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WHERE THEDAKAR LEFT OFF
MARATHON RALLY ACROSS AFRICA

The once legendary Dakar Rally has left one spiritual heir in Africa. The Budapest-Bamako keeps the flame of trans-Saharan driving adventures alive. The start is not Paris, the finish is not Dakar, the costs are not the same, but the experience and the spirit of adventure has not changed.

The Budapest-Bamako is a minimal assistance adventure and navigational race from Europe to Africa. The B2B is not an easy Sunday drive or picnic in the park. We have no rescue helicopters, tow trucks, translators, lawyers, tour guides or psychotherapists. You must rely on your own luck, resources and skills.<!> One thing is certain on the Budapet-Bamako: uncertainty.

You never know what’s going to happen next. That’s adventure. The B2B is a huge community event across two continents over two weeks.

 

ENTER FOR 2024
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ENTER FOR2024
GET ON THE WAITING LIST TO GET IN!

The 2024 rally is completely sold out in 6 days.  However you can still get in from the waiting list. Please secure an early position on the waiting list to grab an entry. If the waiting list gets to be too big, we will add a second Budapest-Bamako in February, 2024. The most important step is to get on the list.
•  Don’t miss the 2024 run of the Budapest-Bamako
• Get on the list to secure your position
SECURE YOUR ENTRY
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2022 DESTINATION:UNKNOWN
FINISH LINE ANNOUNCEMENT: 04/21

In 2024 we’ll return to Africa with another  epic dash across the Sahara and West Africa. The 2022 Sierra Leone finish was a great success. Will the rally return to FREETOWN or will the adventure end in another West African capital? We don’t know.  The rally’s spiritual finish line is Bamako, Mali. But because of the political uncertainty, we can’t drive to Mali anymore. The route and the finish line destination will be announced in April 2023.  Join our Facebook group for continuous updates.  Learn more about entering for 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS THE BUDAPEST-BAMAKO?
EUROPE TO WEST AFRICA
CHECK OUT THE DETAILED ROUTE
ANYONE BY ANYTHING
JOINING THE MADNESS IS EASY
BAMAKO OR BUST

In 2016 the world’s largest amateur rally became a biannual event. Every other year we return to West Africa. During the in between years the adventure continues in another part of the world. In 2021 experience the deserts of Mexico and California as the 3rd Baja XL gets on its way. In 2020 join our longest and most epic rally to Sierra Leone on the 13th Edition Of The Budapest-Bamako. Andrew G. Szabo, Founder.

WE LOVE JUNK

The 2018 Budapst-Bamako proudly embraces the spirit of low budget adventures. We believe that if you can’t afford a decent car, you can’t afford the entry fee. So if you drive industrial trash or any old beat up jalopy, you are in for free. Drive a funny car, an ambulance, a fire engine, a car/motorcycle that’s older than 30 years and is generally unsuitable for such a journey and you are in for free. Send us an email about why you should enter for free and we’ll get back to you promptly. The crazier the better your chances

RACING & ADVENTURE

You can enter the event in touring or racing categories. In racing you’ll have to collect points by passing navigational checkpoints. The winner will have to show consistent driving and strong navigational skills under harsh conditions. In touring you have to race against time and battle the elements.

FRIENDS. PARTIES. DESERTS.
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

The Budapest-Bamako is about community. It’s about meeting new people. It’s about finding a helping hand when you need help. It’s about sharing meals, drinks and stories at the end of each day. It’s about sitting together by the fire each night. It’s about visiting local villages in Africa bringing gifts and learning about each other. It is about destroying stereotypes. It is also about having a good time and meeting like minded people.

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CARAVANE HUMANITAIRE

Each year the rally brings 700,000-900,000 Euros worth of aid to West Africa. In recent years we’ve dug a fresh water wells in a Mauritanian, Mali and Gambia. We gave an incubator, sterilization equipment and other medical supplies to a free clinic that operated with pre-historic tools in a Bamako slum. We erected solar panels in villages, gave bicycles to women who had no transportation. We’ve built a school in Mali and Guinea-Bissau. Teams regularly give their cars as ambulances to villages. One car donated their van to the Institute For The Blind as a school bus. Charity begins in your heart. Be creative. Be generous. Each year the team performing the most outstanding charity work receives the Mother Teresa Charity Award.

LEARN ABOUT THIS YEAR’S CHARITY GOALS

PHOTOS FROM PREVIOUS RUNS