The first leg of the ongoing Budapest-Bamako Rally 2024, which commenced in Hungary on January 26, comprising participants is currently in Freetown heading to the pristine and touristic scenes of Sierra Leone.
The Rally spent the night at Bureh Beach in the Freetown peninsular where a Beach Carnival was organised in their honour and later proceed to the Finish Line on Gigibonta Restaurant Car Park, Lumley Beach.
Another batch of participants will depart Hungary today 12th February, 2024 and are expected to reach Sierra Leone on 4th March, 2024.
Participants go through a vast array of countries along the designated route to traverse 9000km from the heart of Europe to reach the finishing line on Gigibonta, thereby covering two continents and 10 countries.
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs said the event marks the world’s largest amateur rally and returns to Sierra Leone twice in this year, 2024.
Dubbed as the: ‘Budapest-Bamako-Freetown Challenge’, the ministry said the event is the world’s largest amateur vehicular rally as well as Africa’s biggest humanitarian event.
Minister of Tourism, Nabeela Tunis said: “The rally comprises 670 participants including three Sierra Leoneans with over 300 vehicles arriving in Sierra Leone through Kambia, arriving at Bureh Beach for a Beach Carnival in their honour.”
On Monday 12th February, 2024, the teams drive through Waterloo, Up Gun, Kissy Road, Goderich Street, Rokel Street, Siaka Stevens Street, Sanders Street, St. John, Savage Street, Congo Cross, Wilkinson Road and Lumley Beach Road and arrived at the Finish Line, Gigibonta Restaurant car park, Lumley Beach where the Hon. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, the Hungarian Consul and other State functionaries received them and delivered statements.
In 2024 the rally returns to West Africa, what’s shaping up to be the longest and most demanding route of the Budapest-Bamako. They have ventured this long and deep into the heart of West Africa.
The route is spectacular and difficult and as always, full of unexpected twists, turns and adventure. For teams in racing and 4×4 adventures the route was stunning and very demanding.
For bikers natural beauty, varied landscapes and backbreaking routes are expected.