National Geographic Russia Drives Viking Roads
The joint expedition between National Geographic Russia and Volvo Car Russia has ended. Participants of the Viking Roads expedition made a stop in their journey on Oct. 4 in Voronezh where an event dedicated to the rally was held at the Motor Land Volvo dealership. A second event was held on Oct. 6 at the Don Motors official Volvo dealership in Rostov-on-Don.
In ancient times, Russian merchants traveled the Eastern Route, which stretched “from the Vikings to the Greeks,” to trade with Constantinople and Scandinavia. The Vikings spread southward from the shores of the Baltic Sea along this path from the eighth to the 13th centuries. This expansion had a number of important results, one of which, according to many chronicles of the time, was the formation of the Rus state. Representatives of National Geographic Russia and Volvo Cars Russia retraced part of the route followed by these northern warriors. The expedition of more than 2,500 kilometers passed through Nizhny Novgorod, Cheboksary, Kazan, Samara, Voronezh and Rostov-on-Don.
The National Geographic Russia rally team included National Geographic Traveler editor-in-chief Alexander Zheleznyak, National Geographic Russia creative director Ruslan Guseinov, National Geographic Russia chief photographer Andrei Kamenev and Nat-geo.ru website director Nikolai Korzinov. Volvo Car Russia delegated its press manager, Anton Prozorov, to represent the company in the rally.
As the Voronezh Volvo dealership event, Andrei Kamenev, well known for his travel, nature and architecture photographs, conducted a workshop titled “How to take good trip photos.” In addition, the dealership showroom was transformed into the site of a small exhibition of Kamenev’s work titled “Roads of the World.”
A stop test and demonstration of Volvo safety systems was conducted especially for the assembled guests. The event ended with a buffet, and each guest was presented with complimentary gifts from Volvo Car Russia and National Geographic Russia.
The expedition members set out from the gates of the Motor Land Volvo dealership in Voronezh driving three vehicles — a powerful XC90 SUV, an XC70 crossover terrain model and a compact crossover XC60 — continuing to the endpoint of their journey, Rostov-on-Don. Thanks to their uncompromising safety and reliability, all-wheel drive, adaptability to the harsh northern climate and road conditions and their sleek Scandinavian design, these models have become sales leaders for Volvo in Russia.
Rostov-on-Don greeted the rally participants with warm summer weather. In honor of the memorable finish to the expedition, official local Volvo dealer Don Motors assembled Volvo fans in its showroom and conducted a series of thematic workshops on water navigation, making sachets and creating puppet amulets. Andrei Kamenev also conducted a workshop titled “Roads of the World.” The auto show took on a festive atmosphere thanks to unique floral arrangements themed to “Vikings and travel” decorating the space.
Guests at the Don Motors event were treated to an exquisite buffet, phyto bar with oxygen cocktails and phyto tea presented in the style of an alpine village, exclusive fortune cookies and special gifts from Volvo Car Russia and National Geographic Russia magazine.
Details of the expedition can be found at , on the pages of National Geographic Russia and at Volvo Car Russia pages on social networks. For a detailed report on the results of the expedition, see the December issue of National Geographic Russia magazine.
