Banjul Challenge

The 3 week Banjul Challenge, departing March 25th 2022 and Jan 13, 2023: The worlds first ever Banger Challenge, that has spawned so many others. Teams have made it to West Africa, every year since 2003 making this Challenge the longest running banger challenge anywhere on this planet. The cost per car is £399, and teams leave the UK for Banjul on March 25th 2022 and Jan 13,2023. European teams meet up with the UK teams in Tarifa 2 days later. Applications are now open.

The Banjul Challenge heads South through Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal, arriving in Banjul in The Gambia. The route travels mostly on tarmac roads, but the highlight for some is the two-day offroad crossing of the Sahara Desert. Others stay on road preferring to explore places such as the Tergit oasis. The journey is approximately 3700 miles, and can comfortably be covered in three weeks (if all goes well). Those in a hurry have completed in under two weeks, but that is missing the point, really. This is NOT a race. There is so much of interest en-route that it makes no sense to rush your travels.

Banjul

This Challenge is open to all not just left-hand drive vehicles. There is a not for profit car buying service for those who cannot buy a car easily and this includes all paperwork.

The route can be completed by almost any vehicle, and there is no distinct advantage to having 4 x 4 drive (except when others are stuck in the sand!). It is a condition of entry that all vehicles ending in the Gambia MUST be donated to the Charities Control Committee. The vehicles are auctioned and the funds raised are distributed to local worthy causes. This is the only legitimate way to ensure that the best price is obtained and that the funds are distributed appropriately. Nasty things do happen to those who might flout this requirement, because it is illegal to sell your vehicle privately.

We aim to provide help through Mauritania, Mali, Senegal and Gambia with local contacts in all these countries, who will meet you and can liaise with local authorities.

This year we are supporting https://www.legs4africa.org/deliver-a-leg/ for the first time and hope that all teams will find space for a prosthetic leg or two in their cars. Dateline May 2021: we have 6 teams signed up already with more in the pipeline.

Please see the application form for more details.