Emirati duo complete epic road trip from Abu Dhabi to Japan in 65 days

Pair cover more than 21,000 km across bustling cities, breathtaking landscapes and rough terrains in over two months

Emirati Sultan Al Nahdi drove from Tokyo to Osaka to mark the end of the road trip. Photo: Sultan Al Nahdi

Emirati adventurers Sultan Al Nahdi, 29, and Saeed Al Teneiji, 30, crossed more than 10 countries to complete an epic road trip from Abu Dhabi to Japan, in just over two months.

Setting off on May 25, they travelled through Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and China, before arriving at their final destination in Japan on July 29.

The pair covered more than 21,000km across bustling cities and rough terrains, documenting special moments of their extraordinary expedition on their social media platform.

Mr Al Nahdi told The National that he made sure to show his UAE pride on the journey, with a picture of the UAE Founding Father Sheikh Zayed on the bonnet of his orange Toyota Land Cruiser pick-up truck.

His companion Mr Al Teneiji drove separately in a Nissan Patrol SUV.

“Our goal was simple – we wanted to experience diverse cultures, breathtaking landscapes and nationalities first-hand,” Mr Al Nahdi said.

Having gained fame with his previous road trip across two continents to London, Mr Al Nahdi first connected with Mr Al Teneiji on social media over their shared love for adventures.

It was in January that they met in Morocco to start mapping their May expedition that would take them across 12 countries.

The duo shipped their cars from Tianjin city to Tokyo for the last leg of their road trip. Photo: Sultan Al Nahdi

Making friends along the way

Despite carrying out thorough maintenance checks before embarking on the trip, Mr Al Nahdi's orange pick-up truck broke down in Kazakhstan.

“It was in the middle of nowhere. And, it took us hours to find a garage in Atyrau city,” he said.

But, the slight detour led them to a Kazakh man named Abdullah, who not only fixed their car but also showed them around the city.

“Abdullah and his friends insisted on taking us out and giving us a glimpse of its rich culture," Mr Al Nahdi added.

“There was good food and good conversations” and they were also taken for “a traditional sauna and hot bath".

Even in Mongolia, they made friends with locals who took them to Sagsai village located far from Olji city.

“The village is known for raising eagles for tournaments. It was a thrilling experience.”

Making UAE proud

It was when they reached the Great Wall of China, that Mr Al Nahdi and Mr Al Teneiji decided to pay a special tribute to their country.

Dressed in the kandura (Emirati traditional dress), they posed with the UAE flag.

“People welcomed us everywhere, but it was a special feeling when we wore our traditional dress," Mr Al Nahdi said.

“I felt proud to see people in far cities and villages know about my country and insist on taking pictures with us."

For the last leg of their adventure, the duo drove from Beijing to the Chinese port city of Tianjin and shipped their cars across the East China Sea to Tokyo.

They received a warm welcome from UAE Ambassador to Japan Shihab Al Faheem, at the embassy in Tokyo, before driving through Kyoto to reach their final destination – Osaka.

With plans of another road trip “either to USA, Australia or Siberia next year”, Mr Al Nahdi and Mr Al Teneiji flew back home.

Their trusty cars will be shipped to the UAE, with Mr Al Nahdi adding he has no plans to sell his truck.

“I will never sell my Toyota. I have a lot of memories with this car.”

Ambassador Shihab Al Faheem receives Sultan Al Nahdi, left, and Saeed Al Teneiji at the UAE embassy in Tokyo. Photo: Sultan Al Nahdi