After a year off, the Desafío Ruta 40 is back in 2026 with a route bouncing between San Juan and San Rafael. It will span over 2,700 kilometers with 1,699 km being timed.

Both cities will serve as the bivouacs.

San Juan, the capital of the province of the same name, hosted Stages 3 and 4 of the 2024 race. San Rafael, located in adjacent Mendoza, last appeared on the itinerary in 2016.

Much of the race will go through the El Nihuil desert, which also returns after nine years away.

Specific stage distances will be released at a later time.

The DR 40 is the third round of the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship.

Route

Stage	Start	Finish	Date
Stage 1	San Juan	San Juan	May 25
Stage 2	San Juan	San Rafael	May 26
Stage 3	San Rafael	San Rafael	May 27
Stage 4	San Rafael	San Juan	May 28
Stage 5	San Juan	San Juan	May 29