The Sandstorm
Rally
'A seventeen-day, overland adventure to the Sahara Desert and back, set to a backdrop of Sunsets, camels and Kasbahs, and open to anyone with a sense of adventure...'
* * * The 2026 Sandstorm Rally will be taking place in October, and is now open to entries - feel free to get in touch if you have any questions, or wish to reserve a place on the trip * * *
Hidden deep in the Sahara Desert, rising from the sandy nothingness, there is a curious rock formation. Roughly circular, it forms a remote, crater-like stronghold, accessible only with difficulty from one direction. The ideal hiding place from the world, it would make for the perfect Bond villain’s lair.
And that’s why you’re already familiar with it. Because we’re talking about the location of the bad guy’s hideout in the James Bond film Spectre.
Yep, it’s Blofeld’s lair. And next October, we’re going to drive there.
But first, some background for you. In 2025, we launched Snowstorm, our wintery drive to the Arctic north. So, it makes perfect sense that 2026 sees us head south, into Africa to visit the sun-baked Sahara. Yep, this October, the long-awaited Sandstorm Rally is go.
Sandstorm is a 17-day trip from the UK to Morocco’s empty centre and back. An overland adventure taking in the gorges of the High Atlas Mountains, the sand dunes of Erg Chebbi, the bustling souqs of Marrakesh and Fes, and the remote kasbahs of the Saharan valleys. You’ll find yourself cruising past camels, surfing along sandy desert pistes, climbing mountain switchbacks and gazing upon the highest mountains in the whole of North Africa. In short, it’s our most exotic adventure yet. The one which will take you furthest into the wilds. The one which will live in your memory the longest.
So, if you fancy adding a real African adventure into your 2026 diary, this one’s for you.
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But if you do add Sandstorm into your diary, what’s the plan for the trip? Well, we’ll be setting sail from the UK on the ferry to Spain, leaving on October 09th. Once in Spain, we’ll be heading south, crossing this fine country in a couple of days, before boarding another boat across the Straits of Gibraltar, to Africa.
On our arrival on the second continent of the trip, we’ll be carrying on south to Blofeld’s lair, but there’s plenty to keep us distracted during the drive there and back. There are the bustling, labyrinthine souqs of Fes and Marrakesh, the twisting tarmac of the High Atlas mountains, the Roman ruins of Meknes and the picture-postcard painted streets of Chefchaouen. There’s the evocative valley of the Kasbahs, the plunging walls of the Todra Gorge and the golden sand dunes of Erb Chebbi. And all of this is infused with the unique atmosphere of an exotic adventure on the African continent.
After our trip to the Sahara and back, we’ll once again be boarding the ferry back across the Straits of Gibraltar to Spain where, after another few days on the road, we’ll once again be sailing back across the Bay of Biscay to the UK, arriving home on October 26th.
So, that’s the bare bones of what you can expect, but what it doesn’t convey is the memories you’ll take away from the trip. Watching the sun set over a sea of sand dunes. Feeling the sandy pistes of the world’s largest desert beneath your wheels. Rolling past camels on a remote desert highway. Bartering with Berbers in the bustling souqs, and sipping mint tea in the velvety warmth of a Moroccan evening. Parking up next to the Mosques and Madrasahs of centuries past, and climbing to nearly three kilometres above sea level on the switchbacks of the High Atlas. And that's just for starters.
Yep, it’s quite the sensory overload, this one.
Now, here’s a quick Q&A on the rally, which will hopefully answer some of the questions which are now running around your head:
What are the dates?
The trip will be taking place in October 2026, with us leaving the UK on a ferry from Portsmouth to Santander on the 09th, before returning on the 26th. This makes for a 17 day trip in total, with the current plan having ten of these days on the African continent.
How many miles will be driven?
Depending on the route options you choose, expect to cover around 3,000 miles in Spain and Morocco, spread over 17 days. Naturally, given the sub-optimum standard of some of the roads in Morocco, this means you can expect a few fairly long days on the road in amongst the shorter ones. However, we're cool with that - after all those are the days which make it an adventure.
What accommodation can I expect?
We're aiming for hotel accommodation of at least a three-star level every night, with many of the hotels having indoor swimming pools, spas, and suchlike. In the more remote parts of Morocco, however, where accommodation is more sparse, the standard may drop slightly for a night or two. Or, we may find ourselves staying in Bedouin tents out under the desert skies for a night or two. We'll be finalising the accommodation plan once we know rough numbers, but rest assured, even though this is our most out-there adventure yet, you won't be asked to slum it; not by any stretch of the imagination.
What cars are eligible?
Naturally, all cars are welcome, and you won't need to rush out and buy a 4x4 - unless you want to. However saying that, in deciding what car to bring, there are some things to consider. Firstly, while most mileage will be on tarmac, the route will be taking in some desert pistes and mountainous gravel tracks, so you won't want to bring along anything ridiculously low-slung. Also, reliability will be a most desirable asset, so whatever car you bring along, aim to get a decent amount of miles covered in the build up to the trip, to shake out any potential issues.
Naturally, of course, we took all this to heart on our last Moroccan adventure, by taking along the 1976 Rover P6 V8 you can see in the pictures. And amazingly, it survived. We'd recommend a slightly wider margin of reliability than that supplied by British Leyland in the 1970s, however.
As is traditional on all Pub2Pub trips, we'll be bringing along a support vehicle to help if you have any issues. However, what would we be considering if we had the choice? Well, the list is long and awesome. A lifted MX-5, perhaps, or a tough little Micra K11. A safari rally-homage Subaru Impreza would look right at home, as would a Jeep Cherokee XJ. Or even Kermit, our TVR, or Daisy, our Mini - both of which have crossed deserts in their time, and not been found wanting. Actually no, scratch all those suggestions - it has to be a Reliant Scimitar with a roof rack, stickers, chunky tyres and some extra spot lights...
Whatever you bring however, make sure it's not a garage queen. Be prepared for stone chips, dust, and maybe the odd bump or scrape - it is an adventure, after all.
So, in choosing a car, our advice would be to let your imagination run wild, but don't do the same with the budget - cheap, simple and reliable is a much underrated combination.
What modifications are required?
It may surprise you to hear that the short answer is 'none'. Provided you don't cruise around in a slammed Elise, you should be okay, and despite the fact we'll be leaving tarmac at times, four wheel drive isn't needed, and your normal road tyres will cope just fine. Just make it reliable, and make sure the cooling system is on point, and you should be good to go.
What red tape is there?
Morocco is one of the easiest African countries into which to take a car. On your arrival, following some form-filling you'll find yourself the proud owner of a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for your steed. This will allow it to stay in the country for up to six months, and so is more than sufficient for our trip.
You'll find your car's UK insurance policy is unlikely to cover your Moroccan adventure, though it's always worth a shot to see if you can get a 'green card' for the trip. However, most likely, you'll find yourself doing what we've done on all our overland trips - buying insurance on the border. This is possible on entering Morocco in the port of Tangier, and doesn't cost much, the only downside being that it's third party only; at the time of writing, our research suggests that it's not easy to find fully comprehensive insurance for a foreign car visiting Morocco - a similar situation to that of all our previous overlanding adventures in Africa, Asia and Latin America. So, bear this in mind when deciding what car to bring - ultimately, it's another consideration in favour of something cheap and tough like a Micra K11, or Mercedes 190. Or a Mk3 Toyota MR2. Or Renault 4. Or...
Finally on this subject, we'd just like to say that if the prospect of red tape worries you, rest assured we're here to help. On our previous overlanding adventures we've taken cars into over 80 different countries on five continents, so we think we've just about got the hang of it by now.
How much is the entry fee?
It's a bargain! For a car and up to two people, the entry fee for the seventeen day trip is £3,150. This covers ferry crossings from the UK to Spain, further ferry crossings between Spain and Africa, accommodation for every night of the trip, a full itinerary, on-the-road support from our trusty 4x4 support vehicle, loan of a two way radio, a rally sticker pack, and breakfast on every morning of the trip.
Sounds good? Excellent. To reserve a place on the trip simply get in touch by emailing us at ben@pub2pubadventures.com . A £200 deposit will secure your place, and this deposit is fully refundable should your circumstances change, up to when the balance of the entry fee is due, three months before we hit the road.
...and with that, all that is left to be said is that we look forward to seeing you at Blofeld's desert hideout to watch the sunset...