It’s not every day that you get to see classic cars like the 1928 Bentley Le Mans or the 1965 Porsche 911s in Kathmandu. But, it just so happened, that the fleet of Himalayan Challenge Rally participants were in town and Nepal Drives was right there on the scene.  Organized by the Endurance Rally Association, this four-wheel adventure was perfected for experienced explorer-competitors seeking to pit their wits and skills against a route bursting with challenge, drama, culture, and excitement.

The Endurance Rally Association is the same body that organized the Peking to Paris Rally that made its way through Nepal in 1997. The Peking to Paris Motor Challenge ended in France on October 18th 1997, after an epic 45-day journey across half the world, from Peking. This time around, the rally started in Delhi on Friday 21 September 2018 and is set to finish in Agra on Thursday 11 October.

Their route has had them pass through Chandigarh, Manali, Shimla, crossing the border over to Nepal and into Bardia, then Pokhara, and in Kathmandu where we got a chance to meet the fleet. They will now head out to Chitwan, then into Lucknow and finish the final leg to reach Agra. Route Designer and Clerk of the Course, John Spiller has, along with the help of local guides and experts, created a route with unmapped roads, winding mountain passes, hair-raising highways, and unrivaled scenery.

The rally includes only pre 1976 cars and we were lucky enough to bring you an exclusive feature of their visit to Nepal. Here are a few photos from our rendezvous with the fleet.

Participating Cars (in no particular order): 1925 – Bentley 3- 4½, 1928 – Bentley 4½ Le Mans, 1928 – Bentley 4½ Le Mans, 1929 – Bentley 4½, 1929 – Bentley 4½ Le Mans, 1929 – Bentley 4½ Le Mans, 1931 – Chrysler CM 6, 1931 – Chrysler V70 / 11, 1932 – Rockne Six 75,  1936 – Bentley Derby 4¼, 1938 – Ford 62, 1955 – Chevrolet Business Coupe, 1955 – Austin A90 Westminster, 1958 – Morris Oxford, 1959 – Mercedes-Benz 220S, 1960 – Morgan Plus 4,  1965 – Mercedes Benz 230SL, 1965 – Porsche 911, 1965 – Volvo Amazon 122S, 1965 – Ford Mustang, 1965 – Sunbeam Tiger, 1966 – Saab 96 V4, 1968 – Triumph TR250, 1969 – Volvo Amazon,  1971 – Datsun 240Z, 1971 – Mercedes Benz 280S, 1972 – Peugeot 504, 1963 – Volvo 122S,  1972 – Datsun 240Z, 1973 – Citroen DS20, 1973 – Porsche 911T,  1974 – Porsche 911,  1975 – Mercedes Benz 280 Coupe and 1968 – Volvo 122S