakia

Slovak Paradise NP, Slovakia*

Forró, Hungary

Transylvania, Romania

Ruse, Bulgaria

Varna, Bulgaria

Edirne, Turkey*

Istanbul, Turkey

Pamukkale, Turkey

Cappadocia, Turkey*

Batumi, Georgia

Tbisili, Georgia*

Sheki, Azerbaijan

Baku, Azerbaijan*

Caspian Sea Ferry, Caspian Sea

Turkmenbashi, Turkmenistan

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Derweze, Turkmenistan*

Bukhara, Uzbekistan*

Qarshi, Uzbekistan

Dushanbe, Tajikistan*

Fann Mountain, Tajikistan

Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Tien Shan Mountain, Kyrgyzstan*

Almaty, Kazakhstan

Kazakh Steppe, Kazakhstan

Rubtsovsk, Russia

Barnaul, Russia

Altai Mountains, Russia

Tsambagarav Uul, Mongolia

Khovd, Mongolia

Altai, Mongolia

Bayankhongor, Mongolia

UlaanBaataar, Mongolia*

List of Attractions Along The Route

Below is a list of attractions along the way. Some requires a serious detour or multi-day excursions. We really want to visit all of them but we know we will not be able to. It all depends upon the unknown situations.

We will drive through five different mountain ranges: Carpathians Mountains, Balkan Mountains, Caucasus Mountains, Tien Shan Mountains, Altai Mountains and three deserts: Karakum Desert, Kyzyl Kum Desert and Gobi Desert. We are nature lovers therefore our anchor points have lots of scenic wonders.

The “Missions” column describes the missions we are going to tackle to raise money for the charities. Click on the links will takes you to our mission pledge page.

PLACE

LOCATION

ADDRESS

Muscles from Brussels Statue Bruxelles, Belgium Boulevard Sylvain Dupuis 433, 1070 Anderlecht, Bruxelles, Belgium
Vianden Castle, Victor Hugo Museum Vianden, Luxembourg
Munich Beer Hall Augustiner Braustuben Munich, Germany Landsberger Strasse 19, 80339 Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Hrad a zámek Klenová Castle Klenova, Czech Republic Klenová 1 340 21 Janovice nad Úhlavou, Česká Republika
Český Krumlov Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
Sedlec Ossuary Sedlec, Czech Republic Zámecká, 284 03 Kutná Hora-Sedlec, Czech Republic
Bojnicki Castle Bojnicki, Slovakia
Zámok a okolie 1, 972 01 Bojnice Slovakia
Čičmany folk architecture reserve
Čičmany, Slovakia
Demanovska Ice Cave Slovakia 031 01 Demänovská Dolina, Slovakia
Spišský hrad Castle Slovakia Prešovský kraj, okres Levoča, Spišské Podhradie, Slovakia
Dobšinská Ice Cave and Sucha Bella, Slovak Paradise National Park Slovakia Národný park Slovenský raj, Košický kraj, okres Rožňava, Stratená
The Gombasek Cave, Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst Slovakia Gombasecká jaskyňa cave, Košický kraj, okres Rožňava, Slavec, Slovakia
Gellert Thermal Baths Budapest, Hungary  H-1118 Budapest, Kelenhegyi út 4.
Belgrade Belgrade, Serbia
Izvorul Bigăr Waterfall/ Cheile Nerei-Beușnița National Park Caraș-Severin County, Romania Izvorul Bigar Nature Reserve Județul Caraș-Severin Romania
Transfăgărășan DN7C Highway
Romania Between Pitești, Argeș and Arpasu de Jos, Romania
Bran Castle Bran, Brașov, Romania Bran Castle, DN73, Bran, Brașov, Romania
Vama Veche Beach Party Vama Veche, Romania
Monument to 1300 Years of Bulgaria Shumen, Bulgaria
Buzludzha Bulgaria Communist Headquarter Bulgaria
Vrah Hadji Dimitar, връх Хаджи Димитър
6100, Bulgaria
Wrestling School Edirne, Turkey

Spice Bazaar (Mısır Çarşısı)

Istanbul, Turkey Rüstem Paşa Mahallesi, 34116 İstanbul, Turkey
Pamukkale Pamukkale, Turkey
Cappadocia Cappadocia, Nevşehir, Turkey
Derinkuyu Underground City Derinkuyu,
Turkey
Sümela Monastery Trabzon Province,
Turkey
61750 Trabzon Province
Turkey
Best Mineral Water Borjomi, Georgia
Uplistsikhe Cave Town Gori, Georgia  Kvakhvreli village, Gori, Georgia
Joseph Stalin Museum and Birthplace Gori, Georgia 32 Stalin Avenue, Gori, Georgia
Restaurant Salobie (famous for Lobio red beans) Mtskheta, Georgia
Tbilisi Tbilisi, Georgia
Sheki Sheki, Azerbajan Şəki
Baku Baku, Azerbajan
Gobustan National Park Azerbajan Qobustan Milli Parkı
Door to Hell Derweze, Dashoguz Province, Turkmenistan Derweze, Dashoguz Province, Turkmenistan
Rusting Fishing Ships of Aral Sea Mo‘ynoq, Uzbekistan

Po-i-Kalyan, The Ark…etc.

Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Registan

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Iskanderkul Glacier Lake

Tajikistan

Pamir Highway M41

 Khorog, Tajikistan

Issyk Kul

Cholpon Ata, Issyk Kul Province, Kyrgyzstan

Charyn Canyon National Park- Valley of Castles

Kazakhstan

Lake Kaindy

Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

Kazakhstan

Altyn-Emel State National Park

Kazakhstan

Siberian Ice Maiden Mummy at Anokhin Museum

Gorno-Altaysk, Russia

Национальный музей республики имени А.В. Анохина, Choros-Gurkina ul., d. 46, Gorno-Altaysk 659700, Russia
Golden Mountains of Altai

Republic of Altai, Russia

Uvs Lake

Mongolia

Lake Khovsgol National Park

Mongolia

Gobi Desert Mongolia
Amarbayasgalant Monastery Erdenet, Mongolia
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape Kharkhorin, Mongolia
UlaanBaataar Mongolia
Gorkhi Terelj National Park Mongolia

 

OK, How can I help?

Wanna Help Us?

There are two ways you can get involved

BE A SPONSOR

Donations from businesses and organizations can help offsetting the cost of this charity rally. Your logo will be proudly displayed on our car and permanently shown and linked on this website.  Click here for more info.

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DONATE TO OUR MISSIONS

We have a series of fun “Missions”. If you pledge money to a mission, once it’s finished all your donations will go to our charities. Click on the FUNraiser logo below to see the missions you can support, it will takes you to our “Donate” page where you can pledge donations to our missions.

funraiser_logo_homepage_red

Meet Team Hippo

Who are these three crazies?

KENNETH TIN-KIN HUNG

Sir Eats-a-Lot

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KENNETH TIN-KIN HUNG

YOUNG JUNG

Angry Korean

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YOUNG JUNG

GRAHAM MYHRE

Oh No He Didn’t

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GRAHAM MYHRE

Contact

We'd really love to hear from you so why not drop us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

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