Africa’s greatest charity road trip is once again complete! That’s correct, this July saw teams from across the world meet in Hartbeespoort, South Africa to undertake a 4 500km charity road trip either one way up to Kenya, or looped up to Malawi, then back through Mozambique to eSwatini. Sub-Saharan Africa was scattered with vehicles as old as 1960 and as young as 2018, all participating in the Africa Rally 2024.
For the first time ever, all the teams who started the epic journey made it all the way to the finish lines… with their vehicles intact! That’s not to say they had an easy time of it though.
Early rains on the Challenger Route meant that the Serengeti Road had particularly deep corrugations, mixed in with some rather large patches of mud. Most vehicles on the event were not four-wheel drive, so some careful and tactical driving was required to ensure they didn’t get stuck.
This high finish rate did mean that there was lots of opportunity to raise awareness, and publicity, for the charities the teams selected to fundraise for. It also led to another Africa Rally record – a massive R170 000 (and counting) was raised for a dozen fantastic causes.
Uniquely, the Africa Rally allows each team to select whom they wish to fundraise for, meaning that each chosen cause holds a special place in that team’s hearts. Whether supporting schools, animals, medical research, or sport – all causes are welcome!
The full list of organisations, fundraising teams, and the ability to add to their totals can be found on www.givengain.com/event/the-africa-rally-2024. There’s still time to donate, and still time to support our 2024 team’s causes.
This year was also the first time that a team of social media gurus joined the Africa Rally. Their decision to bring possibly the least suitable vehicle – a two-wheel drive BMW X5 with a swapped Toyota V8 engine and automatic gearbox – ensured that they had an adventure and a half!
From getting stuck on the beach in Malawi, to accidentally putting diesel in the petrol engine, to playing connect four with literally every warning light on the dashboard on, their channel showed a day-by-day view of what participating in this event could be like. If you are interested to see what happened, checkout @thecarscene__ on Instagram.
Even after all of these troubles though, they too made it! For this they were awarded the Golden Pineapple Award, lovingly bestowed on the team with the most breakdowns, that faced the biggest challenges, yet somehow overcame it all to reach the finish line three weeks after departing.
The community of individuals which exists around the Africa Rally played a major part in ensuring that all the teams made it to the finish line. These include, among others, the Overlanding and DriveBots/Moz Facebook groups, the tourism boards, lodge owners, classic car clubs, and simply enthusiastic supporters that help along the way.
It is this spirit of camaraderie that gave Team Car Scene the idea to let everyone they meet on the event sign on their vehicle. By the time they reached the finish line there wasn’t a single space on the X5 that was not covered with good wishes and motivational word. With this many people wishing them well, how could they not succeed? It’s also worth noting that with the help of Liqui Moly South Africa they were the team to raise the most for their causes, namely Child Welfare Tshwane, and Sparrow Educational Schools Trust.
Hand carved on the shores of Lake Malawi, then plated and engraved at the finish line in Kenya, the awards this year were truly special and supported the work of a number of local artisans.
The winners of the Challenger Route were Team Amazon Across Africa in a 1964 Volvo Amazon. This father-and-daughter team from the UK, Kevin and Caroline Hawkes, raised funds for With Change in Mind, a school project in Malawi, and Farm Africa, a charity established to assist farmers across the continent with improving their yields in a sustainable manner.
Their vehicle, although the oldest at the rally this year, certainly came with a lot of credentials. Just over a decade ago it successfully completed the infamous Cape Town to Cairo route, driven by Chris and Sandy of Rafiki Safari Lodge in Malawi. Following this escapade, it sat for years in the garage, simply waiting for its next adventure. When Caroline stumbled upon the Volvo last year, she knew that this was the vehicle to conquer the Africa Rally… and she was right.
The winners of the Discovery Route were Team Wazee Mambo’s Jonathan and Anthony, in a Toyota Hilux, raising funds for WaterAid, a charity ensuring access to clean water globally. They ranked very high in the Scavenger Hunt Trophy too, even sourcing a rubber chicken on route and creating an Instagram account for it. Bonus points were also scored for being the first team ever to bring bagpipes halfway around the world and attempting to pipe everyone in for post dinner drinks on Lake Malawi.
Think you have what it takes to conquer The Africa Rally? The next event is scheduled for 5 – 26 July 2025… same routes, same concept, same cost. Team entries are now open, and as a loyal Adventure Afrika reader, you will quality for a discounted entry fee if you enter before 31 August 2024! To enter visit www.africarally.com and simply type in the code ADVENTURE25 at checkout to receive your special team price. Alternatively, send an e-mail to info@africarally.com.
Follow The Africa Rally on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africarally/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theafricarally
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-africa-rally/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@africarally
