10,000 miles, 10 mountain ranges, 18 countries... in a Micra

Two intrepid fundraisers have conquered the 10,000 miles, three deserts and 10 mountain ranges of the epic Mongol Rally – in a Nissan Micra.

William Roberts, of Brynteg, and Liam Squires, of Talwrn, have spent more than six weeks driving from their home on Anglesey to the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, encountering flat tyres, broken axles and wild camels along the way.

The pair said the journey featured some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Having finally reached their destination yesterday, the friends wrote: “The little Micra carried us all the way from Wales to Ulaanbaatar.

“The past seven days have been some of the toughest and most stressful times of our lives.

We were at breaking point right up till the end. The car has been donated and we couldn't be happier.”

Crossing 18 countries as diverse as Belgium, Iran and Russia, the so-called “Business Hippies” overcame corrupt border guards, sandstorms and “some of the worst roads in the world” to complete their spectacular trip.

Among the sights they saw along the way was the “Door to Hell”, a natural gas field in Turkmenistan which has been burning for more than 40 years.

The travellers also witnessed a “terrifying” lightning storm while camping on the Kazakh steppe and appeared on national Romanian TV.

But they also faced disintegrating roof racks and engine failure as the Micra was put through the journey of its lifetime.

As they neared their destination, the duo said: “Mongolia is slowly destroying our car, our wallets and ourselves. But it is beautiful, and seeing the wild camels and horses along with the herders will never get old.”

The two men, who will return to the UK next week, are raising money for rainforest charity Cool Earth. They said: “The climate in Mongolia is affected directly by the damage to the rainforest, which results in droughts and many other changes that affect the country and its people.”

The Mongol Rally – described as the “greatest adventure in the world” – has attracted hundreds of teams every year since it started in 2004.

To make a donation to Cool Earth, visit virginmoneygiving.com/ team/Thebusinesshippies