Become a Test Pilot

The Ruckraft is a very innovative piece of kit that we intend to test to destruction and beyond! It is designed to be towed behind a swimmer and can accommodate all of your gear, including rucksack and wild camping equipment. So, that is that we intend to trial here, a wild camping/ swimming/ hiking trip in the serene Isles of Scilly archipelago. Taking the ferry from Penzance on the Cornish mainland to St Mary’s in the Scillies, we will swim, hike and camp our way across the islands on a journey that will be shaped by conditions, always seeking to use protected waters for the swim stages and selecting some stunning camping spots for some amazing beach nights.

Discipline: Swim & trek

Duration: 4 days

Price: £1500

Maximum places available: 8

Stretching 1000km from top to toe, Portugal is one of Europe’s ultimate adventure playgrounds, home to rugged landscapes, Atlantic coastline, incredible food and wine, and vast wild interior regions ripe for exploration. Our journey begins at the Spanish border on the River Minho before travelling the full length of the country to the iconic Sagres lighthouse at Portugal’s southernmost tip. Using gravel bikes, we’ll link quiet backroads and remote trails with stunning trekking sections and river and lake paddling along the way. The result is an unbroken human-powered crossing of one of Europe’s greatest adventure travel destinations.

Discipline: Bike, trek & kayak

Duration: 14 days

Price: £3950

Maximum places available: 6

The skyline of Hong Kong island is legendary, and we aim to complete a full circumnavigation of this famous coastal island city. Whether using our fleet of innovative folding kayaks or locally rented boats, we will set out on a self-contained expeditionary circuit of the island before finding somewhere to celebrate in amongst the skyscrapers and markets of Kowloon.

Discipline: Kayaking

Duration: 1 activity day, 4 day total

Price: £1900

Maximum places available: 6

If there’s one country built for mountain biking, it’s Morocco, but this is Morocco the Rat Race way. Forget the usual routes and tourist hotspots; this is a true off-the-beaten-track expedition. Covering 1000km from Fez to Agadir, the route passes through three spectacular and rarely visited national parks, linking remote mountain trails, dramatic passes, the Gorges des Dades and the legendary Tizi n’Test Pass before descending to the Atlantic coast. This is a supported, 12-day adventure delivering an unforgettable expedition-style journey through some of Morocco’s wildest and most diverse landscapes.

Discipline: Mountain biking

Duration: 12 days

Price: £3350

Maximum places available: 6

Arriving into Tashkent, we’ll transfer to Nukus via Urgench before preparing our bikes for an unforgettable ride across the deserts of Uzbekistan. Our adventure begins with a 100km ride to Kungrad, followed by another 100km onwards to Moynaq, home to the haunting ship graveyard of the Aral Sea. From there, we continue approximately 130km to a remote yurt camp on the shores of the Aral Sea, where we’ll celebrate with a traditional local feast. Returning to Nukus with cultural stops along the way, there may also be the opportunity to visit the legendary Silk Road cities of Samarkand and Bukhara before onward travel from Tashkent.

Discipline: Biking

Duration: 7 days

Price: £2450

Maximum places available: 6

Experience one of the world’s greatest natural wonders the Rat Race way. Iguazu Falls is the largest waterfall system on Earth, with an astonishing 275 cascading drops thundering across a colossal 2.7km stretch at the meeting point of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. This epic multisport adventure takes you across all three countries in three unforgettable days by foot, bike and kayak. Run jungle trails, ride remote roads and paddle wild waterways as you complete the ultimate Iguazu Triple, before finishing beneath the roar of the Falls itself for a celebration you’ll never forget.

Discipline: Run, bike and kayak

Duration: 4 days

Price: £2250

Maximum places available: 6

Deep in the Saudi desert near Abu Na’am lies a rusting 100-year-old locomotive on the legendary Hejaz Railway, the historic line that once connected Damascus to Medina and became famous through the exploits of T.E. Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. Built during the Ottoman Empire to transform the perilous 40-day pilgrimage to Medina into a journey of less than a week, the railway later became a key target during World War I and was immortalised in Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Our adventure begins in the holy city of Medina before heading deep into the Arabian desert, where we’ll ride fatbikes through dramatic mountains, vast sands and forgotten railway tracks to reach the abandoned train itself, retracing a remarkable route through history.

Discipline: Desert Fatbiking

Duration: 6 days

Price: £2950

Maximum places available: 6

From the Norwegian coast to the summit of Northern Europe’s highest mountain, this is a true sea-to-summit expedition through the heart of Norway’s wildest landscapes. Our journey begins at sea level in the mighty Sognefjord, the ‘King of Fjords’, where we’ll kayak 205km (127 miles) deep inland through towering cliffs and remote wilderness to Skjolden. From there, we swap kayaks for skis and head into the snow-covered mountains of Jotunheimen National Park, hauling our gear hut-to-hut on an epic 45km (27 mile) journey to the 2469m (8100ft) summit of Galdhøpiggen. A nonstop journey from sea to summit through fjord, snow and ice and, to our knowledge, something never attempted before in a single push.

Discipline: Kayaking & cross country skiing

Duration: 8 days

Price: £3750

Maximum places available: 6

Tonga is rightly known as a tropical paradise nestled deep in the South Pacific. The island archipelago of Vava’u lies around 250km to the north of the main Tongan island of Tongatapu and consists of dozens of coral-fringed islands sparkling in an almost-too-turquoise-to-believe sea. If you ever conjured an idea of a tropical island paradise, this is it. It is also on the migratory route of humpback whales and in August and September there is the extraordinary opportunity to perhaps swim with these gentle giants of the marine world.

Our new swimming-based concept is totally new ground for Rat Race and where better to give it a first run-out than in this perfect swimming paradise. In typical Rat Race fashion, this is off the beaten track and relatively unexplored for swimming. We will offer a boat-supported selection of swims of various lengths, circumnavs of small islands and point-to-point swim ‘journeys’ between deserted tropical islands will feature heavily, all the while well supported with excellent safety cover. The format is very expeditionary in nature and will form a journey concept in the trademark Rat Race way, swimming a route and achieving objectives and destinations, versus a more traditional venue-based approach. Always different, always Rat Race!

This trips is designed to suit all levels, not just experienced open-water swimmers. So if you want to dip your toe in the water with a brand new swim trip in the Rat Race style this is the one for you! 

Discipline: Swimming

Duration: 8 days

Price: £3950

Maximum places available: 6

Known as “Africa’s Last Eden,” Gabon is one of the wildest and most untouched places left on Earth, with 85% of the country covered in pristine rainforest. Home to vast national parks and extraordinary biodiversity, it shelters over half of the world’s remaining Forest Elephants, huge populations of Gorillas and Chimpanzees, and the striking Mandrill, the world’s largest monkey. It is also the only place on Earth where hippos are known to surf in the ocean along the white sand beaches of Loango National Park. Our adventure will take you deep into this magical country on an epic journey by bike and foot, travelling from the steamy interior jungles to Gabon’s lush Atlantic coastline, immersed in some of Africa’s most spectacular wildlife and landscapes.

Discipline: Bike and trek

Duration: 7 days

Price: £2950

Maximum places available: 6

Benin is the birthplace of Vodou (Voodoo), and this remarkable adventure takes us deep into the heart of its living traditions, history and culture. Beginning on the remote Taneka Plateau, we will visit traditional stone villages and meet local Voodoo priests before starting our gravel cycling journey at the revered Dankoli Fetish shrine, considered a gateway to the Voodoo world. Riding south towards the coast, we will explore key spiritual and cultural sites including Ouidah, the Temple of Pythons and the stilt village of Ganvie. Along the way, we will also reflect on Benin's role in the transatlantic slave trade, walking part of the historic Slave Route and visiting the poignant Door of No Return memorial. A truly unique expedition combining gravel riding, culture, history and spirituality in one of Africa's most fascinating and overlooked destinations.

Discipline: Bike & trek

Duration: 7 days

Price: £2950

Maximum places available: 6

Standing at 6,893m, Nevado Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano on Earth and the second-highest mountain in South America. Unlike most major peaks, it is just possible to ride a mountain bike from near the summit, creating what may be the greatest descent on the planet: almost 350km from the high Andes all the way to sea level. This is one of the most ambitious adventures we have ever conceived. With only a handful of riders ever attempting it, the expedition involves extreme altitude, extensive acclimatisation, carrying bikes high on the mountain and technical riding in some of the world's highest terrain. If conditions align, we'll attempt an extraordinary summit-to-sea descent; if not, simply reaching and riding on Ojos del Salado will still be a remarkable achievement in one of the most remote and spectacular mountain environments on Earth.

Discipline: Trek & bike

Duration: 21 days

Price: £7450

Maximum places available: 3

Deep in the frozen tundra of the Ungava Peninsula in the Inuit territory of Nunavik, Northern Quebec lies one of the most perfectly spherical meteorite craters in the world – the Pingaluit crater. We will make for the tiny Inuit settlement of Kangiqsujuaq and prepare our gear before being taken to the rim of the crater on snowmobiles. We will stay the night close to the crater, climb its rim to peer onto the frozen surface of its utterly pure water, before waving our support drivers for the return leg. We will then strike out on our skis, towing pulks with our gear on a self-supported journey covering around 100km over 4 days of cross-country skiing and camping and staying in basic huts on our way back to Kangiqsujuaq.

Discipline: Cross country ski

Duration: 7 days

Price: £3500

Maximum places available: 4

When the British exiled Napoleon Bonaparte, they chose Saint Helena as one of the most remote places on Earth. Reached by a weekly flight from Johannesburg, this tiny volcanic island is a paradise for adventurers, with dramatic cliffs, rugged mountains, spectacular coastal scenery and a network of hiking trails known as the Postbox Walks. Our goal is to circumnavigate the island by sea kayak with local boat support, while spending non-kayaking days exploring by foot, mountain bike and eBike, snorkelling historic shipwrecks and enjoying the island's unique culture and hospitality. For those seeking an extra challenge, we'll also offer the chance to complete a 50km ultra-distance island circumnavigation on foot, alongside marathon and half marathon options. This is a true multi-sport adventure, combining kayaking, hiking, cycling, trail running, exploration and history in one of the world's most remote and fascinating destinations.

Discipline: Kayak, trek & bike

Duration: 7 days

Price: £2950

Maximum places available: 6

With the majestic snow-capped backdrop of Denali, the highest mountain in North America as our starting point deep in Denali State Park, we will mount our gravel bikes to commence a journey over some 250 miles, weaving our way through deep Alaskan backcountry, via the famous frontier town of Talkeetna and transitioning for some serious wilderness hiking stages en route, before reaching the lower channel of the Little Su river. We will then transition to our pack rafts or kayaks for the penultimate portion of the journey out to the coast, a scenic float down one of Alaska’s favourite rivers. We then pick up the famous Iditarod trail for a final biking section all the way into downtown Anchorage, where beers and king crab await to toast a sensational trip from the heart of the Alaskan backcountry all the way to the bright lights of the big city: Denali to Downtown.

Discipline: Trek, bike & kayak

Duration: 12 days

Price: £4950

Maximum places available: 6