This year’s race will start just outside Mombasa at the Sarova Whitsands Beach Resort, where it also started last year.  Two-time Kenya Airways East African Safari Classic Rally champion Ian Duncan will start off first in this year's edition in a Ford Capri.

image copyright: www.eastafricansafarirally.com

First run more than seventy years ago, today’s Safari Classic Rally demands the same speed and endurance, while making things slightly more comfortable for the competitors.

The name may have changed but the challenge has not, as the teams travel a brand new route through the lush landscapes of Kenya and Tanzania. Most sections are new to the rally, combining the challenging navigation over strenuous terrain that has come to define this epic event.

“The East African Safari Classic Rally is the jewel in the crown of marathon rallies.” says Rally Director, Raju Kishinani. “To stay at the top, we are always listening to our clients and are fully aware that they have other choices they could make. In honour of our illustrious line of past champions, victory on Safari must remain an heroic achievement. This means new challenges for all our competitors, every time they race.”

Each racing day will consist of three competitive stages, the longest of which is now 184 kilometres.

Two new safety measures have also been introduced this year, since the cars come from the early 1970 models and did not have today’s electronic devices. All rally cars will be equipped with a tracking device so that they can be tracked for their position in the rally as well as a system that will allow the drivers to know when another driver is in close proximity to them.