Race Across the World is back, baby! This time, five new teams are embarking on a mahoosive 14,000-kilometre journey across three countries and we’re following them each week through tears, tasty food, and totally-shouldn’t-have-spent-that-much-money-on-that-taxi.
On a shoe-string budget of just over £1000 (!) they’ll be making their way to the finishing line to claim a £20,000 jackpot. As they head from A to B, C, and D, we’ll be catching up with each week’s check point, giving you some tips on what you could get up to there and how to get around in prep for your own Race Across the World adventure…
Where is Race Across the World this year?
The last checkpoint
Varanasi, India
Last week we left this year’s Race Across the World contestants in Varanasi, sitting on the banks of the Ganges River and one of the oldest living cities in the world. A place where death is honoured, not hidden, its architectural choose-your-own-adventure streets run the gamut from ghats to temples, and people come from all over India (and beyond) to bathe in the river here, hoping to wash away lifetimes of karma.
The next checkpoint
McLeod Ganj, India: 1,500km from Varanasi
Tucked away in the folds of Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra Valley, just above Dharamshala, McLeod Ganj is where pine trees mix with Tibetan monasteries and chai stalls. About 6,831 feet above sea level, the air is crisp and the backdrop features jaw-dropping views of the Dhauladhar range, often snow-capped like a powdered sugar dream.
A heady mix of Indian mountain town energy and laid-back Tibetan calm, you’ll find monks in maroon robes brushing shoulders with backpackers and pilgrims. It also happens to be the exile home of the 14th Dalai Lama, instantly giving it global spiritual cred. After fleeing Tibet in 1959, the Dalai Lama and thousands of Tibetans settled here, and that heritage runs deep.
Even if you’re not hugely spiritual, some of the hiking routes round here might just get you very close to it. The food, too – try some thukpa (noodle soup that could cure heartbreak), Tingmo (steamed bread you’ll dream about), and momos (steamed, fried, slathered in spicy red chili sauce). Oh, and just a note – July to August is monsoon season here. Lush, but slippery.
McLeod Ganj must-do’s
Tsuglagkhang Complex
This is the main spiritual hub, housing the Dalai Lama’s residence, the Namgyal Monastery, and the Tibet Museum. It’s peaceful, powerful, and pulsing with quiet reverence.
Bonus points for:Walking the kora (circumambulation path), spinning the prayer wheels, and soaking in the calm.
Trek to Triund
This is the iconic McLeod experience. A 5.5 mile hike (moderate, but prepare to sweat a bit) that winds through rhododendron forests, pine trees, and jaw-dropping Himalayan views. At the top? A sprawling meadow with the Dhauladhar peaks watching over you like ancient mountain gods.
Bonus points for: Renting a tent at the top and sleeping with the stars (and the yaks).
Take a Meditation Course at Tushita
Perched on a quiet hill above McLeod Ganj, Tushita is a little pine-shaded sanctuary that offers both 10-day silent retreats and drop-in meditation sessions if you’re a little shorter on time.
Bonus points for: Being patient with yourself. Most can’t manage enlightenment in the first session. But remember – silence is not the absence of noise, but the presence of everything else. Or something like that.
How to get there
Head north west of Varanasi
On this leg of the journey, this year’s Race Across the World contestants are heading north west of Varanasi back towards the Himalayas. This is actually a fairly simple stretch compared to their previous checkpoints, with handy night trains able to get you most of the way there, followed by a bus to McLeod Ganj itself.
But here’s the catch – there’s two pretty major detours up for grabs along the way, including one that’s home sweet home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Oh yes. Stick to the train or get off, stretch the legs and tick off a bucket lister or two? That one’s up to you.
This is how you do it
Varanasi to Pathankot
If you’re going straight from Varanasi to Pathankot, it’s a looong stretch – best to go by night train. Leave Varanasi Junction in the evening, and you’ll reach Paranthkot Cantt station the next afternoon. Often dubbed the “Gateway to the Himalayas,” it’s home to forts and temples, as well as the major Ranjit Sagar Dam (which doubles as a lush picnic area), and the Keshopur Chhamb wetlands, a must if you’re a bird spotter.
From the station, take a rickshaw into the centre to catch your bus for the next leg.
Detour #1
Agra
The night train from Varanasi to Pathankot is a whopper, taking around a day, give or take a few hours depending on the service you catch. There’s two routes – one that goes via Lucknow, and one that goes via Kanpur. Our suggestion? Take the latter. Why? Because even if you book a sleeper for the journey, it’s a long time to be cooped up. Take the train that goes via Kanpur, and you can get off at Tundla Junction and hop on another quick train to Agra. Yes, that Agra. The one with the Taj Mahal.
A sultry whisper of the Mughal Empire, this is a city where marble sings and love is carved into stone. Most people think Agra begins and ends with the Taj Mahal, but that’s just the opening act. Agra is also home to the Agra Fort – think of it as the Taj’s more muscular, older sibling. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is part fortress, part palace, and all grandeur. Walk through the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience), Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of Private Audience), and catch a heartbreaking view of the Taj from Shah Jahan’s prison window.
On the opposite bank of the Yamuna River, Mehtab Bagh, the Taj’s secret garden, is the perfect spot to watch the Taj Mahal at sunset, away from the crowds. Lush, peaceful, and mega romantic (just saying.) Try some Mughlai cuisine: Rich, creamy, and unapologetically indulgent. Think: Butter chicken, biryani, shahi paneer, and rogan josh. Chuck in some petha, the iconic translucent candy made of ash gourd (try the saffron or rose ones if you’re feeling fancy) before hopping back on a train to Tundla Junction and rejoining the night train route to Pathankot.
Detour #2
New Delhi
Back on the train to Pathankot, if you stay put for another 4 hours or so you’ll come to another mega detour opportunity – New Delhi, baby!
India’s capital, you’re as likely to find a Mughal tomb here as a brutalist building, a centuries-old shrine as you are a McDonald’s, or a street vendor selling chai outside a seven-star hotel. The formal seat of government and the administrative heart of the country, New Delhi is home to Humayan’s Tomb, all red sandstone and white marble in glorious Mughal symmetry, Qutub Minar, a towering UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 12th century and still standing tall despite earthquakes and empires (the minaret is stunning, but the Iron Pillar nearby – uncorroded after 1,600+ years – is the real flex), and India Gate, the Indian version of the Arc de Triomphe.
Chandni Chowk Market is Old Delhi in full swing – wires overhead, spice-laden air, chaos and charisma in equal measure. Come here for paranthas, silver jewellery, wedding saris, and the experience of narrowly escaping being trampled by a rickshaw. If that’s all a bit much, escape to the city’s green spaces – Lodhi Garden is full of joggers, peacocks, tombs, and lovers sitting suspiciously close on benches, whilst Sunder Nursery is an impeccably restored Mughal garden with art installations and picnic spots.
After a whirlwind day in New Delhi, rejoin the night train route at Delhi Junction and continue onwards to Pathankot – get comfy, you’ve got around 9 hours to go.
Pathankot to McLeod Ganj
After arriving in Pathankot Cantt, you’ll want to catch a rickshaw into the centre so you can catch a Himachal Road Transport (HRTC) bus bound for McLeod Ganj. Buses run frequently (often hourly) from early morning till late evening. It’ll take you about 3 hours, and as you climb into Himachal Pradesh look out for forested hills and distant Dhauladhar peaks near Dharamshala. Enjoy views of valleys and villages along the winding route before getting off at the McLeod Ganj stop. From here, you can simply walk down into town to explore and have a peek at the Dalai Lama’s gaff.
