Some messages have the power to change your whole week.
This one came from Anouk, a longtime friend whom Mathilde hadn’t even met yet. She had just stumbled upon Red Bull’s “Can You Make It?” and reached out, out of the blue, to ask if we wanted to do it together. In no time at all, our team was born: La Brigade du Kiff with Mathilde, Anouk, and Tristan.
Red Bull “Can You Make It?”: 7 days, 3 friends, and one incredible journey across Europe
The concept? 300 teams, seven days to travel across Europe starting from one of 5 departure cities, completing challenges and reaching checkpoints to make it to Berlin. The catch? You do it with zero money, using only cans of Red Bull as currency, a locked phone for safety and to access the challenge map, and one simple goal: rack up as many miles and checkpoints as possible to climb the rankings. This isn’t a race against the clock, but a true game of strategy and navigation.
Our handpicked favorites and setting off
To apply, we had to send a one-minute video introducing our team, showing our determination, and sharing our “quirky talents.” We gave it our absolute all. The video was approved, and an email confirmed that we were among the 300 teams selected. From there, everything happened fast: tickets booked in our names, a briefing with a member of the Red Bull crew, and packing our bags for 7 days of the unexpected: sweaters, t-shirts, swimsuits, sturdy shoes, dry bags, sleeping pads, and a tent (since we didn’t always know where we’d sleep). We were getting ready to experience it all: the easy, the tough, and the unexpected.
We flew out to Budapest, our starting city. Red Bull welcomed us with a taxi and a hotel, where we could already feel the incredible energy of the other competitors. The 300 teams were spread across five starting cities: Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Budapest, and Milan. Everyone shared the same goal: reach Berlin in 7 days while scoring as many points as possible.
That evening, we got the rundown of the rules: GPS tracking, a locked phone only to contact the control center if needed, and a map of challenges without automatic geolocation (you have to figure it out yourself). The map showed the checkpoints, their opening hours, points earned, and daily/weekly challenges. The atmosphere was absolutely electric with music pumping, then it was time for sleep. The next morning, we had breakfast and met up at Budapest’s main square for a massive starting festival: entertainment, artists, DJs, and the distribution of our kits (maps, cans, and stamp books). We had two final hours with our real phones to map out our route. Our ambitious goal: 8–9 checkpoints. After that, we sealed away our personal phones. The adventure was officially underway.
Day 1 – First stop: setting course for Slovakia
First stop: Bratislava, with a “water” checkpoint on the list (for us, it was marked “sky/wake” meaning: swimsuits on, let’s go!). Without speaking a word of Hungarian, we decided to try hitchhiking out of Budapest. After an hour of walking, a car finally pulled over. We offered a soda can (our unofficial “currency”), managed to explain ourselves as best we could, and off we went.
We made it just before the checkpoint closed and jumped right into the swimsuit challenge. Pure excitement—our very first stamp in the logbook! But then the sky started to cloud over. It began to rain, and we had to figure out where to spend the night. We hesitated: should we try to find a local to take us in, or just pitch the tent right there? We went with the tent, under some shelter but right on the asphalt… Safe to say it was a short, cramped night: I was halfway sleeping outside, Mathilde was halfway out too, and Anouk just did her best. The adventure has officially begun.
Days 2 & 3 – A bit of a setback, taking a break in Győr (Hungary)
When we woke up, Anouk was sick, really sick. We called Red Bull first thing in the morning. The local team (Tomy and an incredible girl, Trinity) took great care of us. Off to the hospital we went for some tests, then it was time to rest. They booked a hotel for us in Győr. Trinity brought us food, checked in on us constantly, and kept the control center updated.
After two days, Anouk was finally back on her feet and ready to shoulder her pack. Trinity asked us if we felt up to continuing with only 5 days left. We wanted this adventure too much to give up now: we said yes, shortened our itinerary, and hit the road again.
Day 4 – Vienna and waltzing in the giant Ferris wheel
After a few hours waiting at a gas station, a driver takes us all the way to Vienna. Today’s checkpoint: ride the Wiener Riesenrad (the historic Ferris wheel in the Prater) and learn how to waltz… with a twist (girls dressed up, boys in flowy “dresses”). At the top, we ended up having an improvised wedding between teams—it was hilarious, completely absurd, and a great bonding experience.
We managed to trade some energy drink cans for a schnitzel (definitely not the best burger in the world) and then set off to find a place to sleep. We asked around here and there, in the pouring rain. A man we met on the street kindly offered us the keys to his wife’s jewelry workshop for the night. We had a roof over our heads, unexpected and incredibly welcoming. We left everything spotless, returned the keys in the morning, and the gentleman even showed us his own workshop where he designs and repairs violins. He treated us to breakfast before we hit the road again.
Day 5 – Train, Brno, and… cabbage juice in Prague
At Vienna station, we negotiated our way through two train stops (very lenient conductors on the Austrian side), and then renegotiated once we crossed into Czech territory. We hopped off at Brno, then set our sights on Prague.
Quirky checkpoint along the way: crushing cabbage with our feet to make some “authentic local” juice. We nailed the challenge, bagged some bonus Red Bull cans, and headed back to the station. Except… fire alarm, station closed, no more trains. Time for Plan B: the bus station. We tried our luck with a FlixBus to Prague, the driver checked the empty seats, and let us on in exchange for a few energy drinks. Four hours later, we arrived.
As for finding a place to crash, it was a real struggle. One hotel couldn’t take us in but pointed us toward an “open-minded” hostel. The manager wasn’t around, but the bar downstairs thought they might swap a helping hand for a bed. We met the owner (he had that classic, menacing James Bond villain look, but a heart of gold): he handed us the keys to his flat and told us we could sleep in one of the rooms. We got a bed, a sofa, and a proper roof over our heads. We helped out a bit, wandered around Prague, traded a few energy drinks for three kebabs (the server eventually got what we were trying to explain), and slept like absolute logs.
Day 6 – Crossing into Germany, Leipzig, and a night in a local homestay
In the morning, we set off for a pedal boat challenge around one of Prague’s islands—we were over by Slovanský ostrov. A quick 15-minute loop with plenty of sunshine and peace. Third checkpoint checked off. Backpacks on, we headed out to hitch a ride toward Germany.
After hours of walking and waiting around at a service station, a dad picked us up and drove us across the German border, chatting about rock music using Google Translate to bridge the gap. We were aiming for the border region of Oberlausitz, then Leipzig. We just missed one of our checkpoints by a few minutes (it was already closed). Our consolation prize: an incredibly sweet pizza maker who traded us a pizza each in exchange for some soda cans and a few of our travel stories.
We ticked off our daily challenge (“help someone out”) with two cyclists, one French and one German. The German guy offered to let us crash at his place, pending his wife’s green light. It was a yes! We had a wonderful, simple evening. Since they’re both backpackers themselves, we spent the night swapping travel stories, talking about different ways of living, and sharing the constant itch to hit the road again. A warm shower, a couch to sleep on, and lights out.
Day 7 – Hitchhiking express to Berlin and the Red Bull studio
After thanking the couple who took us in, we head back to the sports center for the soccer ball checkpoint (three ball challenges). We’re absolutely terrible and fail them all, but we keep our spirits high.
Now for the final big stretch. We set up at a gas station with our hitchhiking sign, and after an hour and a half… a driver in a rush picks us up and flies down the Autobahn. We make it to Berlin in no time. We head straight for the Red Bull recording studio (a highly sought-after checkpoint) and get lucky—there is still space for us. We record, crush the challenge, and take home a little signed vinyl. That’s our fifth stamp in the bag.
Now, to find a bed. Many teams are already in town, and the hotels and hostels are completely booked. We walk for ages until we reach a large hotel. They can’t put us up, but they’re happy to let us crash in the lobby. Two French teachers on a school trip settle down near us and listen to our story… they generously offer us a bed each in their rooms (they had a few spares). In return, they ask if we can share our adventure with their middle school students. It’s a deal! After a great meal (a local Turkish restaurant treats us to some amazing food and even refuses to let us pay for our drinks), we head back to give a quick 15-minute presentation: the kids are absolutely amazed. We wrap up the evening sharing a drink with the teachers. A perfect night’s sleep.
Breakfast, then we walk to the finish line, stepping through slices of history (the Berlin Wall, legendary nightlife spots). At the finish line, we meet waves of teams, volunteers, and the person from the control center who followed us all week, welcoming us with a huge smile. We get our five checkpoints stamped: everything is in order, sealed pouch never opened.
Shuttle, hotel, hot shower, and we’re off to the big Red Bull “Can You Make It?” party: a warehouse, a terrace, a DJ, 900 participants dancing, recaps of the best moments, a freestyle rider pulling tricks, and crazy stories (some teams traded cans for unbelievable tickets, even for world championships). We didn’t win the competition, but we won everything else: new connections, resourcefulness, unexpected roofs over our heads, and that rare feeling of having lived life to the fullest.
Since our adventure was put on hold for two days, we were aiming for the top 200, and when the scores went up (which had been hidden 24 hours before the finish line), surprise… WE PLACED 191st! We’re pretty proud of ourselves for beating out 109 teams in just 5 days.
The next day, a flight back to Paris. The final tally: about 1,100 km traveled without a single cent, over sixty cans traded, five checkpoints validated… and a friendship stronger than ever. We did it.
If you’ve ever been tempted by this adventure, just so you know, registration is free and opens every two years!
Summaries
