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From the red rock canyons and ancient plateaus of Türkiye, via remote hill passes in Romania and Bulgaria, deep valleys and celebrated vineyards in Georgia, to a remarkable finish on the shores of the Caspian in Baku, this trip has it all.
There will be some mild competition on a number of days, but the most important thing is for crews to fully enjoy and experience the changing cultures, unfamiliar roads and pioneering spirit of the Caucasus, rather than rushing past with their heads in the speed tables.
Given the distance and the terrain, this event is created exclusively for Pioneer and Vintage class cars, and while the roads and challenges have been chosen with these vehicles in mind, crews should still come prepared for remote back roads and long days behind the wheel. Bring any pre-war classic that complies, but remember this is a genuine pioneering adventure across six countries, so nothing too fragile.
The highlights of this trip are too many to fit into words, most need to be experienced in person, but let us try to whet your appetite further with a few notes on each day.
Event Partner
The Route
Event Schedule
Budapest to Timisoara
The Vintage Caucasus 2029 begins in Budapest, the historic heart of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, where crews will gather for scrutineering and the ceremonial start of this brand-new 18-day adventure.
Heading south east out of Hungary, the route makes for the Romanian border and the city of Timisoara, once known as "Little Vienna" for its elegant Habsburg-era architecture. It is a gentle opening day, allowing crews and cars to settle in before the miles to come.
Timisoara to Sibiu
Today the rally strikes deeper into Romania, climbing into the foothills of the Carpathians towards the fortified Saxon city of Sibiu.
Founded by German settlers in the 12th century, Sibiu's medieval old town, with its stepped roofs, hidden courtyards and watchful "eyes" peering from attic windows, provides a fittingly atmospheric overnight halt for pioneer and vintage machinery more used to open roads than city streets.
Sibiu to Bucharest
Leaving the mountains behind, the route turns south towards the Romanian capital, Bucharest, once dubbed "Little Paris" for its grand boulevards, belle époque mansions and triumphal arch.
It is a chance to experience one of the great cities of Eastern Europe before the rally continues its journey towards the Black Sea.
Bucharest to Burgas
Crews leave Romania behind and cross into Bulgaria, with the day's drive concluding on the shores of the Black Sea at the resort city of Burgas.
It is the first sight of open water since leaving Budapest, and a reminder of just how far these wonderful old cars will travel before the finish in Baku.
Burgas to Istanbul
One of the true landmark days of the event, as crews leave Bulgaria and cross into Türkiye, arriving in the extraordinary city of Istanbul, the only city in the world to straddle two continents.
With the Bosphorus dividing Europe from Asia, minarets piercing the skyline and history layered from Byzantium to the Ottomans, Istanbul is a fitting gateway to the deep dive into Türkiye that follows.
Istanbul to Eskisehir
Leaving Istanbul, the rally turns inland and begins its exploration of Anatolia, heading for Eskisehir, a university city known for its Ottoman-era houses and canals, sometimes likened to a Turkish Amsterdam.
It is the first taste of the "little known parts of Türkiye" that Clerk of the Course Guy Woodcock has planned as part of this pioneering new route.
Eskisehir to Antalya
The route continues south towards the Mediterranean coast and the historic city of Antalya, with its old harbour, Roman gates and dramatic backdrop of the Taurus Mountains.
Antalya will provide a well-earned two-night halt, with the following day set aside for rest before the second half of the adventure begins.
Antalya (Rest Day)
A day to relax, service the cars and explore Antalya's old town of Kaleici, with its narrow lanes, Ottoman houses and views out over the harbour to the mountains beyond.
For many crews it will be the last real city comforts before the rally heads deep into central and eastern Anatolia.
Antalya to Adana
Leaving the coast, the route heads east towards Adana, one of Türkiye's oldest cities, sitting on the banks of the Seyhan River and steeped in history stretching back to the Hittites.
It marks the start of a longer push eastwards, deeper into the "extraordinary red mountains" and vast plateaus that define this stage of the journey.
Adana to Sivas
Climbing into the Anatolian highlands, today's drive takes crews to Sivas, an important staging post on the old Silk Road and home to some of the finest surviving Seljuk architecture anywhere in Türkiye.
The scenery becomes wilder and more remote with every kilometre, exactly the "uncharted areas" that HERO-ERA set out to find for this new route.
Sivas to Erzurum
Further east across dramatic high plateau country, the rally continues to Erzurum, one of the highest and most historic cities in eastern Türkiye, long a meeting point of trade routes between Anatolia, the Caucasus and Persia.
The mountain scenery here is some of the most spectacular of the entire event, a true test and treat for pioneer and vintage crews alike.
Erzurum to Ardahan
Climbing still higher, the route pushes towards Ardahan, close to the Georgian border in Türkiye's remote north east.
This is the heart of the "deep dive" Guy Woodcock spoke of, roads rarely if ever travelled by rallyists, found through HERO-ERA's special relationships built up in the region.
Ardahan to Zestafoni
Crews cross the border out of Türkiye and into Georgia, leaving behind the red mountains of Anatolia for the rolling hills and dramatic valleys of the Caucasus.
It is a moment months, indeed years, in the planning, and the start of an entirely new chapter in HERO-ERA's exploration of this remarkable part of the world.
Zestafoni to Tbilisi
The route continues through Georgia's celebrated wine country towards the capital, Tbilisi, a city of onion-domed churches, sulphur bathhouses and balconied old town streets tumbling down to the Kura River.
Tbilisi will host a well-deserved second rest day, with the Georgian Automobile ASN having been closely involved in shaping this section of the route.
Tbilisi (Rest Day)
A second rest day, this time in the Georgian capital, giving crews the chance to explore Tbilisi's old town, sample the local wine and cuisine, and prepare for the final push towards Baku.
Tbilisi to Qakh
Leaving Tbilisi, the rally heads deeper into Georgia's back roads, exactly the kind of territory the event "only skirted" on the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, en route to the small town of Qakh, close to the Azerbaijan border.
It is classic Georgian countryside, rolling hills and valleys, before the final border crossing of the event.
Qakh to Barda
Crews cross into Azerbaijan, a country HERO-ERA describes as having "brilliant" support for the event, and head towards Barda, one of the oldest cities in the region and once the medieval capital of Caucasian Albania.
Few rallies venture into this part of Azerbaijan, making this one of the true pioneering sections of the entire Vintage Caucasus route.
Barda to Baku
The final, shorter leg of the adventure brings crews to Baku, the remarkable Azerbaijani capital on the shores of the Caspian Sea, where futuristic skyscrapers rise alongside the UNESCO-listed Old City walls.
It is a fitting and unforgettable finish to an extraordinary 5000 km expedition, where pioneer and vintage crews will be able to reflect on 18 days spent exploring some of the most remote and least-travelled corners of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, before a well-earned celebration to mark the finish of the Vintage Caucasus 2029.
Event Partner
Vehicle Eligibility:
A - Pioneer - up to Dec 1920
B - Vintage - Jan 1921 to Dec 1930
C - Vintageant - Jan 1931 to Dec 1947