Route
- START date: August 28. 2009. Location: Budapest, Hungary.
Begin heading south and make the first border crossing into Croatia, then Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria before leaving the Balkans. Cross the Bosporus channel into Istanbul and navigate the full length of Turkey along the Iranian border into Georgia. The route then leads down into Armenia and all around the politically uncertain area of Karabah before crossing the finish line in Yerevan. - FINISH date: September 13. 2009. Location: Yerevan, Armenia.
What to (generally) expect
With the exception of the Balkan or Caucasian wars you might never have heard of these countries or the rich histories and cultures still available for anyone with enough courage to check it out. We're totally amped to go adventuring with advanced geo-caching challenges in areas that lack any reliable modern maps.
Wonderful local people, atrocious borders, ancient architecture, bad roads and dirt tracks, endless scenic vistas, mine fields, burn-out tanks, pointless country-specific administration obstacles, high-altitude terrain, a subtropical zone, several seas, intense heat and cold. As with foreign travel of all types, a smile and a sense of humor is your greatest resource. And of course, a party held regularly for you to meet locals, talk about the day with fellow racers and enjoy life. 7,800 kilometers (4,850 miles) in length, the Caucasian Challenge takes you through every possible road variation.
Modern highways, dirt and gravel roads, mud tracks, snow covered mountain passes, vast bone-dry desert roads and even floods and landslides are all possible. There is a recommended route traced along the provided maps, designed to take you to the most spectacular parts of each country. In several cases larger roads are available nearby but not recommended, since who just wants to hang out on boring highways? 
The rough route plan of the Caucasian Challenge. Start getting familiar with the country names!We created a more correct route plan in Google Maps. It's a pity that some of the countries are just big white spots on the map. But at least you can see the satellite view of the regions we travel through.
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