Stumbled across this site and been thinking about it really hard ever since - it would be a total riot to do!
drive or die tryin'!
Of course buy a Jeep in Germany then over to the start in Budapest would be optimal but I'm thinking logistics and sponsorship for parts to get shipped over. Depending if we can get that sorted out we'd probably run the tour but the race would be awesome even though this is the longest one they've planned yet, only one week left to sign up before it gets too expensive. So far it would probably cost about $20,000 USD but you pretty much only do it once
From their site that makes me want to really go:
What are the dangers of the Budapest-Bamako?
Without that, we wanted to paint the devil on the wall, here are some potential problems. Each risk can be reduced and the risks can be prepared, but it would not hurt if you know that the only care you can expect trouble.
Highway or other accidents in Europe
Aut?felt?r?s, robbery anywhere
Incarceration in Africa (of course it has to be done)
Trouncing of torture or hiking, live animals if there are typos
Dehydration in the desert, other diseases
Kijav?thatatlan technical issues away from populated areas
Automobile accident and injury in the desert away from populated areas
Bandits or thieves in the desert
Food poisoning
Heat stroke
Corrupt officers who only want to cede the border in return for money
Lazy officers who are only after several hours or days waiting to pass through the border
Corrupt police officers who just want more money remitted by the way
African sudden taxes and levies, which can occur up to 50-10 Euro per person
Africans, leading to dangerously
Leading to dangerously Bamakosok
Sandstorms
Landslides
V?z?tmos?sok
Blizzards, snowdrift
Stretched and snapped towing
Nerves were strained and snapped
and thousands of other unforeseen hazard
Youtube has a lot of vids for it from 2007 to 2010 - I've caught sight of a few Jeeps but not many, not sure why (aside that it isn't as popular as Nissan or Toyota in Europe) so it would be a lot of fun and work to do this.
What isn't highlighted is this is a charity run - wells for fresh water have been installed, schools built, medical facilities re-stocked, vehicles donated, agriculture improvements, villages improved overall. I'd carry whatever we could aside from what we'd need - which may not be much with a Jeep but they have lighter weight items at the start anyone can carry.
If you could, would you do this in a Jeep or pick something else?
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