Dakar Rally Marrakech

Welcome to the most thrilling off-road endurance race of the world, the Dakar Rally that gets more than 400 drivers competing against each other in a grueling 15-day race over thousands of miles between Portugal and Senegal on the west coast of Africa to win the rally. The Dakar Rally, Marrakech takes place in January of every year flagging off in Lisbon and then heads through Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Senegal.

The Dakar Rally of Marrakech today is simply known as the "The Dakar" and was formerly known as "The Paris Dakar Rally" and now as "The Lisbon Dakar Rally". It is an annual off-road race, organized by the Amaury Sport Organisation. Though it is known as a rally, it is very different from the conventional rally and is more of an endurance race that invites both amateur and professional entries to put their mettle to test as they drive through the tough terrains in true off-road vehicles rather than the modified sedans used in rallies. More than eighty percent of the participants are amateurs.

Competitors from 24 countries drive a mixture of 4x4 vehicles, motorbikes, buggies and quad-bikes, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks, erg, among others to reach the finishing line first. The distances covered in each stage vary from several kilometers to several hundred kilometers per day. Only a quarter of participants can expect to finish and reach the Lac du Rose near Dakar in Senegal.