The Caucasian Challenge Route

FAQ

You know you want to do it. But first a few questions…

Who is eligible to participate?

Anyone over 18 years of age 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.

How many people will be involved?

Maximum 50 teams can register. Thanks to our liberal definition of a team (1 to 4 people), that number can vary.

When do you close registration?

When the 50th team has registered or July 31, 2010. We’d like to point out that the earlier you register the more cash you save for things like petrol and accommodations.


What if all the spots are taken?

Now might be a good time to learn about common bribery practices…


Is it safe?

Um, sort of. The more 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. This is real adventure. Read more about the threats and dangers.


How do I get to the starting line?

That depends on where you come from. Anywhere from Europe it’s easy to drive there. It’s a lovely two-day journey from London to Budapest. Or you can fly in while arranging to have your vehicle shipped here, or pick one up locally. For more information on finding a vehicle in Budapest please contact us. We can help you finding the right vehicle for your budget and arrange all paperwork, enhancements, preparations, rally decals, whatever you need. Just let us know in time!


What if I break down on the 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 in the middle of the night pretty far from the next village, test your team mate’s nerves and learn names of car parts in local languages.


What do I do with my vehicle in Armenia?

You can turn around and drive home, sell the car and fly back or arrange to have it shipped back by a professional service or you can give it away for charity. All these options are your responsibility but we can help guide you with information about the average going rates for your type of vehicle in Yerevan. UPDATE: selling a car in Armenia with foreign plates is a pain in the butt, the administration procedures are worse than in Africa and taxes are high. But we turned every stone and it seems there is a way around. Just let us know well in advance (all the details of your car) otherwise we cannot help you.


Where are we going to sleep?

If you prefer luxury accommodations we’ll do what we can to point you towards the nearest approximation. Sleeping accommodations are the responsibility of the participants, except for the last night in Yerevan. We give you a tailor-made road book, in advance, that lists a variety of local accommodations for each night. Each night a designated hotel (sometimes a campsite) becomes the Caucasian Challenge base camp. This is the place where you’ll find the organizers, parties and a friendly place to hang out or get help. Most participants will spend 20% of the race in campsites under the stars.


Does my mobile phone work everywhere?

Believe or not but it does. It’s weird that at some points you feel like you’re back in the middle ages, still, your phone gets full reception. The only exception for us was Karabakh where some operators worked others did not. Obviously there are some points where you won’t have any coverage but that’s only for an hour or two. Just make sure you bring a standard dual or tri-band GSM phone.


What vehicle papers will I need?

The same standard papers required elsewhere: car insurance, registration, etc. If the vehicle is on someone else’s name make sure you have an authorization. Anything that connects you with the owner of the car (or whoever is in the car papers), a simple piece of paper. We will notify you in advance if there are any special paper requirements. Anyhow, you’ll find all the details in the road book.


How do I get the car inurance?

Your EU insurance is valid in most of the countries covered by the Caucasian Challenge. The exception is Kosovo, Georgia and Armenia. For all 3 countries you can (and must) buy insurance for a fee at the borders. The procedures and the fees are explained in the Road Book.


Will I need Visas?

Depending on your passport you will likely need some visas. Most probably 3 in total if you’re from the EU, the US or Canada. The good news is that all are pretty easy to get en route, so you don’t need to do anything in advance. We can point you in a general direction but can’t assist you with the actual process.


What about the terrain?

Covering a bunch of countries almost never seen by western eyes, you’ll marvel at the infrequent modern roadways in between the dirt, gravel and moon-like surfaces. You’ll experience all kinds of roads to test your vehicle and yourself. From big flat dirty plains to incredibly steep mountain passes you get what you deserve. Having a fancy car won’t necessarily be an advantage as all participants must obey local laws and the emphasis in the racing category is on solving difficult geo-caching challenges.


Can I make it with a 2WD vehicle?

Sure you can make it. There are some charming challenging roads specially for 4WD cars but we will always mark these sections in the road book and suggest alternative routes. In the competition category we do recommend a 4WD car. Not for the four-wheel-drive in particular, ground clearance is the key for us.


What kind of weather can I expect?

Difficult to answer. It can be chilly and rainy in the Balkans in September as well as deadly 40 degrees Celsius. There is no good answer for that. The climate is generally mild in that season but expect everything between boiling hell and close-to-freeze temperatures. More info will come about the specific regions in the road book.


How about health issues and vaccinations?

You have a pretty small chance to get the plague on the way but be well prepared. We prepared a short document for you covering all the issues and possible health related problems during this trip. If you have concerns read more about the possible health issues in the region on the web or consult your doctor.


What maps and navigation techniques do you recommend?

We give you a series of maps after the registration in Budapest and before starting out provide online maps for special areas. The really exciting part comes when resources are outdated, inaccurate or there are no maps at all. For this we set navigation waypoints according to GPS and recommend that you have a GPS device that you are comfortable with. We highly recommend Garmin GPS products. These devices proved in the previous years. Avoide taking only a palmtop with some country map GPS software. More info about the GPS devices and useful maps in the Road Book.


Can we get our own sponsors?

All participants are required to have official Caucasian Challenge sponsor stickers on their racing vehicle. However some teams like to offset the cost of the Challenge or increase their charity donations by finding their own team sponsors. Go for it!