Route
In this XI Edition 2027 of the Desert Trophy Panda, we will have 2 navigation Stages with Track Following, 2 Orienteering Stages with WP capture and 2 Navigation Stages with WP Following, all of them without a Road Book, where the GPS or any cartographic navigation app will be our only aid to cross Morocco from North to South.
As a new feature, in the 2 navigation Stages with Track Following we will have a real track for 80% of the Special Stage and a final 20% where only an imaginary track will be available, linking a series of compulsory WPs that must be passed through, while covering the shortest possible distance.
In this 2027 Edition, our route will be point-to-point and, for the first time, we will reach Chegaga. However, we have designed the route so that participants have to load and unload their luggage as little as possible. For this reason, the first Stage will take place in the afternoon in Ifrane, once everything has been unloaded at the hotel, and we will then have two Stages in Zagora and two Stages in Arfoud.
The planned Timing** is as follows:
Administrative and Technical Scrutineering will take place at the Barceló Cabo de Gata Hotel in Almería, on Friday 12 February from 17:00h to 21:00h and on Saturday 13 February from 08:00h to 11:00h.
The General Briefing will take place on Saturday 13 February on board the ferry that will take us directly from Almería to Nador.
Boarding is scheduled for Saturday 13 February at 13:00h from the Port of Almería.
The Official Start of Stage 1 will take place on Sunday 14 February at 08:00h.
"The Scrutineering and Ferry schedules may be subject to change depending on the final timetables established by the ferry companies when they publish their ferry schedules for the 2026 winter - spring 2027 season."
ROUTE:
The type of Special Stage for each Stage will be published once we have completed our final Reconnaissance trip. This route will be final, except in cases of force majeure.
Stage 0 (Saturday 13 February): Almería - Nador.
Sea crossing to Nador, completion of Customs formalities and getting ready for the start of the adventure.
Stage 1 (Sunday 14 February): Nador-Ifrane.
The Mechanical Assistance and Briefing Area will be located in front of Hotel Le Chamonix.
Stage 2 (Monday 15 February): Ifrane-Er Rachidia.
The Mechanical Assistance and Briefing Area will be located next to Hotel Oasis Palace.
Stage 3 (Tuesday 16 February): Er Rachidia-Zagora.
The Mechanical Assistance and Briefing Area will be located in the parking area of Hotel Reda.
Stage 4 (Wednesday 17 February): Zagora-Zagora.
The Mechanical Assistance and Briefing Area will be located in the parking area of Hotel Reda.
Stage 5 (Thursday 18 February): Zagora-Arfoud.
The Mechanical Assistance and Briefing Area will be located in the parking area of Hotel Xaluca.
Stage 6 (Friday 19 February): Arfoud - Merzouga - Arfoud.
The Mechanical Assistance and Briefing Area will be located in the parking area of Hotel Xaluca.
Finisher Medal Ceremony in the dunes.
Special dinner and Prize-Giving Ceremony at Hotel Xaluca Maadid.
Stage 00 (Saturday 20 February): Arfoud - Nador.
Return journey by road (580 km) to Nador.
Meeting point in the Nador Port Area to organize the distribution of ferry tickets, have dinner and depart for the Port of Nador at around 20:30h in order to organize boarding for the Trasmediterranea ferry, scheduled to depart at 23:00h for Almería.
** All final schedules and programming will be published at the end of the year, once we have confirmation of the ferry timetables, route review, logistics, etc.