From Paris to Dakar with your own off-road vehicle. In either 16 or 21 days we will follow the legendary route of the Dakar Rally. Starting in Paris, we take our 4x4s through France, Spain, Morocco and Mauritania until we reach our destination in Senegal.
Itinerary
Beschreibung der Reiseroute
You can join the expedition either at the Eiffel Tower or at the city gate of Marrakech.
On the tracks of the Legendary Paris Dakar we will follow the sun to Dakar. The participants starting in Paris will drive to Gibraltar in just a few days before the ferry takes us across the Strait of Gibraltar to Africa. After exploring the green north of Morocco, the convoy crosses the Atlas Mountains and the Hamada, marking the entrance to the Sahara.
On- and offroad we will be lead into the Western Sahara by former supply points of the Paris to Dakar Rallye.
We will follow the wild Atlantic coast until Mauritania. Offroading in Mauritania will be really tough and we will rarely see asphalt - and if we do, then only to make kilometers.
This expedition can be booked either starting in Paris with 22 travel days from two participating vehicles or for the same price from Marrakech with 16 travel days.
Destination of our expedition: Dakar - the capital of Senegal.
If you still feel more adventurous you can join us on the connecting tour through Senegal and Gambia.
Reisebeschreibung
Off-road vehicle trip Day 1: Meeting at Place Jacques Rueff in front of the Eiffel Tower
On the first day of the journey, we will meet with our Galand vehicles at 8:00 in the morning in front of the Eifel Tower in Paris, built by Gustave Eifel from 1887 to 1889. The official start will be there like at the Dakar Rally. Of course you have the possibility to join the guide from Germany and arrive already as a group in Paris. After a short acquaintance and a few instructions we will start already. The day's destination is the highest dune in Europe, the Dune du Pilat with a height of 110m, a width of 500m and a length in the north-south course of 2.7 km, near Bordeaux in Arcachon.
Off-road vehicle trip day 2: Along the Atlantic Ocean towards south
After we have seen the Atlantic Ocean for the first time on our journey, which we will encounter again thousands of kilometers further south, much warmer, we cross the foothills of the Pyrenees into Spain. After a small pass we drive over the plateau Ibirische Meseta to Burgos our destination for the day.
Off-road vehicle trip day 3 & 4: Across the Siera de Gredos to Seville, following the call of Africa
You don't know where you are at the moment. The north of Spain is sparsely populated and the vastness of the landscape and the surroundings are reminiscent of images that you know from 4X4 off-road trips in America. The goal is to make kilometers so that we reach the destination of the 4th day early and still have a few hours for the beautiful Seville. The fourth largest city in Spain has one of the largest old cities in the world, along with Venice and Genoa.
Off-road vehicle trip Day 5: The first kilometers in Morocco
In the morning we set off and cover the last kilometers to the ferry port in Gibraltar. After crossing we have to declare our off-road vehicles before we can move on African soil for the first time. Since it usually takes some time, we will set up camp for the night just past the port of Tanger Med.
Off-road vehicle trip day 6: Moroccan roads and the Cascad de Ouzoud
Along the coast it goes to Rabat, the capital of Morocco and seat of the royal family and then over small roads towards the Atlas Mountains. The Atlas stretches over a length of about 2300 km through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The traffic takes some getting used to and so driving takes a lot of concentration. We will drive comfortably through the foothills of the Atlas towards Ouzoud. The first pass roads are already waiting for us.
Off-road vehicle trip day 7: Rest, screw 4X4 off-roader and enjoy Morocco
On the seventh day you shall rest and that is exactly what we do. It is time to hike in the beautiful landscape around Ouzoud, to visit the 120 m high waterfalls or to take care of his off-road vehicle. After all, we already have about 2500 km behind us.
Off-road vehicle trip day 8: meeting in Assni and crossing Tizi n'Test
In Asni a mountain village in the high Atlas at the foot of the Jebel Toubkal, the highest mountain in North Africa with 4167m past, we make ourselves together on the pass height of the Tizi n'Test. Even though there are not too many kilometers it takes almost a day until we reach Taroudant on the other side with our 4X4 ferries. On the one-lane road, everything from donkeys to 40-ton trucks can come towards us.
Off-road vehicle trip day 9: African culture and wonderful driving fun in 4X4 off-road vehicle
It goes through a beautiful valley full of almond trees towards Tafraoute. The road winds continuously along the valley wall and makes the offroad heart beat faster. The first dromedaries will be seen and slowly the desert begins. Arrived in Tafraoute, we can stock up on provisions for the next few days and admire the gigantic monoliths, which look as if they were built by human hand.
Off-road vehicle trip Day 10 & 11: Through the Sahara to Smara
The first major off-road stage lies ahead of us. Through the western foothills of the great Sahara we will drive for 2 days towards the desert town of Smara. On the way lies the disputed border between Morocco and formerly Spanish occupied Sahara. This is still noticeable in the mentality of the inhabitants and the language. While in Morocco French is very widespread, one now suddenly gets on with Spanish.
Off-road vehicle trip Day 12: To the metropolis of the West Sahara
It goes on a dusty pisste always along the Seguiet EL Hamra, which also has water most of the year. This is not far away and there is time to rest the fat, stretch your legs in the afternoon or take a dip in the sea.
Off Road Vehicle Trip Day 13 & 14: Sahara, Sahara and Sahara Desert
For two days we drive on the N1 about 500 km to Dakhla. To our right is the blue Atlantic and to the left the endless expanses of the Sahara. We will have time to make stops at the beautiful coast and to drive offroad along the beach. Optionally we can drive faster and have a rest day in the surf town Dakhla.
Off-road vehicle trip Day 15: Off into the unknown
While Morocco is a household name to everyone, Mauritania is rather unknown despite its size of 1.03 million km². From Dakhla we drive to the border and cross no man's land. Then we will spend the rest of the day dealing with the entry into Mauritania. There it is true: Europeans may have invented the clock but Africans invented time. We set up our night camp after the border in the idyll of the dunes.
Off-road vehicle trip day 16 & 17: Atar oasis as a destination
We follow the 700 km long route of the iron ore train for about 350 km offroad to Atar. The route is a tough one and it will take us two days to reach the oasis. Atar was once an important city in the high culture of the Moors, who are the namesake for the country.
Off-road vehicle trip day 18: Out of the desert off to Dakar
We go back to the sea and will be half on half off road in the Sahara for the last time before the Sahel zone begins. We will spend the night on the beach and who has only one thread will be successful in fishing. The sea in front of Mauritania counts as the richest in fish in the world.
Off Road Vehicle Trip Day 19: On the Beach
Before the road was built in 2006, the official route to Nuakchott was along the beach. Due to the tides, the is smooth and you still make better progress than on the road. We take advantage of this and continue our offroad journey on this route. Our destination for the day is the main city of Nuakchott, where half of the Mauritanian population lives.
Off-road vehicle trip Day 20: Across the Senegal River
Who does not know Fech Fech yet will get to know it today. On roads covered with them we go to the border of Senegal at the Senegal River. There are again trees along the road and clearly more animals. Our way leads us through a national park where our European birds spend the winter. Our destination for the day is Saint-Louis. The city is on an island in the delta of the Senegal River and has a very nice colonial core.
Off-road vehicle trip day 21: finish in Dakar
From Saint-Louis we leave in the morning and will reach Dakar around noon. Like the Paris Dakar, our journey will end on the shores of Lac Rose, the pink salt lake on the outskirts of Dakar. We will spend the last evening together and celebrate our arrival with good food. The next day is the official end, after we have handed in the off-road vehicles at customs for shipment.
Services
Included
- all accommodations in Europe (hotel)
- all accommodations in Africa (hotel and camping)
- travel insurance
- ferry to Morocco
- escort / support vehicle from Overcross
- driving and off road briefing
- Provision of the expedition kitchen with dishes
- All entrance fees for sightseeing
- Return flight from Dakar
- Breakfast and dinner
- Frühstück und Abendessen
Non-included
- Return transport of the 4x4 vehicle which can be organized by OVERCROSS
- Bar and restaurant visits
- Visa
- International health insurance (obligatory!)
- other travel insurances
- driving insurances
- customs documents
- Everything that is not included
Optional Services
- 4x4 rental including camping equipment
Land Rover Defender rental:
For this tour you have the possibility to rent a Land Rover Defender from Tübingen (near Stuttgart). This Defender is equipped for the trip with expedition equipment.
Reisetermine
