Explore your potential in The Adventure Category
Riding from Paris to Dakar is a quest that is at the top of the bucket list for many motorsport enthusiasts. Participating in the adventure category is your chance to get the most of the rally experience, the magnificent and challenging terrains and navigation and as a full member of the rally team.
You are free to skip sections of the race route or maybe even the entire race for a day to just enjoy the landscapes and the towns we travel through and there will be days where you are required to take the service route as some terrain demands race category skills.
The participants in the adventure category will have a dedicated go-to-person and a special briefing every night. The briefing includes advice on how to avoid the most difficult parts of the terrain and how to cut the route short during the race if you want to get to camp faster. This is the option for everyone who wants the adventure of the rally without the race-element. It is also a great opportunity to test yourself and your vehicle before entering the race.
Experience the adventure category
THE CATEGORY IN A NUTSHELL
As a participant in the adventure class you will have:
- The experience of the full race, but without the clock ticking. You can instead use the time you need to challenge yourself in the heavy sand or through the more technical terrains.
- A dedicated go-to person that will give you advice on the routes, the terrains, the navigation etc.
- A dedicated adventure briefing every night following the official race briefing.
- Dinner with the rest of the rally family every day.
- An opportunity to participate with vehicles suited for rallies and long distance off road adventures but that may not be suitable for participation in the race category.
- The opportunity to skip some of the extreme days of the route and on those days take the service route instead.
WHAT TO PREPARE FOR
Before signing up for The Real Way to Dakar we recommend that you consider the following:
- Your level of driving skills
We try to make The Real Way to Dakar accessible to as many people as possible, but it is more than 5.000 kilometers in challenging and varied terrain, so we highly recommend that you prepare yourself both mentally and physically. In the adventure category you have the option of exiting the race route for the service route at specific locations and some days you will have to take the service route, as a stage may require race category skills. It is important that you adhere to the guidlines given each nigh at the adventure briefing. - Your service team and what to expect from them
We do recommend that you sign up with a service team. This goes especially for motos and buggies in the adventure category. You can find a list of participating service teams right here. - Your navigational skills
If you are not used to participating in a GPS-based rally, it might be a good idea to practice this skill. From how to load the track file into your gps to how to navigate a route in unknown terrain using your GPS device. - Your Vehicle
We’ve limited the motos of the Adventure Category to 950 ccm due to the challenging terrain you will be facing. Heavy touring motorbikes may be perfect for the some of the long stretches of dirt tracks, but unless you are extremely skilled, you won’t get through the heavy sand of the Sahara dunes. The same applies to certain types of cars, so please keep this in mind when choosing your vehicle.
FOOD & CAMPS
As we are travelling in some of the most remote areas in north-western Africa, we alternate between camps in existing campsites and wild camps. This means that you need to bring your own tent and sleeping equipment.
In terms of food, dinner is included in your sign-up fee and we hope that you will join us every night for a community style dinner. You will have to take care of breakfast as well as food and water during the day in the track yourself.
MEDIC & SAFETY
It is important for us that you feel safe doing the Real Way to Dakar from start to finish. You will be given a tracking device that doubles as an alarm to make a request for medical help at any time during the rally if you have critical needs. (Please consult the rules). Every night in camp you may consult them if you have questions or need help.
A DAY AS A PARTICIPANT IN THE REAL WAY TO DAKAR
- Get up early enough to check your gear and your vehicle, get a proper breakfast (food is never to be missed!) and pack up your camp before leaving for the start line.
- Get to the start line in good time before your start time. Sometimes the start line will be just outside camp, sometimes it will be quite the distance from camp. Make sure to plan your morning, that way you are sure to be ready for you starting call.
- Whether you choose to navigate the track by yourself or along with a team, be sure to stay alert and drive in accordance to the terrain and your skills.
- Arriving at the finish line at the end of a long stage is awesome! Sometimes the finishline will be just outside camp and sometimes you will have to ride an additional distance to reach camp. It’s always a good idea to fuel your vehicle on the way to camp.
- Arrive at the campsite and find your service vehicle. Get out of your gear, get some water and food and get going on checking over your vehicle and gear so it is ready for tomorrow.
- Join the community dinner when it suits you.
- Pay attention at the evening briefing! ORG will reveal the stage for the coming day, communicate about fuel stops, speed zones and any other relevant information you need to be aware of. After the briefing ORG will also release the usb-sticks with the route for the next day.
If you are participating in the adventure category, there will be a separate briefing just for this category. - GO TO SLEEP! It may seem important to use hours upon hours on planning your route for the coming day, but please be sure to get some sleep, so you are ready for the challenges of tomorrow.
REGISTRATION FOR 2025 IS OPEN!
The Real Way to Dakar
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