Three boys endured 44 degree heat, navigated their way through deserts and mountains and dealt with over-zealous border force guards as they travelled more than 17,000 miles through 24 countries – in a £450 Nissan Micra. 

John Hampden Grammar School pupil, Joe Pryor, and his friends Henry Hancock and Lewis Bishop, took on the gruelling Mongol Rally – which thunders through Europe and Asia across the space of eight weeks – in aid of charity and they returned from their epic adventure at the weekend. 

The punishing route took them through Europe, Iran, up the Silk Road to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakstan all the way to capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, and then onward to Ulan-Ude, just south of Lake Baikal in Russia.

The journey would be challenging even in a Range Rover – but Joe, 19, Henry and Lewis, who are both 18, decided a second-hand Nissan Micra would be up to the job. 

After getting their visas and carrying out a few car modifications – including adding two shopping trolleys on top for essentials – they were raring to go and set off from Slough on July 13. 

Despite encountering a few problems along the way – including a broken handbrake – and having to endure boiling hot temperatures, rugged roads and dirt tracks and inquisitive locals, the trio said they would do the trip again in a heartbeat. 

So far, they have managed to raise more than £4,000 for two charities – Cool Earth, which works alongside rainforest communities to halt deforestation and climate change, and local charity Helen and Douglas House children’s hospice. 

The boys were inspired to take on the challenge after leaving school for good ahead of the summer – and wanted to do something different.

Henry said: “We didn’t want to go on a typical holiday like Ayia Napa and a friend of a friend told us about the Mongol Rally so we thought we’d give it a go.”

The boys found the country that was most welcoming was Iran, where they spent eight days. 

Henry said: “Iran was amazing, they were by far the most generous and friendly people we came across on the whole trip. It did surprise us a bit.” 

Joe added: “People were so nice, if we got stuck in traffic jams people offered to put us up for free.” 

The most unusual country they visited was Turkmenistan, Lewis said. 

Henry added: “It was so weird because there was no-one there. They had huge marble skyscrapers and huge super-highways but it was completely empty.” 

To learn more about Lewis, Henry and Joe’s journey, read their blog and donate, visit nissanimpossible.co.uk.