The 2027 Dakar rally will depart in Portugal and cross Morocco

The Dakar rally will return to Portugal and Morocco20 years afterthese two countries were part of the test route. The 49th edition will depart from the Portuguese region of the Algarve on 9 January 2027 and end on 23 JanuaryinMarrakech after crossing Morocco from north to south.

In total, the competition will consist of 7,824 kilometres, of which 4,341 will be timed sections. Portugal will host the prologue and the first special stage, both in the Loulé-Faro area of the Algarve, after which participants will cross the Mediterranean at night to reach the Moroccan port of Nador.

When they arrive in Morocco, the rally will cross the Atlas mountain range to the south, pass through Bouarfa and Zagora , rest in Agadir, and continue through the deserts of the south of the country. In the second week, Smara and the Dakhla area will be the farthest points to the southof the route.

From there, the participants will head north again along the Atlantic coast to Marrakech,where the competition will end after 12 stages. According to the organizers, most of the special sections will be between 350 and 500 kilometres long.

David Castera, director of the Dakar rally, said that, although they had little time to prepare for the new tour, theyhad designed a "real Dakar" that would maintain the level of sport of the last editions, and that participants would have the opportunity to get to know Morocco from one end to theother through an "unprecedented" tour.

Castera has thanked the contestants for their loyalty in this unusual situation, so far 350 participants have signed up, and organizers have confirmed thatthe test will return to Saudi Arabia in 2028, coinciding with the 50th edition.