The rally hasn’t even hit the road yet, but the fundraising is going off! Forty-six teams are aiming for the R1 million mark!
South Africa (15 June 2026) – The Africa Rally is back, and this year the finish line is Zanzibar!
From 4 to 25 July, teams from over 15 countries around the world will spend three weeks driving across the continent in funky cars! The Challenger Route runs 5000 kilometres from South Africa all the way to Tanzania. The Discovery Route loops back through eSwatini. Rather than being a race, the rally is a points-based challenge, and the points are not just about driving!
Every team – this year, there are 46 of them participating – picks a charity and fundraises for it. Remarkably, before the engines have even switched on for this year’s rally, over R400,000 has already been raised across 19 charities. Last year, the final total came to R820,000. The goal this year is R1 million.
A number of the South African teams have gone all out with raffles, open days, and drive-alongs to push their numbers up. You can keep an eye on the live fundraising leaderboard and show your support for the teams here.
“We’re completely blown away with the generosity of the global community behind The Africa Rally event this year, and also the ingenuity of a number of our teams – particularly the South African teams – who’ve managed to find new and interesting ways to raise funds.” says rally director, Paul Clayton.
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Last year, 47 vehicles pulled out of Sparrowhawk Lodge near Hartbeespoort and spent three weeks navigating Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, and beyond. The Challenger Route winner drove a 1935 Austin 10. The Discovery Route winner drove a 1960 VW Beetle. Not everyone made it to the finish line with their cars intact. In fact, some of the oldest, quirkiest vehicles absolutely showed up the newer 4x4s.
This year the route ends in Tanzania rather than Kenya, with teams coming from as far as Canada and Australia.
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