2026 Dakar Rally route - all stages

The 2026 Dakar Rally kicks off on Saturday with a short prologue. The following day, the race commences in earnest.

Participants in the world's toughest rally, who make it to the finish line in Yanbu on January 17, face a total of 4,900 kilometres.

Here is an overview of the route.

Route Dakar Rally 2026

Prologue: Yanbu - Yanbu
3 January 2026
Route: 98 kilometres
Special Stage: 23 kilometres

The Dakar Rally kicks off with its traditional prologue, which determines the starting line-up for the first stage. The organisation warns the participants that tricky hills and gravel stretches immediately await. Watch your step!

Stage 1: Yanbu - Yanbu
4 January 2026
Route: 518 kilometres
Special Stage: 305 kilometres

The first real stage will be run around the starting town of Yanbu and consists of two specific extremes, as plenty of rocks initially await the drivers. Following a pit stop can be made halfway through, the special stage finishes with sand and the first (small) dunes of Dakar 2026.

Stage 2: Yanbu - AlUla
5 January 2026
Route: 504 kilometres
Special Stage: 400 kilometres

In the second stage, the participants head into the mountains of Saudi Arabia. Fast trails will alternate with rocks, after which another pit stop awaits. So the average speed will vary greatly. The end is crafty with fast, hilly terrain. 

Stage 3: AlUla - AlUla
January 6, 2026
Route: 666 kilometres
Special Stage: 422 kilometres

The navigators are in for a treat because in the third stage, they can make a difference with good guidance. The terrain changes from rocks to sand flats, where it is difficult to find the right path.

Stage 4: AlUla - AlUla (Marathon)
7 January 2026
Route: 526 kilometres
Special Stage: 451 kilometres

On day five, it is time for the first marathon stage of the Dakar Rally. The drivers must again navigate the sand in the AlUla area, after which they are allowed to tinker with their vehicles at the finish line. Everyone also sleeps in tents next to the campfire. The real Dakar experience!

Stage 5: AlUla - Hail
8 January 2026
Route: 417 kilometres
Special Stage: 356 kilometres

Part two of the marathon stage takes participants to Hail. Along the way, the cars cannot benefit from the tracks of the motorcycles, as they take a different route. Good navigation through the sand and stones is crucial; otherwise, many minutes can easily be lost.

Stage 6: Hail - Riyadh
9 January 2026
Route: 920 kilometres
Special Stage: 331 kilometres

It's time for the longest stage of the 2026 Dakar Rally. There's just no room to fall asleep, with giant dunes awaiting the drivers before they enter Riyadh. The pictures will be stunning, but who will cover them best?

Rest Day: Riyadh
10 January 2026
After a tiring week, the competitors finally get to enjoy a well-deserved rest day.

Second half of Dakar Rally 2026

Stage 7: Riyadh - Wadi Ad Dawasir
11 January 2026
Route: 876 kilometres
Special Stage: 462 kilometres

This stage is fast, long and tricky. Concentration is crucial on the dirt trails, where a mistake can easily be made. Haste is seldom good, even in the Dakar.

Stage 8: Wadi Ad Dawasir - Wadi Ad Dawasir
12 January 2026
Route: 717 kilometres
Special Stage: 481 kilometres

The area around Wadi Ad Dawasir returns to the Dakar Rally for the first time since 2022. This is the longest special stage of this edition, with complicated off-road plateaus and sudden changes in direction. Navigation will again play a starring role.

Stage 9: Wadi Ad Dawasir - Bisha (Marathon)
13 January 2026
Route: 540 kilometres
Special Stage: 418 kilometres

The marathon stage also returns in the second week, with different routes for the motorcycles and cars/trucks. The drivers will start on rocky trails, then finish the first day with a dune section near Bisha. Again, there is no help from mechanics as the teams spend the night in the desert.

Stage 10: Bisha - Bisha
14 January 2026
Route: 417 kilometres
Special Stage: 371 kilometres

As if the first part of the second marathon stage was not enough, the participants face many more dunes. Real specialists in the sand can make a big impact here as time starts to run out.

Stage 11: Bisha - Al Henakiyah
15 January 2026
Route: 882 kilometres
Special Stage: 347 kilometres

Do not be fooled by stage 11. The organisation states that the difficulty lies not in the fast course, but mainly in the navigation. Focus will play a crucial role in the maze of Al Henakiyah.

Stage 12: Al Henakiyah - Yanbu
16 January 2026
Route: 718 kilometres
Special Stage: 310 kilometres

This is where an attack can be made, with the fast trails giving drivers and riders the chance to hit the accelerator. The river beds and dunes could still throw a spanner in the works. Will there be a plot twist?

Stage 13: Yanbu - Yanbu
17 January 2026
Route: 141 kilometres
Special Stage: 105 kilometres

The Dakar spectacle ends with a 105-kilometre stage to Yanbu. The gravel roads along the coast will make for great pictures, but only one rider can be the winner in each category. Who will write history in Saudi Arabia?