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 | | The true African Rally experience
Crossing the Sahara and the Savannah by car has been a dream for many who grew up watching the Dakar Rally on television. The Dakar had been a the domain of well financed rally teams in Africa. The Budapest-Bamako became the low cost alternative in 2005. With the Dakar's departure from Africa, we are now the world's largest Trans Saharan rally, remaining committed to our low-cost principles and helping the communities that we visit.
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| | Destination Bamako 2011
The adventure returns to Bamako in 2011. Committed to our low-cost, community principles it is possible to enter for FREE if you drive a funny car or a public service vehicle. Drive a donation ambulance or a fire truck and you are in at no cost. The Bamako By The Book category is another ultra low budget way to enter the world's greatest adventure in 2011.
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| | The legend continues
From its humble roots the Budapest-Bamako has grown into a major international sporting and cultural event. Hundreds of drivers and adventurers set out each winter for Africa bringing direct aid to the world's poorest communities.In 2005 only 45 teams lined up at the start line. In 2010 over 500 people made the journey and sent 20tons of aid to Mali and Mauritania. As the event constantly evolves the spirit remains the same: Anyone, By anything, By any means.
Daily converage of the 2009 run
Daily coverage of the 2008 run
Daily coverage of the 2007 run
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As you may or may not know the Budapest - Bamako is not a simple
Sunday drive in the country. Parts of the road are completed daily by
individuals, but as a whole the entire journey is full of risks and
dangers. Please take a moment to read some of the potential dangers
and evaluate whether you want to take the risk. We don't want to
scare you but the following are potential problems or hazards that
you may have to face. Most of them could be avoided, but they
probably would never happened if you stayed at home.
- Car accident on a European highway at high speeds
- Imprisonment in Africa for hitting a pedestrian or livestock
- Imprisonment if Africa for other reasons
- Dehydration in the desert
- Irreparable damage to your vehicle far from human populations
- Car accident or injury in the desert or on the savannah far from
major populations
- Highway robbery, theft in Europe or Africa
- Food poisoning
- Sun stroke
- Corrupt officials who won't let you travel until receiving bribes
- Lazy officials who will perform their jobs slowly and thus delaying
you
- Corrupt policemen who will want to take money from you because you
look rich to them
- Dangerously driving Africans
- Dangerously driving Europeans
- Village idiots who like to jump in front of your vehicle
- Sand storms
- Landslides
- Poor medical treatment in Africa
Although most of these events took place one way or another during
the 2005 and 2007 rallies, no one ever died or suffered permanent
damage. Property was stolen in Europe. Cars got crashed. People had
been detained by Moroccan and Mauritanian police for brief periods.
Accidents took place in Africa. Some bones got broken but everyone
always got home safe.
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