Sahara Challenge 2027

*5^th Sahara Challenge to take new adventurous 5,250 km route, Lisbon to Dakar

 *Portugal, Spain, and Morocco lead to ‘Destination of Rally Legends’ – Dakar 

*Massive expanse of Moroccan Sahara Desert will take teams into ‘Unknown’ territory 

*Sahara Challenge 2027 will be qualifying round for Peking to Paris 2028

The Sahara Challenge 2027 (Starting 19^th September) will be the most adventurous and toughest yet with a 5,250 km journey from Lisbon to Dakar, the ‘Destination of Rally Legends’ from 1978 to today.

The exciting route will be providing the best possible variety of terrain and competition from Europe to Africa, including forests, mountain passes, flowing gravel tracks and then the desert itself. The competition adventure will soak up the culture of Northern Africa before turning west and into unknown territory of vast emptiness, and desolation.

The black-coded ‘super endurance’ rally will turn south along the coast, periodically veering off into the unknown territory of vast dunes for exciting but demanding Sporting Trial Competition Sections as befitting the ‘Destination of Rally Legends’ - Dakar.

The Sahara Challenge 2027 will double as a shake down or qualifying event for the 2028 Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, and it is being designed by a P2P and African desert expert, overseen by the seasoned organisation of HERO-ERA. Multi-Middle East Rally Navigator’s Champion and desert event specialist John Spiller, has created a super endurance rally worthy of the title ‘Challenge.’

21 days and 5,250 kms of genuine adventure, competition and cultural experiences will begin in Lisbon, taking in European competition before a ferry crossing from Tarifa to Tangiers in Morocco, North Africa. This established super endurance adventure will travel South through the Riff mountains, the Middle and High Atlas ranges and the desert landscapes.

Leaving Tangiers for the Rabat foothills of the Riff Mountains and the sinuous roads that climb and descend the remote hills, the rally will pass through the “Blue City” (Chefchaouen). The route then heads toward the capital city, Rabat, on the Atlantic Coast over more mountain roads.

From Rabat to Fes, the terrain will lead to some entertaining competitive sections and the Roman temple of Volubilis. Then there is a tricky tarmac climb and flowing gravel tracks to Fes and the kasbah, where the narrow market streets of the old city heave with atmosphere.

Fes to Michlefin will be across open countryside then the lake and forests of the Tazekka National Park with some great driving roads through the hills. A real mixture of experiences will follow as the terrain gradually opens up to desert - a hint of what is to follow.

The heady mix continues to surprise and contrast as a night at Michlefin will provide an Alpine experience of a very upmarket winter ski resort.

The route to Erfoud will be the ‘The day that the desert opens to us,’ said John Spiller, as the change in terrain and culture will reveal the ‘real Morocco’. Wadis flanked with mountains over winding roads with little or no traffic, to eventually arrive at Erfoud, close to the Algerian border, touching on the ergs and dunes of the Sahara. Erfoud is the desert centre where all the Dakar competitors train and test, and the hotel with its traditional architecture, is a real chill spot.

A desert loop back to Erfoud promises a day of mainly off-road driving with a good mix of competition, including a number of Sporting Trial Sections which will test the Navigators as much as the cars and drivers.

High into the Atlas Mountains to Bin El Ouidane, crews will climb the scenic gorge of the Ziz river and then onto the shores of Lac Tislit, the highest in Morocco. A great section across the Atlas descends to Barrage Bin El Ouidane, a shoreline hotel with great views.

Marrakech is the next heading for a well-deserved 'non-driving' rest day, the route follows a varied path with excursions into the Atlas and generally entertaining driving before arriving at the exotic and historic Marrakech.

The route to Essaouira begins with a Sporting Trial Section in the desert before climbing into the mountains for some great driving, then descending again to the plain. There is a delightful drive all the way to the Atlantic coast with a number of competitive sections before reaching the shoreline for a final test into Essaouira, the ‘Windy City,’ an ancient port with a Souk that is actually quieter than the one in Marrakech!

Essaouira leads to Agadir through a variety of roads and terrain to arrive at the coastal city. From Agadir to Tan Tan, the route leads to the southern extremes of the country and starts with some mountain ascents and descents before the terrain levels out and the rally starts to tackle its final six-day sting, the Moroccan Sahara, and take off for ‘Destination Dakar.’

The foreboding shape and consistency of huge sand dunes await competitors as the rally will deviate at times into the unknown and the emptiness of a vast sea of sand. With no hotel or Oasis in sight, there is a high probability that rally will take food and shelter in their bivouacs for two nights, to make the ‘Dakar Experience’ complete!

This hard-edged super endurance rally will still be soft under the tyre tread as the southerly route will take more deviations with competition into the sands of Mauritania before heading into Senegal as ‘Destination Dakar’ and relief beckon. To reach Dakar will be an achievement to be proud of, the destination of so many Dakar Champions in the past, including Mr Dakar himself, Stéphane Peterhansel. The Frenchman holds the record for the most wins in the Dakar Rally with a total of 14 victories. He won six times in the motorcycle category (1991–93, 1995, and 1997–98) and eight times in the car category (2004–05, 2007, 2012–13, 2016–17, and 2021).

The Chairman of HERO-ERA, Tomas de Vargas Machuca, commented on the new and adventurous Lisbon to Dakar route of the 2027 Sahara Challenge:

“The Sahara Challenge represents one of our legacy adventure rallies, which has historically started in Spain, crossed Morocco and finished back in Spain. But like all our events, we need to innovate, change, improve, and listen to feedback. We have listened, including taking in feedback from the 4^th and last Sahara Challenge in the same format, which was great, but change was needed.

“Therefore, we spoke to our friends in the rally world and looked at all availabilities from a geopolitical perspective as well as restrictions of certain areas. We were very much relieved to find that the route to Dakar is now passable again after many years of tensions between different nations. So, we are seizing the opportunity to take our competitors on this challenging desert rally. They will not only see great parts of Portugal and Spain and across Morocco, but now will experience the Moroccan Sahara, then Mauritania and Senegal, amongst the most iconic countries visited by the Dakar Rally.

“Our rallies take people to countries that now open up or can welcome us again as others unfortunately shut. So, it's important to demonstrate that flexibility, that knowledge, to be able to enjoy different experiences. This is important to take people to places that they would otherwise not go on their own.”

Route Designer and the architect of Sahara Challenge 2027, John Spiller added his views:

“This Lisbon-Dakar evolution of the Sahara Challenge really opens the concept up. Yes, we are very familiar with Morocco but when the Dakar element is incorporated, the event rises to another level and the reference to Africa becomes credible. The event will link classic European rallying with the fun and variety of Morocco before progressing to 'Phase III', a true taste of rallying 'Continental Africa.' Adventure, look out, HERO-ERA is coming at you!"

Eligible Cars :

There Are Three Main Categories and Two ‘Invitation’ Classes:

A – Pioneer up to December 1920

B – Vintage & Vintageant from January 1921 up to December 1947

C – Classic from January 1948 to December 1975

D - Pre-1985 4X4 Vehicles by ‘Invitation’ only some categories may be subdivided into classes based on engine size.

E – Pre-1985 2WD cars production based for ‘Invitation’ consideration. D and E classes will have separate classes and awards from the main event.