Car Rallies
The Travel Scientists is the world’s most gonzo adventure travel operator. Based in Budapest and Chennai, we have specialized in organizing car rallies all across the globe – India, the Caucasus, Central Asia, you name it – and after more than 10 years in the business, we are among the best. Our rallies are not about speed or competition, but we like to foster a sense of community and communal adventure, making friends for a lifetime rather than just driving from A to B by yourself.
Um, sort of. The more if you obey the rules, listen to advice and practice common sense; you’ll probably do just fine. But it’s not guaranteed, you won’t have a support or rescue team nudging you on, plus you’ll be in extremely remote areas at some point. This is real adventure. Read more about the threats and dangers. We never had major security/safety problems in the past years so don’t be too much concerned, just use common sense and follow the Road Book.
Anyone with a valid driver’s license for the type of vehicle you’ll be using. Technically you should also be of sound mind and body… but that’s covered in the terms and conditions you sign before the start. No age restrictions, use your common sense and/or ask the organizers.
Of course! The whole experience is made to be had with friends. Each passenger needs to be registered as team member and pay the entrance fee.
Typically teams consist of two people. Thanks to our liberal definition of a team (1 to 4 people), that number can vary. Maximum 30 teams can register.
If you have a car, sure! If you don’t have a car, it’s a bit more difficult, but we’ll do our best to hook you up with another team or another solo traveler with a car. Just let us know that you would like to participate and we’ll see what we can do for you!
Maximum 30 teams can register. Thanks to our liberal definition of a team (1 to 4 people), that number can vary.
All drivers need to be in possession of a valid driver’s license and an international driving license for the type of vehicle you’ll be using. If you are just a passenger and don’t intend to drive, you don’t need one.
Fill out the form on the trip page and we will contact you shortly with all further details. You are officially signed up once we’ve received the entrance fee.
We try to be as flexible as possible, but please be aware that if full payment is not received on time, we reserve the right to reallocate your place to another participant.
Baltic Run: When the 30th team has registered or 45 days before the start date.
Bullathon: 30 days before the start of the event.
Central Asia Rally: When the 30th team has registered or 30 days before the start date.
Caucasian Challenge: When the 30th team has registered or 30 days before the start date.
Grand Moroccan Escapade: When the 30th team has registered or 45 days before the start date.
Great Balkan Ride: When the 30th team has registered or 30 days before the start date.
India’s Cup: When the 30th team has registered or 30 days before the start date.
Wild West Challenge: When the 30th team has registered or 45 days before the start date.
We encourage you to register early to guarantee your place in the event.
You can pay per wire and PayPal.
Where the event is cancelled the organizers offer the participants the choice of purchasing an alternative event of at least the same standard if available (and paying in respect of any price difference) or receiving a full refund of all money paid to us less administration charges.
The Organizers will not cancel an event less than 45 days before the departure date except by reason of force majeure or non-payment of fees.
Entrance fees may be refunded only if the rally is cancelled for any reason. Entry fees can also be transferred to the respective rally in the next year, if the applicant cannot participate in the upcoming event and informs the organizers at least 45 days prior to the flag off.
Baltic Run: 45 days before the start of the rally
Bullathon: 30 days before the start of the rally
Caucasian Challenge: 30 days before the start of the rally
Central Asia Rally: 60 days before the start date
Grand Moroccan Escapade: 45 days before the start of the rally
Great Balkan Ride: 30 days before the start of the rally
India’s Cup: 30 days before the start of the rally
Wild West Challenge: 45 days before the start of the rally
We encourage you to send it in early to guarantee your place in the rally.
– 40% of the registration fee is payable on sign-up to secure place
– balance 60% is due in the time mentioned above for each rally.
We try to be as flexible as possible but please be aware that if full payment is not received on time we reserve the right to reallocate your place to another participant.
Administration of the Travel Scientists’ rallies is a full time, year-round job for the organizers and the additional support staff in multiple offices internationally. We work hard to make things as easy as possible for participants to sign up and have a great time. Your fees enable us to carry out all the route planning, research, logistics and administration whilst providing an earning for our hard working staff. In addition to the “background” work, your fee also covers the inclusive features of your basic trip package such as:
– A custom road book that guides you on all aspects of the journey
– Official rally gear (Clothing and accessories)
– Complete coordination of charity events
– Launch party
– Finishers party
– Organization team located in Budapest available to assist with all questions and issues that arise pre-event
Once your registration form has been processed by us and we’ve received the first part of your payment, you will know your place is confirmed and can set about planning for the trip. You will need all the usual documentation you would expect for a holiday as follows:
– Passport (with visa where applicable)
– Travel insurance
– Driving licence
– International Driving Permit (if necessary)
– Vehicle registration document*
*this will be provided to you by us for Deluxe Entries
The same standard papers required elsewhere: car insurance (green card) and vehicle registration paper (called ‘car passport’). If the vehicle is on someone else’s name make sure you have an authorization. Any paper that connects you with the owner of the car (or whoever is in the car papers), will be fine for the border procedures. We will notify you in advance if there are any special requirements. Anyhow, you’ll find all the details in the road book.
A tourist visa is sufficient. Contact your local embassies for more information and any needed application processing. We encourage you to apply early (45 days before departure) in case of delays.
Each rally will be accompanied by an organizer team with years of experience, which will be available every morning and every evening in the base hotel, in case you should have questions about the next day’s route or need help with anything else. After years of organising our rallies, we know the region well and will do our best to help you with all your problems, but remember that this is a minimal assistance event and you yourself are responsible for your car’s maintenance and repair.
There are so many options! We full heartedly recommend trying the local cuisines and stop at the road side for a snack in a little eatery as often as possible. In the evenings we usually meet in the designated hotel and often have dinner together. After years of travelling, we know how to find the best places! Lunch and dinner are not included in any packages, breakfast will be included in most of the hotels, in case you opt for the Standard or Deluxe package.
The rally organizers have researched and planned the route based on roads marked on common maps, however this is a big cultural shift from developed highways. Expect dirt roads, potholes within potholes, landslides, and the possibility of roads not existing anymore!
We ask you to contact a traveler’s clinic in your home country or your personal doctor to find out what kind of vaccinations you might need or medical precautions you should consider before traveling. We highly recommend you bring a medical kit with you, which should include the following:
– Pain killers
– Ointments for insect bites
– Insect repellent
– Tweezers and needles
– Antiseptic alcohol
– Thermometer
– Eye drops
– Vitamins
– Generic antibiotics
– Anti-diarrhea medication
– First-aid supplies
Please remember, you will be responsible for bringing your own prescription medication as needed.
Sleeping accommodations are the responsibility of the participants. We give you a tailor-made road book that lists some of the local accommodations for the nights. Each night a designated hotel (sometimes a campsite) becomes the rally base camp. This is the place where you’ll find the organizers, parties and a friendly place to hang out or get help.
We put together a hotel package, so if you sign up for that, you won’t have a problem with your places to stay for the whole length of the event. It’s not mandatory but one thing less to think about while on the road – just pick up your key and enjoy the night.
The routes are designed so that any car can participate, no matter its age or model. Of course, we might all be expected to get out and push at some point.
If? You definitely will. Luckily help is on hand in all sorts of ways. There are your fellow participants who in the spirit of the event will always lend a helping hand (or occasionally completely stitch you up and send you the wrong way). But who better to point the way than the friendly locals. Savvy teams know that the best way to get back on track is with a chat while sampling the wares of a local fruit seller. Also mobile GPS availability and accuracy even in the remotest regions have improved majorly over the last years, so you’ll always find your way.
We could say bad luck but it’s rather good luck. You have a wonderful opportunity to test your sense to find a mechanic or someone who knows someone maybe far from the next village, test your team mate’s nerves and learn names of car parts in local languages. We mark real remote parts of the route in the road book and recommend to drive them in small groups to help each other out in emergency.
We give you GPS navigation waypoints and advise that you have a GPS device that you are comfortable with. We highly recommend Garmin GPS products as a proven brand in adventure traveling. All the GPS maps we give to participants are Garmin format. Also GPS and navigation programs on mobile phones have improved majorly over the last years and they work fairly well even in the remote regions we visit now.
But of course it is way more fun to find the destination in the old fashioned way – with paper maps, following rusty signs and asking the locals!
Participants can read more info about the GPS devices and useful maps in the Road Book.
Team members are solely responsible for any fuel costs, repairs, and any other costs associated with their event vehicle. Upon the instance of a breakdown, the teams will be responsible to procure the services of local mechanic since the organizers will provide no repair services en route.
This depends on many factors like the fuel efficiency of your car, the accommodation you choose and what you eat. You can do our rallies on a shoestring and you can live the high life. If you choose our hotel package, the amount you need to bring will naturally decrease.
You can turn around and drive home, sell the car and fly back or give it away for charity.
If you rent a car from us, you don’t have to worry about anything, since we’ll take care of the transport back.