The Budapest–Bamako Rally is the world’s largest amateur rally raid and already one of the toughest races to complete. Which is why the organizers have made an even harder rally that will take place in 2027.

The Budapest–Bamako organization announced on Wednesday the creation of the Bamako Extreme, the inaugural edition set for 2207. It will span 11 thousand kilometers across three weeks, starting in Budapest and finishing in Abidjan.

After crossing through Europe, the Africa leg begins in Morocco in the port city of Tangier. From there, the race travels through Morocco and Western Sahara, into Mauritania, past Senegal and Guinea, and into Côte d’Ivoire. It concludes in the former capital of Abidjan. The largest city in the Ivory Coast has a rich rally raid history, most notably being the start of the Abidjan–Nice Rally; Thierry Sabine got lost during the 1977 edition, inspiring him to create the Dakar Rally.

For comparison, the 2026 Budapest–Bamako Rally will be roughly 9,274 kilometers long across 17 days. Despite its name, the Budapest–Bamako has not finished in the Malian capital since 2024 due to the ongoing fighting between the military junta in power and jihadist groups. In the meantime, Freetown in Sierra Leone will host the finish.

Bamako Extreme entries will open in April 2026 with Racing, Touring, 4×4 Adventure, and Spirit categories. Only the first 150 registrants will be accepted.

Due to high demand, the Budapest–Bamako frequently has to close off registration just days after opening them; sign-ups for 2026 sold out in just three days even with the addition of the Adventure class, and pre-registration for 2028 is already available.

“If you want to be in the most difficult, hardest, and longest Bamako ever, get ready for Bamako Extreme,” said race founder Andrew Szabo. We’ll see you at the start line.”