Mark and Jo's Dakar Challenge

Hi there, we have taken up the challenge of buying a car, driving it from Wales to Banjul, in The Gambia and then donating it to charity.

Help Us Complete the Cardiff to Banjul Challenge.

Our Journey: The Cardiff to Banjul Challenge.

Imagine driving 4,000 miles across some of the most challenging terrains in the world, from Wales, UK, to the vibrant streets of Banjul, The Gambia. This is the Cardiff to Banjul Challenge – an epic adventure that tests endurance, resourcefulness, and team spirit.

We are embarking on this extraordinary journey not just for the thrill, but for a greater purpose. Along the way, we aim to raise funds to support local communities and charitable initiatives in The Gambia. But we can't do it without your help!

Why We Need Your Support

Taking on this challenge requires more than just determination and a sturdy vehicle. We need your support to cover the costs of:

Vehicle Preparation: Ensuring our car is in top condition to tackle deserts, mountains, and everything in between.

We will be funding flights home, food, accommodation/camping equipment etc ourselves. Donations will only fund the purchase and preparation of the car, which will be donated to charity once we reach Banjul.

The challenge is gruelling and will involve us travelling 4400 miles in a used car that, hopefully will be capable of driving over smooth roads, broken roads, non existent roads, dust tracks, mountain passes, gorges and desert sand. The car will then be donated to The Rotary Club in the Gambia, to be auctioned off for local good causes. From door to Banjul it should take us 21 days if all goes to plan. (fingers crossed). We will be travelling through the Western Sahara, an area known for unrest and considered a 'no go' area, known for bandits and laden with land mines, so if you don't like us, this should be an incentive to donate.

We will be practically living in our car for 21 days so it'll probably be a bit smelly by the time we get to our destination, (anyone who knows Mark will understand what I mean). But we will look after it and hope that it looks after us. We would appreciate any donations. (Any extra funds will be used to purchase car air fresheners).

As well as the car being auctioned off, anything we leave in our car will be used / sold, even our old ponky socks. Our clothing will be distributed. Our camping equipment and bedding will be given to schools for trips.

Our tools will be given to adult education schools. Anything surplus will be sold at the auction on the main auction day.

Charities who will benefit include,

in no particular order of priority: -

(1) Bijilo school

(2) Nyofelleh (school & Clinic) 579 children & 66 upper school children

(3) Sight Box for blind children at Govi Blind school

(4) Starfish (school for the less fortunate)

(5) Bakoteh Village (orphanage)

(6) Crab island skills center

(7) Scholarship for Gambia students

(8) Bakau School Borehole

(9) CETAG Turtle conservation

(10) Legs for Africa

Join Us on Our Adventure.

We’ll be documenting our journey every step of the way, sharing updates, photos, and stories from the road. Follow us on social media and stay connected with our progress.

Donate Now

Thank you for your support. Together, we can make this incredible journey and leave a lasting impact on the communities in The Gambia!