The Safari Rally in Kenya is unlike any other motorsport event. Born in 1953 as a celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, it quickly became the toughest rally in the world. Drivers faced rivers without bridges, dust that swallowed tires, and roads that barely existed. Over the decades, legends like Shekhar Mehta and Colin McRae proved their skill here, showing that the Safari rewards both patience and fearless speed.
After being dropped from the World Rally Championship in 2002 due to funding issues, the rally made a triumphant return in 2021. In 2022, Kenyan schoolteacher Maxine Wahome stunned the world by winning the WRC3 class, becoming the first Kenyan woman to claim victory in a WRC support category.
Now, in 2026, the Safari Rally is back in Naivasha with 350 kilometers of brutal Rift Valley terrain. Toyota dominates the season so far, with Elfyn Evans and Sebastien Ogier leading the charge. Hyundai, however, still hunts for its first Safari win. This year could be historic again—especially since it might be the final Safari Rally under the current WRC contract.
Seventy years on, the Safari remains the rally that breaks cars, careers, and egos. Champions may arrive, but only the toughest leave with glory.
