Less than two months to go until the start of the 14th edition of the charity rally organised by the NORD SUD ACTION association

Raid Tanja Langouira: una oportunidad de oro para conocer el sur de Marruecos

photo_camera PHOTO/RAID TANJA LAGOUIRA - Less than two months to go until the start of the 14th edition of the charity rally organised by the NORD SUD ACTION association

The Raid Tanja Lagouira is a sporting event open to anyone who has a 4x4 vehicle at their disposal and wants to take part in the adventure that starts next November. There are no other requirements. It is a fast-paced adventure, which welcomes both experienced competitors and beginners and runs through Morocco from north to south. "It is not a speed race, but a voyage of discovery whose main objective is to arrive safely at the destination," says the organisers. 

This year is the 14th edition of the event, which will include 13 stages. In total, nearly 6,000 kilometres will be covered. According to Omar El Alaoui Balrhiti, vice-president of the Regional Tourism Council of the Rio de Oro-La Güera region and founding president of the NORD SUD ACTION Association, the rally's vocation goes beyond the purely sporting aspect, and involves promoting solidarity, discovery and investment in the Maghreb country.

Raid Tanja Lagouira

The event is a great opportunity to get to know the southern provinces of Morocco at first hand, to explore its landscapes, admire its deserts and beaches, and visit its cities. Many activities are planned. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to learn about the investment and development opportunities available in this thriving region. 

"Since the first editions, we have always had participants from abroad, especially from Spain," El Alaoui told Atalayar El Alaoui. The Vice-President of the Regional Tourism Council of the Dakhla Rio de Oro-La Güera region, in his capacity as President of NORD SUD ACTION, has taken advantage of "the renewal of bilateral relations between Morocco and Spain" to kick off this new edition from Madrid. All this in collaboration with the Moroccan Embassy in Spain, with the aim of "supporting the implementation of the commitments and agreements signed by the two Kingdoms".

Faltan menos de dos meses para el comienzo de la 14ª edición del rally benéfico organizado por la asociación NORD SUD ACTION

For this reason, for European participants, the race will start in Madrid on 1 November. The participants are scheduled to meet in the early hours of the morning to begin a hectic journey that will end 13 days later in the city of Agadir, one of the most striking coastal enclaves of the North African country. In that time, the participants will have travelled through Morocco from north to south, taking in all its nuances and taking part in all kinds of activities.

Timetable and route 

The itinerary is as follows:

  • Day 1. Madrid, San Pedro de Mérida and Seville. 
  • Day 2. Seville, Tarifa and Tangier. Overnight at the Hilton Hotel.
  • Day 3. Tangier, Rabat and Marrakech. Lunch break in the capital.  
  • Day 4. Marrakech, Tiznite and Guelmin.  
  • Day 5. Guelmin, Tantan, Tarfaya and Laayoune.   
  • Day 6. Laayoune, Boujdor and Dakhla.
  • Day 7. Dakhla region. Free day to get to know the region.
  • Day 8. Dakhla region. Sightseeing tour of the region and arrival in the city of Dakhla.
  • Day 9. City of Dakhla. Sightseeing tour and free afternoon.
  • Day 10. Dakhla, Marsa and Laayoune. Lunch break in Marsa.
  • Day 11. Laayoune, Akhfennir and Tantan.
  • Day 12. Tantan, Tiznite and Agadir.
  • Day 13. End of the 14th edition of the Raid Tanja Lagouira. The organisers stress that the programme may be subject to change depending on weather conditions.
Raid Tanja Lagouira

Participants will be able to take part in numerous activities along the route. They will be able to enjoy the landscapes, roads, dunes, paradisiacal beaches and oases of the Moroccan Sahara and to discover in depth the provinces of southern Morocco, as well as the investment potential of the Dakhla region. Throughout the stages, participants will be able to practice sports such as kitesurfing, sailing, canoeing and kayaking. They will also be able to go line fishing and diving. There are even raffles and great prizes, and you will be able to walk along the small sandy tracks by the ocean, including a hike along the legendary White Dune.

Humanitarian actions

But perhaps the main activity of the trip is to support humanitarian and social causes. The organisation highlights the opportunity to "contribute to the construction of this new Morocco, helping local populations through charitable associations by distributing clothes or creating commercial activities for the benefit of people with reduced mobility", among a long list of initiatives.

Raid Tanja Lagouira

The organiser of the raid is NORD SUD ACTION (Moroccan Association for Communication, Socio-Economic Development and Investment Incentives), a non-profit organisation founded in 2011 with the aim of promoting the economic development of the Dakhla region and "building bridges between the promoters of the north and their counterparts in the south"

The official partners are the city and region of Dakhla and the region of Laayoune. Sponsors of the rally include OCP Group, the Moroccan state-owned company involved in the production of phosphates, fertilisers, chemicals and minerals; the Banque Populaire, Morocco's leading financial institution; Maroc Telecom, Morocco's leading telecommunications company; and the Office National des Aéroports (ONDA), the operator and manager of flights in the Alawi kingdom.

Raid Tanja Lagouira

"The Raid Tanja Lagouira, the largest 100% Moroccan humanitarian and discovery Raid, was born from the will of the members of the NORD SUD ACTION Association with the aim of promoting Morocco as a destination for foreigners and making the Moroccan Sahara destination known to Moroccans," El Alaoui told Atalayar. "Since its first editions, it has brought together more than 910 participants (Moroccans and foreigners) and more than 325 4x4 vehicles, covering more than 78,000 kilometres".

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