4x4 Start & Prologue

Meet the Start of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia

Meet Dakar at the Start.

Prologue and Start on a 6-Day 4x4 Offroad Tour.

This tour takes you on a 6-day journey to the start of the Dakar Rally.

After three days at the start location, where we watch the prologue and start of the Dakar, we follow the race on the stage 2 and 3.

An incredible adventure in one of the most beautiful regions of Saudi Arabia. Racers agree that the north, along with the Sea of ​​Dunes in the Empty Quarter, is the most beautiful and challenging part of the rally.

A unique adventure with the comfort and safety of an off-road vehicle such as a Toyota Landcruiser, HiLux, or a similar vehicle.

Bring your own 4x4

Participate this unique trip in your own 4x4.

Rally Dakar Program

The 2027 Dakar will take place from January 2nd to 16th. A prologue on January 2nd will be followed by 14 super-long days of racing. Two stages will again be contested as marathon stages over two days. A rest day will take place in Riyadh as usual. As one of the highlights, the Dakar Rally will stay in the famous Al-Ula for two days, giving us the opportunity to visit sights such as Elephant Rock and the Hegra Tomb.

Tour Offers

The Ride Xpower Start and Al-Ula 4x4 Tour meeting the Dakar is offered as a 6-day tour with 4 days of driving and 5 overnight stays in desert camps in the dunes.

4x4 Models

We offer latest 4x4 models like Toyota Fortuner, HiLux, Changan Hunter or similar vehicles from leading Saudi 4x4 rental companies. The 4x4 can comfortably accommodate up to 4 people.

Driving Level

We run the 4x4 tour in a group, but split the route up during the day if not everyone wants to complete the full off-road program. We have different routes available and we can adjust the difficulty and scope of the off-road parts to suit the group's driving experience.

Routes

Our route leads along the route of the Dakar Rally.

We set up camp to witness the start of the rally and the drivers in the spectator areas. Optional visits to the Dakar bivouac provide in-depth insights into the teams' work and opportunities for small talk with the racers and team members.

The final program will be based on the Dakar Rally's stage schedule, which will only be announced shortly before the start. This is one of the challenges of the Dakar and this adventure tour.

Accommodation in the Camps

We'll stay overnight in desert camps throughout the tour, meet the enduro and buggy riders, and listen to their stories. We'll feel like the Dakar Rally riders and set up our own camps in the dunes.

Our desert camps in the dunes are simple, but offer all the comforts possible in the desert, good hot showers and campng toilets in toilet tents, we cook our own food and sit together in the evenings around the open fire under the starry desert sky.

We will provide you with a good popup tent, sleeping mattress and a very warm sleeping bag, a pillow and an extra blanket to keep you really warm also in colder nights. In front of the tent we provide a carpet to prevent sand from getting into the tent. The tent has a padded floor inside, and underneath the tent is a padded insulating mat for maximum comfort.

The camp is set up and dismantled, transported, and continuously supervised and maintained by a dedicated camp team throughout the camp days.

As an extra, we offer the option of a large tent measuring approximately 3x3 meters with an interior height of approximately 2.5 meters, equipped with a large camping bed, very warm sleeping bag, additional blanket and pillow, a private table and chair, padded insulating mats and carpets, and a carpet in front of the tent to prevent sand from being tracked inside. These tents can be used by one person or by two people.

More info about the Desert Camp.

Luggage and personal Equipment Transport, Rescue Team

We have all our luggage and gear with us in the 4x4. We manage our rescue in the team as part of the adventure. The camp equipment is transported and built up by the camp team.

Dakar is a real Adventure

Participating in the Ride Xpower Dakar Adventure means you will feel and push your limits, even if you don't ride as extreme as the racers and Enduro bikers. The 4x4 tour is designed to give you a taste of what it means to compete in the Dakar and you will drive in some difficult off-road sections. We'll meet the Dakar racers at the spectator points, but we'll focus also on driving an off-road adventure tour.

Tour Program

The rally will not announce the day's route and spectator points until late the previous day. Shortly before the start, the racers receive the road book for the next day. We have to anticipate and adjust our routes accordingly - that's part of the adventure, you never know what's going to happen tomorrow, managing it is the adventure of this tour. What we will know are the locations of the rally overnight camps between stages, but not the route taken by the racers.

The daily tour program, the starting order for the Dakar Rally, and the final starting location will be announced at the daily Dakar briefing at approximately 9:30 PM and subsequently shared in the Ride Xpower WhatsApp group. Therefore, the tour program for the following day can only be finalized after the Dakar briefing.

The Ride Xpower team will be in Saudi Arabia throughout December exploring the routes, desert camps and hotels for the Meet Dakar Tour.

Visit to the Dakar Bivouac

The Dakar allows access to selected bivouacs in the form of a guided VIP tour. Limited day tickets cost approximately €300 and can be ordered through Ride Xpower. The access tickets are not included in the tour price.

Tour Package and Itinerary.

The tour package includes

  • 5 overnight stays in desert camps with breakfast, lunch snacks and dinner

  • 4x4 rental for 5 days with fuel (max 4 persons in a 4x4)

  • Professional tour manager and tour guides

  • Ride Xpower Meet Dakar souvenir

Not included

  • Damages on the 4x4

  • Ride Xpower Rebooking Cover (offered as extra)

  • Dakar Bivouac access ticket fees (bookable over Ride Xpower)

  • Visa, personal insurances, travel cancellation cover

  • Flight tickets and airport transfers

4x4 Tour Itinerary

  • Tour date subject to the Dakar Route 2026

  • Day 1 arrival in at Yanbu International Airport, overnight in a desert camp

  • Day 2-5 offroad tour in Yanbu and Al-Ula meeting the Dakar Rally at the start and at spectator points. overnight in desert camps.

  • Day 6 departure from Al-Ula International Airport

Booking the Start and Al-Ula Tour.

6-Day 4x4 Start and Al-Ula Tour

Start of the Dakar, 4 days of driving
Tour date Jan 2-7, 2026

5.750€ per person

Additional participant 3.550€

Brochure 4x4 6-Day Tour START

Contact for booking, info and questions:

Lisa-Marie
lisa-marie@ridexpower.com
WhatsApp +43 664 88622910