For the first time in the Dakar Rally’s history, the Rally will be held solely in Peru. This off-road endurance 2019 event will comprise ten stages over a 5,000 km route, 70% of which is sand and dunes. The rally will begin in Lima on January 6 and is scheduled to finish in Peru's capital on January 17.
67 bikes and quads, 126 cars and 41 trucks will participate in the famous rally which has been a massive event, attracting huge crowds, since its inception in 1979.
If you are an off-road or motor enthusiast, here is the planned schedule for next year:
| 6 January | Start from the podium in Lima | |
| Stage 1 | 7 January | Lima to Pisco |
| Stage 2 | 8 January | Pisco to San Juan de Marcona |
| Stage 3 | 9 January | San Juan de Marcona to Arequipa |
| Stage 4 | 10 January | Arequipa to Moquegua for bikes and quads Arequipa to Tacna for cars, trucks, and SxS |
| Stage 5 | 11 January | Moquegua to Arequipa for bikes and quads Tacna to Arequipa for cars, trucks, and SxS |
| 12 January | Day of rest in Arequipa | |
| Stage 6 | 13 January | Arequipa to San Juan de Marcona |
| Stage 7 | 14 January | San Juan de Marcona to San Juan de Marcona |
| Stage 8 | 15 January | San Juan de Marcona to Pisco |
| Stage 9 | 16 January | Pisco to Pisco |
| Stage 10 | 17 January | Pisco to Lima |
It is an exciting international event for Peru and is bound to attract major tourist attention. If you are heading to Peru for this event or are going to be in Lima, Pisco or Arequipa during the Dakar Rally in January 2019, you might want to book your accommodation early.
As there are many sights in and around these areas, you could easily combine the Dakar racing with a tour of Peru to take in the best of the desert landscape. If you would like more information on must-see destinations in and around Arequipa, Lima or Pisco, contact Perú InsideOut for more details.
