Dakar 2027 Morocco is the biggest motorsport news of the year for our country. After seven editions in Saudi Arabia, the Dakar Rally comes back to Africa in January 2027. It starts in Portugal and then runs eleven stages across Morocco. The route crosses the Atlas and the dunes of Merzouga and Erg Chegaga. It reaches the far south near Dakhla and finishes in Marrakech. This Dakar 2027 Morocco guide covers the dates, the route, the stages and where travelers can feel the rally. It comes from a team that lives in the Sahara.
Why Dakar 2027 comes to Morocco
The Dakar Rally was born as the Paris to Dakar at the end of the 1970s. It crossed Africa for three decades. In January 2008 the organizers cancelled the race over fears of attacks in Mauritania. The rally then moved to South America from 2009 to 2019 and to Saudi Arabia from 2020.
In late October 2026, the organizer ASO announced a one off change for the 49th edition. Top Gear and Crash.net report that the conflict in the Middle East forced the move. According to Auto Action, the rally plans to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for its 50th edition. That makes Dakar 2027 Morocco a rare chance to see the most famous rally raid in the world on Moroccan sand.
Dakar 2027 Morocco route at a glance
Dakar 2027 starts in the Algarve, in the south of Portugal. The prologue runs at the Algarve Stadium in Loulé and Faro. After one special stage in Portugal, crews cross southern Spain. An overnight ferry then takes them to Nador, on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast. RACER describes the route from there. It goes to Bouarfa in the east, then south through the Atlas to Zagora and a rest day in Agadir. The second week explores the far south around Smara and Dakhla, then heads back north to Marrakech.
The total route covers 7,824 km, with 4,341 km of timed special stages and six bivouacs. Most daily specials run between 350 and 500 km. The rally also opens the 2027 FIA and FIM World Rally Raid Championship, and the Dakar Classic follows the same move.
Dakar 2027 Morocco stages, day by day
Here is the Dakar 2027 stage list from TimeOut Racing and Atalayar, with the timed and total distance of each day. The dates still need approval from the FIA World Motor Sport Council, so small changes are possible.
- 9 JanuaryPrologue: Loulé and Faro, Portugal29 km timed, 129 km in total
- 10 JanuaryStage 1: Loulé and Faro, then the ferry to Nador100 km timed, 300 km in total
- 11 JanuaryTransfer: Nador to BouarfaNo special stage, 590 km of road
- 12 JanuaryStage 2: Bouarfa loop390 km timed, 490 km in total
- 13 JanuaryStage 3: Bouarfa loop410 km timed, 490 km in total
- 14 JanuaryStage 4: Bouarfa to Zagora, through the Merzouga dunes490 km timed, 750 km in total
- 15 JanuaryStage 5: Zagora loop, with the dunes of Erg Chegaga365 km timed, 540 km in total
- 16 JanuaryStage 6: Zagora to Agadir365 km timed, 760 km in total
- 17 JanuaryRest day in AgadirCrews and mechanics rebuild the vehicles
- 18 JanuaryStage 7: Agadir to Smara500 km timed, the longest special of the rally
- 19 JanuaryStage 8: Smara to the marathon refuge355 km timed, no assistance crews
- 20 JanuaryStage 9: Marathon refuge to Smara390 km timed, 625 km in total
- 21 JanuaryStage 10: Smara loop470 km timed, 560 km in total
- 22 JanuaryStage 11: Smara to Marrakech455 km timed, 1,035 km in total, the longest day
- 23 JanuaryStage 12: Marrakech loop and finish22 km timed, 240 km in total
Dakar 2027 categories: bikes, cars, trucks and more
The Dakar is not one race but several. According to Wikipedia, the main classes are bikes, cars, Challenger (light T3 prototypes), SSV side by sides and trucks. Quads were dropped from the rally in 2025. The Dakar Classic, created in 2021 for vehicles built before 2000, runs its own regularity race on the same route. For Dakar 2027, all of these classes cross Morocco together. The desert will see everything from motorbikes to giant trucks.
Dakar 2026 recap: the closest finish in history
The last edition shows why fans love this race. The 2026 Dakar Rally ran from 3 to 17 January in Saudi Arabia, starting and finishing in Yanbu. In the bike class, Luciano Benavides of Red Bull KTM beat Honda’s Ricky Brabec by just two seconds. WTOP reported it as the smallest margin ever. His brother Kevin had won the bike class in 2023. In the cars, Nasser Al-Attiyah took his sixth Dakar title with Dacia.
Dakar 2027 is the first chance to see the new champions defend their titles on Moroccan sand. In bikes, the fight between KTM and Honda moves to the soft dunes of Merzouga and Erg Chegaga.
The Moroccan desert on the Dakar 2027 route
Dakar 2027 in Merzouga and Erg Chebbi
On 14 January, stage 4 runs from Bouarfa to Zagora. Moto.it and TimeOut Racing both report that it includes the only passage of the race through the dunes of Merzouga. For us this is home. Our team comes from Merzouga. The orange dunes of Erg Chebbi are where we run our camp, our camel rides and our desert activities. Read our guide to things to do in Merzouga.
Zagora and Erg Chegaga
The bivouac moves to Zagora, the gateway to the Draa Valley. On 15 January, stage 5 loops around Zagora. Moto.it says the special includes about 50 km of dunes in Erg Chegaga, split by a rocky section. The next day brings about 50 km more dunes on the way to Agadir. Erg Chegaga is wilder and more remote than Erg Chebbi, which makes it a tough test for the crews. See our guides to Zagora and Erg Chebbi vs Erg Chigaga.
The far south: Smara and the Dakhla lagoon
After the rest day in Agadir, the second week heads deep into the south. Stage 7 from Agadir to Smara is the longest special of the rally at 500 km. Stages 8 and 9 form a marathon stage. Riders and drivers sleep at a refuge in traditional nomad tents, with the Dakhla lagoon in view. They must repair their own vehicles without their teams. Then the route turns north for a huge final push of 1,035 km to Marrakech.
Where to feel Dakar 2027 in Morocco as a traveler
Most Dakar 2027 specials run far from towns. The bivouac cities and the finish are the easiest places to feel the atmosphere. The key Dakar 2027 dates for visitors are Merzouga on 14 January and Zagora from 14 to 16 January. Then come Agadir on 17 January and Marrakech on 22 and 23 January. Hotels, riads and desert camps near the route will fill early. Book your Dakar 2027 Morocco trip well in advance.
We build private trips around these dates. You can combine the Merzouga dunes with Zagora on our 4 day Marrakech Sahara desert tour or the 6 day Sahara desert adventure. For Erg Chegaga, look at the 3 day Erg Chigaga tour from Marrakech. Then end in Marrakech for the finish of the rally.
Want to feel like a Dakar driver yourself? Our team runs its own quad, buggy and dirt bike rides in Merzouga, with a guide and a 4×4 following the group. Read about quad biking in Merzouga and dirt bike rides in Merzouga.
The Dakar 2027 Morocco finish in Marrakech
The rally arrives in Marrakech on 22 January after the longest day of the race. The final short special loops around the city on 23 January. It is a fitting end: the Red City has welcomed travelers from the desert for centuries. Stay a few days after Dakar 2027 to enjoy Jemaa el Fna, the souks and the activities in Marrakech, or relax in the Agafay Desert just outside the city.
How to follow Dakar 2027 from home
If you cannot travel in January, you can still follow Dakar 2027 every day. Crash.net reports that the race is broadcast in more than 190 countries. Race director David Castera said about 350 competitors had already registered after the move to Portugal and Morocco. The official Dakar website and app share daily results and highlights from each stage.
Dakar 2027 Morocco FAQ
When is Dakar 2027?
From 9 to 23 January 2027, pending approval from the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
Where does Dakar 2027 start and finish?
It starts in Loulé and Faro in the Algarve, Portugal, and finishes in Marrakech, Morocco.
Does Dakar 2027 go through Merzouga?
Yes. Stage 4 on 14 January, from Bouarfa to Zagora, is reported to cross the Merzouga dunes.
Why did the Dakar leave Saudi Arabia for 2027?
The organizers cited the conflict and security situation in the Middle East. The rally plans to return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for its 50th edition.
Does the rally still go to Dakar in Senegal?
No. The 2027 route stays in Portugal and Morocco and does not reach Dakar, the historic finish of the race.
Who won Dakar 2026?
Luciano Benavides won the bikes by two seconds, and Nasser Al-Attiyah won the cars for the sixth time.
Which categories race in Dakar 2027?
Bikes, cars, Challenger, SSV and trucks, plus the Dakar Classic for vehicles built before 2000.
Can I watch Dakar 2027 in Merzouga?
Stage 4 on 14 January crosses the Merzouga dunes. Watch only from the official spectator zones, and book your desert camp early.
Coming to Morocco for the Dakar? Send us your dates and we will plan a private desert trip around the rally.
Message us on WhatsAppNavigate Morocco is a team from the Sahara desert who work as a family. We will be glad to welcome you in Merzouga and share the excitement of Dakar 2027 Morocco.
More Navigate Morocco guides: A night in a Sahara desert camp, Merzouga vs Zagora, Stargazing in Merzouga, 3 or 4 day desert tour from Marrakech, Morocco desert tour cost.
