Photo by bob_rayner under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

The Budapest-Bamako Rally is now the largest amateur rally in the world, the largest rally across the Sahara and an important charity car race in Africa. The Budapest-Bamako is a low-budget version of the Dakar Rally and goes from Budapest, Hungary to Bamako, Mali through the Sahara. It passes through Hungary, Austria (or Slovenia), Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Mali. It promises a sense of adventure and the romance of Africa, much like the Paris-Dakar did in its early days. There are no entry restrictions. As long as a vehicle is street legal, it can join the event.

The event is the brainchild of Hungarian internet entrepreneur and former radio "shock jock" Géza Villám (real name Andrew Szabo) who wanted to give rally fans an option to the more expensive and stricter Dakar rally. He found no cheaper and more comfortable alternative to the Dakar so he created his own. After first envisioning a direct drive through the Sahara in Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali he opted for a safer and more scenic route around the Western rim of Africa.

Some teams continue traveling, independently, after reaching Bamako; either driving back to Europe, or to a port such as Dakar, or driving to other places in Africa.

The guiding principle of the Budapest-Bamako is: Anyone, By Anything, In Any Way. There are no restrictions on the vehicles or individuals that can enter. There are no road restrictions either. Participants have to complete daily stages between Budapest and Bamako. There are no set routes. Racers can plan and optimize their own route.

It is not a timed event. Points are awarded for completing daily stages in certain time periods. In addition there are geocaching challenges along the way for additional points. If a team doesn't complete a stage they are still in the race. Cars do not have to arrive at the finish line, just participants. Teams can participate in racing or touring categories.

The Budapest–Bamako is primarily a charity event, that brings direct donations to communities in Mali and Mauritania. Many teams are delegated by firms as part of the corporate social responsibility program. The team that performs the most outstanding charity work receives the Mother Teresa Charity Award.

Find more information on Budapest-Bamako Rally website.

Retrieved from Wikipedia and modified on November 27, 2011. Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this text only under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License and the GNU Free Documentation License.