The 2025 South African Safari Rally route will be 2,645 kilometers long with 1,221 in Selective Sections.

The updated rally guide reduced the distance from the original 2,759 kilometers, which was due to have 1,403 in timed specials. It also no longer has the Power Stage, a new addition by the FIA for 2025. Otherwise, the locations and general direction remain the same.

Every leg except for Stage 2 is now shorter. That day’s 352 km is 37 km longer than the original, and it remains the only stage with at least 300 km in specials.

The rally guide includes the following descriptions for each stage:

• Prologue: This stage is just 13 km from Sun City and will offer competitors a great 10 km example of what is to follow over the next five stages; an unpredictable, undulating gravel track through the African bush, with tight sections and open fast section and no room for error.
• Stage 1: Lichtenburg – This stage is about 200 km west of Sun City and offers tracks and roads in and around the agricultural land as well as some sand tracks and open bushveld.
• Stage 2: Barberspan – This stage will take you into the more open savanna areas with lots of fast open tracks and some off-piste section where navigation will be important.
• Stage 3: Stella – This stage will be similar to Stage 2 with open savanna areas with lots of dirt tracks and some more navigation.
• Stage 4: Skilpadshek – The beginning of this stage is dirt tracks through the bush and then it becomes tight and rocky as it goes into the mountains.
• Stage 5: Sun City – This stage is a fast-paced loop through red dirt tracks and open farmlands, with some narrow sections through invasive bush.

32% of the route is in savannah, the highest terrain percentage ahead of gravel comprising 28%. Black turf makes up a quarter of the terrain.

The inaugural South African Safari Rally is the third race of the 2025 World Rally-Raid Championship.

UPDATE (May 13): The Selective Section lengths have been modified again.

2025 South African Safari Rally route

Stage	Location	Selective Sections	Road Sections	Date
Prologue	Sun City	9 km	26 km	May 19
Stage 1	Lichtenburg	262 km	295 km	May 20
Stage 2	Barberspan	355 km	268 km	May 21
Stage 3	Stella	253 km	270 km	May 22
Stage 4	Skilpadshek	224 km	470 km	May 23
Stage 5	Sun City	118 km	98 km	May 24