The 2012 Maya “End of the World” Rally may well live up to its billing as “one of the last great adventures of this century” especially if the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican Mayan calendar is to be believed. This imaginative RV and overlanding expedition come scavenger hunt – that kicks off in Guanajuato, Mexico on December 12th and wraps up in Bacalar, Mexico on December 20th – finishes one day before the end of the 5,125-year-long cycle of the Maya Long Count calendar. A state of affairs that some doomsday advocates believe will herald the end of the world.
“We are putting this rally together for the end of the world” said Maya Rally organizer and Expedition Portal founder, Christian Pelletier. “Initially we wanted to finish in Guatemala at some of the Mayan sites but Guatemala is too crazy,” said Pelletier who subsequently decided to keep the overland rally confined to Mexico where the terrain is just as challenging and the political situation fractionally more stable than its southern neighbour. Twenty of the forty available spots on the rally have already been snapped up and Pelletier believes that the remaining slots - which cost $350 for a car or RV and $175 for a motorcycle - will likely be taken by the end of summer.
The addition of a scavenger hunt to the 2,500 mile overland journey will add a little extra frisson of excitement to an event that has no official route, no support, and few rules. “You pick up points on the way down. One example of a way to get points is to go visit a tequila factory (and) grab a bottle of tequila...If you bring the bottle full you get 50 points but if you bring it empty you get 10 points,” said Christian. Whoever arrives in Bacalar with the most points will be declared the winner.
How you get to Bacalar (by car, SUV, RV, or motorbike) how long you want to take, and where you choose to stay is up to each individual competitor says Christian. There will be dry camping base camps at both Guanajuato and Bacalar along with a suggested list of hotels. “In between we’re going to suggest some places but it will be up to the competitors to decide where they want to stay,” he said.
Although there is a departure party in Guanajuato on the 12th December there’s actually no official start date to the Maya Rally so competitors wishing to steal a march on the other teams can set of earlier if they wish. The route taken is also up to individual competitors though it’s likely that some elements of the scavenger hunt may require that you pass through destinations like Oaxaca.
Nine days of driving and camping during the Maya Rally will come to a close on the shores of Laguna Bacalar on the Yucatan Peninsula. Known by the Maya as the "place surrounded by reeds" the stunning turquoise waters of the lake will provide the perfect backdrop for the grand End of the World party to celebrate the successful completion of your overland expedition and - if the world doesn’t end on the 21st as predicted - participants can head down to Belize with Christian to celebrate Christmas.
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