Attending Mahindra's global explorer course

We become ‘Global Explorers’ courtesy of a unique learning experience at the Mahindra Adventure Off-Road School.

That Mahindra Adventure takes their customers on some of the most epic road trips and adventure expeditions across the globe is well known. But what is perhaps not as well known is the fact that it also offers proper off-road courses for those with a desire for hands-on, hard core 4x4 training. 

Situated in Igatpuri, just outside Nashik, Maharashtra, the Mahindra Adventure Off-Road Training Academy is 28 acres of off-road adventure zone.  With a fleet of Mahindra Thar 4x4 CRDe vehicles, customised for the most exhausting and toughest off-road courses imaginable, the academy offers four different courses. These courses must be taken in the order in which they’re offered – from basic to advanced. Mahindra invited us to attend their very first advanced course – Global Explorer. 

It wasn’t my first visit to the Igatpuri training facility – a wonderful training ground with 13 obstacles. But my familiarity with the facility didn’t help guess what was in store for me in terms of training. Spread over three days, the Global Explorer course includes theory and practical classes, along with a written examination and a competition on the final day. The first day was a refresher session that got us to revisit the basics of off-road driving. This was followed by an intensive session about the different types of 4x4 vehicles and repairing certain parts if need be – such as the gearbox, differential, fuel line, brakes and hub-locks. A basic first-aid training was also a part of the package. 

The next day began with learning how to properly, and safely, use a winch. Each participant was given hands-on instructions. The time had now come to take on some very difficult obstacles – one of which was a near vertical slope, and our task was to drive down it. The Mahindra team took this opportunity to teach us the proper use of the reverse gear and the brakes to slowly and cautiously drive the car down on the slope.

The final day began with a written exam, which was followed by a training session of how to use ratchet straps to bundle wood together to make a temporary bridge. The final stage of the course was a competition, in which participants go through as many obstacles as possible by any means necessary – using tips and techniques from the training that they had received. 

The Global Explorer course is definitely valuable to those who are always on for off-roading. The skills and hands-on training provided by the Mahindra Adventure team is world class and will certainly help you become a better off-roader.