Dakar Rally Route Unveiled: Iconic Race to Start in Portugal

Dakar Rally organizers have unveiled a redesigned route for the next edition of the legendary event, which will no longer take place in Saudi Arabia as originally planned due to the volatile situation in the Middle East.

Instead, the endurance race will return to its traditional roots with a start in Europe and a finish in Africa. The competition begins with a prologue in Faro, Portugal, on January 9, moves through Spain on January 10, and then crosses into Morocco, where all remaining stages will be contested.

The revised route spans 12 stages plus the prologue, covering a total distance of 7,824 kilometers—4,341 of which will be timed specials. The rally is scheduled to conclude on January 23 in Marrakech.