15 days, 12 countries, 10,640 kilometres – in a Mercedes-Benz G-Class the adventurer and extreme sportsman Mike Horn has driven from Switzerland right through inhospitable regions in eastern Europe and central Asia to Pakistan. In the city of Skardu the second part of the expedition “Drive 2 Climb 2 Ski K2” begins: The Mercedes-Benz Brand Ambassador and his team, the Alpinists Fred Roux and Köbi Reichen, will climb the 8611-metre mountain K2. The trio plan to be the world’s first Alpinists to complete the subsequent descent from the world’s second-highest mountain mainly on skis. The aim of the expedition is to draw attention to the most remote regions of the world and the beauty of this planet. The entire journey can be followed on the digital and social media channels of Mike Horn and Mercedes-Benz.

Mike Horn Mercedes-Benz G-Class

“Everybody should know what the world looks like, so that the desire arises to protect it. Accordingly I could hardly wait to set off on this new challenge. Normally I do not use vehicles on my adventures. But this time the Mercedes-Benz G-Class made it possible for me to reach even the remotest areas. The off-road capability and innovative technology of this car are simply unbelievable. The car is my perfect, motorised alter ego,” says Mike Horn. On 14 May 2015 he started off on his K2 expedition from Château-d’Oex in Switzerland. On the way to the Hindu Kush the extreme sportsman took the cult vehicle amongst off-roaders through Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizistan, China and Pakistan. The G-Class has been an ongoing success story for over 35 years, as it allows mobility at the very limits. Its compactness, ground clearance and off-road performance are unrivalled. It even remains undeterred by 100% gradients, 54 percent inclines and water up to 60 centimetres deep.

Follow the journey online

At #DrivenToExplore Mike Horn continuously reports on the progress of his adventure, his experiences in the different countries and how the G-Class performs at the very limits. With the help of an interactive map, fans of Mike Horn and Mercedes-Benz can see at any time where the adventurer is presently located and what he is currently experiencing. The adventure can be followed by anybody who posts a photo of his/her best DrivenToExplore moments under the hashtag #DrivenToExplore #GWagon on Twitter or Instagram. The best photo will receive a prize.

Mike Horn Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz and Mike Horn have been partners for many years. “We admire and support the mission of Mike Horn to raising people’s awareness to the most remote regions of our planet. With the G-class we provided Mike Horn with the ideal partner for this expedition” says Dr. Jens Thiemer, Vice President Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. Most recently Mercedes-Benz gave its support to the PANGAEA expedition. From 2008 to 2012 Mike Horn sailed around the world, initiating ecological and social projects together with young people at various stages under the guiding theme of “Explore. Learn. Act.” More than 100 follow-up projects have meanwhile been generated.

After three days of unrelenting driving, Mike and his team finally arrive in the capital of Russia, Moscow. Brimming with beautiful historical monuments, its unique urban architecture contrasts with the richness of its greenery. From his point of departure Château-d’Oex, Switzerland up until now, Mike and his crew have witnessed spectacular sceneries from the comfort of their two Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons. Despite a couple hours lost stuck in traffic, the team is advancing rapidly towards their final destination: Pakistan! “There’s a pleasant surprise to be found after every turn on the road. This road trip is a lot more of an adventure than I had expected. Our backsides might be numb, but our minds are blown away by the thrill of such a new and exciting journey!”

Mike Horn Expedition

Check out more of Mike Horn’s explorations here.

Mercedes-Benz has been a long time friend and title sponsor of world explorer Mike Horn and his PANGAEA Project for years. Over the last 4 years, Horn has taken advantage of his position by traveling the world with his PANGAEA sailboat to bring social and ecological projects to life during various expeditions.  The video  from AMG and the photos form Mike Horn himself show a small bit of what the PANGAEA Project has seen.

What is the PANGAEA Project and who is Mike Horn?

Mike Horn is often acknowledged as the greatest explorer of our time. His adventures extend the boundaries of human achievement and environmental awareness. His latest endeavor is The PANGAEA Project and Young Explorers Program.

The PANGAEA Project is: A 4-year circumnavigation of the world through a series of 12-scheduled expeditions each to different terrain including mountain, desert, ocean and arctic snow. For each Pangaea expedition, Mike and his team select students between the ages of 15 and 20 to accompany him.

The expedition is named Pangaea after the supercontinent that existed 250 million years ago. It represents the objective of ONE WORLD which Mike Horn and his Young Explorers set out by land and see to Explore, Learn and Act.

The project has covered over 100,000 miles, reaching the North and South Poles and crossing all the continents and oceans. Mike Horn’s mission aims to unite the continents again with a powerful environmental message of conservation and preservation. During each leg of the expedition Mike Horn and the young explorers seek to understand the interaction between man, nature and the elements.

Mike Horn’s vessel — also named PANGAEA — is a Mercedes-Benz double-master measuring 35 meters (115 feet) in length and serves as one of the world’s largest and most versatile expedition sailboats. The hull is made from recyclable aluminum.

The first group of Young Explorers joined Mike in Antarctica in January of 2009, the second group in New Zealand in May of the same year. In 2010, Mike Horn and three groups of Young Explorers traveled to Malaysia, India and the Himalayas, respectively. This year, the three more expeditions pushed off to Mongolia, Kamchatka and the Magnetic North Pole.

Mike Horn and his team are always searching for high school pupils or college students who would be interested in joining him on the next phase of this program.

If selected, the young explorers are flown out at the expedition’s expense to to join Pangaea for two week period. When they return to their communities full of knowledge regarding endemic obstacles and possible solutions, they are expected to bear responsibility in sharing the message with their local communities and peers.

Potential candidates who apply to join Mike Horn’s Pangaea Expedition will be invited to visit Chateau d’Oex, Switzerland — Mike Horn World Headquarters — in the Swiss Alps for a training and selection camp, costs for which will also be paid by the expedition. This includes intensive courses on the technological, environmental, physical, medical and communication skills required to prepare the participants to meet the challenges of the expedition. All workshops and outings are run by experienced and professional instructors. The tasks included map work, sailing, paragliding, physical tests, glacier walking, climbing and abseiling.

For more information on Mike Horn and the Pangaea project, please visit www.mikehorn.com.