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With over two-thirds of the race completed and almost 10,000km travelled, four teams have successfully made it to the fifth checkpoint, McLeod Ganj. But they can’t rest for long in the Buddhist hill town, as the sixth checkpoint, Sasan Gir, awaits. Located 1,900 kilometres south, in the western state of Gujarat, their next destination is one of the most unique villages in India.

Sasan Gir provides a gateway to the expansive Gir National Park. Rich with diverse flora and fauna, the forest is noted as the last remaining habitat for the mighty Asiatic lion. The endangered species, now fewer than 600, roam freely in the wild and even sometimes venture into the local neighbourhoods.

To get there, the teams must navigate four of India’s western states, including the largest, Rajasthan. Travelling east offers a popular tourist route through the famed ‘blue, pink and white cities’ of Jodhpur, Jaipur and Udaipur. Alternatively, they could veer west for a chance to explore the Great Indian Desert, a vast area of 200,000 square kilometres, but with more limited transport options in and out.