Rickshaw Run 2026

This is what it's all about

We are Fabio and Sara, a young couple originally from Ticino, now living in Bern.

At the end of December, we’ll leave for India to take part in The Adventurists’ Rickshaw Run All India in January 2026. Together with 20–30 other teams, we’ll cross India from south to north in a tuk-tuk, with a maximum of 14 days to cover nearly 3,000 km — completely on our own!

It’s not just a breathtaking adventure; we also want to give it a charitable purpose: on one hand, we’re raising funds for Cool Earth, a partner of The Adventurists that works to protect rainforests, and on the other hand for the Fondazione Arcobaleno from Ticino, which supports education and children in India.

You can find more information about both projects below.

About us and our trip

We are Team India Böötle, a name born from the combination of India and a popular summer activity in Bern – the Aare Böötle: floating down the Aare River from Thun to Bern in an inflatable boat. That’s how we’ll bring a little piece of Switzerland to India.

You too can bring a bit of India Böötle home with our cool giveaway gadgets shown in the photos below!

It all started as a crazy idea, and after months of preparation, the journey is finally approaching. After two days of driving and mechanics training, we’ll start from the south of India, in Cochin, and head north to Jaisalmer – almost 3,000 km away – completely without any support.

The goal? To reach the destination within 14 days.

The route? Completely up to us, across the most remote and fascinating parts of India.

So follow us on Instagram, on the Adventurists website, and stay updated on WeMakeIt: our journey starts on January 1st and ends on January 15th, 2026.

This is what we need backing for

One of the goals of the race is to raise £500 in donations for the organization Cool Earth.

Cool Earth works to protect and preserve rainforests by empowering local communities. 54% of rainforests are managed by Indigenous peoples and local communities. That’s why strengthening them is essential to have a direct impact on rainforest conservation.

To also create a direct connection with India, we decided to collaborate with the Fondazione Umanitaria Arcobaleno. Part of the donations will go to this foundation based in Lugano, Ticino, the same region we come from. The foundation has been active for over 30 years, running development cooperation projects mainly in India and Nepal, focusing on education, health, and local infrastructure support. In India, it operates particularly in the Telangana and Kerala regions. It contributes financially to the construction and maintenance of hostels for children, the poor, orphans, and people with disabilities, supports education, and provides funding for medical care and orthopedic surgeries. We are proud to collaborate with this small foundation, which has a close connection to the communities both in India and Nepal, as well as its roots in Ticino.

Finally, these donations also help us partially cover project gadgets, food and accommodation in India, and — hopefully not — possible tuk-tuk repairs if needed (see picture).