WHY IT’S SPECIAL

More than 300 teams participate in this wild annual road trip from Prague to Siberia. The catch (one of them) is that participants can only drive tiny vehicles with engines up to 1.2 litres – think Fiat Pandas and Nissan Micras. If you get lost or break down, you’re on your own.

Heading south-east across Europe,

There are not many road trips designed to fork, bend and meander, but then the Mississippi, which the Great River Road follows through 10 states – from Louisiana in the south to Minnesota in the north – is no ordinary waterway. Formed by a retreating glacier during the last Ice Age and torn wide apart in 1811 by earthquakes that nearly pulled the North American continent in two, the river has found itself at the heart of a great many major events in US history, beyond pure geological happenings.

It’s made up not of a single road but a combination of back roads, federal routes and state highways, so from behind the wheel the road things start to get interesting on Romania’s Transfagarasan Highway, which makes dozens of switchbacks as it climbs through a green valley with jaw-dropping views. Continue through Bulgaria, Turkey, and Iran (Brits must hire a guide to get a visa) before seeing the giant fire pit in the middle of Turkmenistan’s desert.

After Uzbekistan, drive along Tajikistan’s Pamir Highway, a rough and rocky dirt road through the mountains – not for the faint of heart. Afghanistan is just across the river, but it’s generally pretty safe on this side, with children lining up to give you high-fives as you pass through their villages. Dine on exotic meats from horse, camel and yak. Try not to get sick. Car trouble is inevitable sooner or later, but when you do break down, you’ll be amazed at the friendliness and resourcefulness of local mechanics, who somehow manage to fix nearly everything, even if they don’t have the proper parts. Finally, pass through Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Mongolia to the finish line, six to eight weeks after you began.

YOU’LL NEVER FORGET…

The incredible Persian hospitality – you may well be invited to join a family for supper.

INSIDER TIP

Bring a satellite communication device, such as the Garmin inReach (garmin.com), which allows you to send messages from virtually anywhere in emergencies and folks back home can track your progress.

HOW TO DO IT

The Adventurists run the Mongol Rally every July. In addition to the £695 team registration fee (plus the cost of the used car, visas, and supplies), teams must raise at least £1,000 for charity. Sign up at theadventurists.com/adventures/ mongol-rally. affluent, others nearly abandoned; and the city of Hannibal, Missouri, tells more fantastical tales of the most famous fictional characters to emerge from the region – Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

YOU’LL NEVER FORGET…

Wading through the shallows in Itasca State Park – it’s hard to believe this is the source of the same wide river you’ve followed from where it spools into the Gulf of Mexico.

INSIDER TIP

Include a stay in one of the plantation houses in Louisiana: Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie (oakalleyplantation.com) is recommended, while Whitney Plantation (whitneyplantation. com) offers a brutally frank tour about the history of slavery.

HOW TO DO IT

Fly in to New Orleans and out from Minneapolis-St Paul (or vice versa) with British Airways and Delta.