Dakar 2027 Comes to Morocco: Route, Dates and What Visitors Can Plan

Morocco will host eleven stages of the 2027 Dakar Rally, following an opening in Portugal, organiser Amaury Sport Organisation announced on 30 October. The proposed race dates are 9 to 23 January 2027, subject to approval by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The route includes a rest day in Agadir and a finish in Marrakech.

The organiser’s announcement replaces the earlier Saudi Arabian plan. A.S.O. describes the move as exceptional, with a return to Saudi Arabia planned for 2028.

The announced route through Morocco

The rally opens in Loulé-Faro in Portugal’s Algarve. After the prologue and first stage, competitors cross overnight to Nador, arriving on 11 January, then transfer to a bivouac at Bouarfa.

The Moroccan route runs south via Zagora and Agadir, continues through Smara towards Dakhla, then turns north for Marrakech. Agadir hosts the rest day. The full rally comprises a prologue and twelve stages, covering 7,824 km, of which 4,341 km are timed special stages.

These are places on the announced route, not spectator meeting points. A bivouac is the rally’s travelling service camp; a transfer section moves competitors between locations rather than forming a timed special stage.

Watching the rally: what to wait for

Before choosing where to watch, look for the organiser’s designated spectator areas, access routes and daily timings. The 30 October announcement does not provide those arrangements, public bivouac admission terms or a Marrakech finish venue.

An Agadir hotel booking does not by itself give access to the rest-day camp. Likewise, the name of a stage town does not tell you where competitors will pass or where it is safe to stand. Choose a location from the published spectator instructions, keep access roads clear and follow marshals’ directions. Do not drive onto a rally track to find a viewing spot.

For now, Agadir and Marrakech are useful places to research accommodation and activities around the event. Check cancellation terms before committing to travel around dates still awaiting approval. Ask any rally package seller exactly which access and transfers are included.

For dates, route, travel and safety planning in one place, see our Dakar Rally 2027 spectator guide.

Bringing your own car or travelling around Morocco

The competitors’ overnight crossing is part of the rally’s logistics. Plan your own ferry independently. Our Spain–Morocco ferry guide for drivers covers ports, vehicle documents and Moroccan temporary admission procedures.

If you are already in Morocco, check local traffic notices before journeys near the route. A rally itinerary is not a road-closure timetable, and a navigation app may not reflect temporary restrictions. Leave time for diversions and avoid building a tight airport connection around a day spent watching a stage.

Use the dated Dakar announcement as the starting point for updates. Check that any calendar or booking page refers to the revised Portugal–Morocco event before relying on its dates.