From Road & Track · · 1m 30s
Dust to Dust: Dakar Rally
Dakar Rally transforms Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter into a surreal race through deserts and camels.
In brief
Dakar Rally transforms Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter into a surreal race through deserts and camels. The Dakar Rally races 5000 miles across Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter desert, where competitors and camels share the same landscape. Originally reported by Road & Track.
What is an erg
An erg is a sand sea, the most desert of deserts with near total lack of vegetation.
Empty Quarter desert
Rubʿ al-Khali, the largest sand sea on Earth, covers 250,000 square miles in Saudi Arabia.
Dakar Rally route
The rally covers 5000 miles annually, with 3000 miles timed special stages and 2000 miles public-road liaison stages.
Dakar bivouacs
Dakar bivouacs support 421 vehicles and 300 support vehicles, with 4000 people per bivouac.
Land Rover's role
Land Rover provides 70 vehicles including semis with spare parts, a machine shop, and on-site engineering for the Defender D7X-Rs.
Camel herder encounter
A camel herder offers tea and hospitality, saying 'All men are brothers', but declines dinner.
“All men are brothers”
Dakar night sounds
Competitors roar over dunes at night, following competitors' tracks with headlight beams in the dark desert air.
Desert landscape
The Empty Quarter features endless sand dunes, red sand, and weathered sandstone monoliths rising from the desert floor.
Dakar's scale
Dakar bivouacs stay in one location for a single night, then move to the next location after racers head out each morning.
Saudi Arabia's population
Saudi Arabia has a population density of 42 people per square mile, with Riyadh accounting for a fifth of the population.
In short
The Dakar Rally races 5000 miles across Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter desert, where competitors and camels share the same landscape.
