Two Ceredigion brothers are set to 'risk their lives' on a dangerous 2,000km tuk tuk ride through the Himalayas to raise money for environmental charities.
Louis and Felix Cryer from Trawscoed will take on the treacherous journey from the Indian city of Leh in the mountainous Kashmir region – more than 3,500 metres above sea level – to the lower lying settlement of Jaisalmer.
Tuk tuks, a rickshaw style vehicle with three wheels and a small motor, are a typically Asian mode of transport and are commonly seen on streets of Bangkok, Beijing or Delhi – and not on the rocky roads of the Himalayas.
The pair has given their tuk tuk a makeover in honour of their grandad who used to race for Aston Martin, including at the internationally significant Le Mans race in 1949. They are calling their own challenge ‘Leh Man’s 28’ – after their starting point and their grandad’s race number.
The brothers are hoping to raise £1,500 and have already reached £1,000 in donations.
The Adventurists, an organisation that sets up dangerous challenges for travellers, has described their mission as one that will ‘put their health and life at risk’.
Louis, now a TV producer, said they were both brought up to be travellers and adventurers.
“We live for an adventure really,” he said. “We’re both very outdoorsy and we’re set to drive a car to Mongolia but then the pandemic hit.
“So, this challenge is a replacement for that and a proper adventure.
“This trip is by no means going to be easy.
“Not only are we driving a very unsuitable vehicle on very bad roads in a very remote part of the world, but we're also doing this at an altitude that would give a mountain goat vertigo.”
The trip is advertised by the Adventurists website which reads: “These are genuinely dangerous things to do.
“This website is written in a light-hearted fashion, but you cannot overestimate the risks involved in taking part in this adventure.
“Your chances of being seriously injured or dying as a result of taking part are high. Individuals who have taken part in past Adventurists' adventures have been permanently disfigured, seriously disabled and even lost their life.
“This is not a glorified holiday, it's an unsupported adventure and so by its very nature extremely risky.
“You really are on your own and you really are putting both your health and life at risk.”
The pair will donate the proceeds to charities Cool Earth, Stump Up for Trees and the Juniper Trust.
“Stump Up For Trees is is an ambitious, community-based charity focused on woodland creation and enhancing biodiversity in the Brecon Beacons,” Louis added.
“We're mindful of the carbon footprint of this adventure and we're aiming to raise enough money to roughly cover the number of new native trees required to offset our trip.
“The Juniper Trust does amazing work all over the world and has successfully funded the construction of a new hostel for children in Leh, the starting point of our trip.
“Before the hostel construction, secondary schooling was only available in Leh, which was a week-long and often dangerous trek away.
“To address this issue, a hostel was built near Leh to accommodate the children from Lingshed while also supporting traditional Buddhist practice and culture.”