Route of Budapest-Bamako 2008

After the flag off in Budapest, the teams cross Austria, Italy, France before reaching the city of Almería in southern Spain where they embark a ferry and cross the Mediterranean Sea to Africa. In Morocco they face the first stone desert stages. Leaving Morocco they cross Western Sahara a country with uncertain political status, before reaching Mauritania. Members of both the racing and touring categories go along tarred, rocky and dirt roads from one oasis to another.

Mauritania welcomes the participants with the real desert and sand dunes. Teams turn towards inland at the Mauritanian capital to the heart of Africa and they start off their hardest and most spectacular stages for the next 1000 kilometers on the dusty, dry savanna to Bamako. The finish is in the capital of the largest country in Western Africa, Mali. On the day of the flag down the mayor of Bamako greets the participants.

They need to accomplish the 8700 kilometers in 16 days.

Stations Budapest TP. - Venice - Meyreuil - Murcia - Nador - Goulmima - Tata - Smara - Dakhla - Nouadhibou - B2 Party Beach - Nouakchott - Tidjikja - Kiffa - Nara - Segou - Bamako TP.

Stations Distance Budapest - Venice (Jan 12) 705km Venice - Meyreuil (Jan 13) 776km Meyreuil - Murcia (Jan 14) 1102km Murica - Nador (Jan 15) 400km Nador - Goulmima (Jan 16) 780km Goulmima - Tata (Jan 17) 720km Tata - Smara (Jan 18) 605km Smara - Dakhla (Jan 19) 770km Dakhla - Nouadhibou (Jan 20) 376km Nouadhibou - B2 Party Beach (Jan 21) 355km B2 Party Beach - Nouakchott (Jan 22) 180km Nouakchott - Tidjikja (Jan 23) 608km Tidjikja - Kiffa (Jan 24) 250km Kiffa - Nara (Jan 25) 557km Nara - Segou (Jan 26) 350km Segou - Bamako (Jan 27) 235km