• Sunday 18 October Left Hand Drive Place, Basingstoke
• Thursday 22 & Hall 9, British International Motor
• Friday 23 October Show, NEC, Birmingham
• Saturday 24 October International Hotel, Isle of Dogs,London

The official start will be at Canary Wharf, in the heart of London’s Docklands, close to the hotel. Participants will leave from 08:00 in batches of three per minute, and take the M20 direct to the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone.

The route across western Europe is mainly on motorway, covering large daily distances, to get participants quickly to the meat of the event. This in itself will keep 4x4 and pre-1950 car participants busy. For the post-1950 classics, though, there will also be some competitive element each day.

Today, the event gets under way with a bang at the old Belgian town of Huy, where we join up with the Rallye du Condroz-Huy (a modern European Championship round) for a control and a demonstration run through a spectacular special stage; classics also do a 35-km regularity section in the Ardennes, before the night halt at Liège in Belgium, where the famous Liège-Rome-Liège and Liège-Sofia-Liège marathon rallies used to get under way in the 1950s and 1960s. Overnight: Holiday Inn. 4x4s stay overnight at the Dorint Hotel, in the countryside near Spa.

Reliability Trial crews have an extra day to get their cars ready, or just to relax in the Ugandan capital, built on seven hills and worth exploring if they have the energy and time. Overnight: as previous night.

4x4s: Kampala to Eldoret (Kenya) 440km

The 4x4 crews continue the adventure out of crowded Kampala through a remnant of equatorial rain forest, past the source of the majestic Nile and Bujagali Falls, then through into Kenya via fertile farmlands and the foothills of the imperious Mount Elgon. Enjoy the fresh, cool air of the 2,000 metre-high Kenya highlands. Overnight: Sirikwa Hotel.

Unfortunately El Niño has made our planned route through the Masai Mara to the Serengeti no longer passable. However, the replacement takes the 4x4s down a hairpinned escarpment, through the stark beauty of the Kerio Valley and past the resplendent lakes of Bogoria, Nakuru, Elmenteita and Naivasha before reaching Kenya’s modern, bustling capital. Overnight: Serena Hotel.

Classic Reliability Trial: Kampala to Eldoret (Kenya) 500km / 500km

After a ceremonial flag-off from Kampala, the classics follow the 4x4s, with the added challenge of two regularities and a medal section, taking in the Nile’s source and Bujagali Falls, before climbing into the cool Kenya highlands. Overnight: Sirikwa Hotel.

The 4x4 crews travel straight via asphalt and an interesting gravel road to the spectacular Ngorongoro Crater, in full view of which they will spend the night, at the lavish Sopa Lodge (‘Sopa’ is the Maasai word of greeting).

Classic Reliability Trial: Eldoret to Nairobi 442km / 442km

Two testing regularity sections, well known to Safari Rally competitors, await the classic crews as they pass through the spectacular Kerio Valley and via Lake Bogoria to the farmlands around Nakuru, before a run down the main road to Nairobi. Expect an exuberant welcome from the locals! Overnight: Serena Hotel.

See the dawn come up over the rim, then spend the morning in yet another experience you’ll never forget: driving into the fabulous crater to see one of Africa’s finest wildlife spectacles. In the afternoon there’s a return trip down the recently-improved gravel road to rejoin the main asphalt road to the administrative centre of Arusha. Overnight: Novotel Mount Meru.

Classic Reliability Trial: Nairobi to Taita Hills 497km / 400km

A good day’s driving to take in some classic and scenic Safari Rally sections. Pre-1950 cars will tackle just one of these sections, of 50km - even this will be omitted if rough - and otherwise will use the main Nairobi-Mombasa road, for a much easier day’s run of 400km. Overnight at the Hilton’s Taita Hills and Salt Lick Lodges, where you should get some good views of wildlife in the Taita Hills Game Sanctuary.

A longer day but wholly on tarmac - most of it in good nick - unless you choose to take optional detours. The route skirts snow-capped Kilimanjaro, at 5,895m (19,340 ft) Africa’s highest mountain, and a breathtaking sight if free of cloud - you can take an optional detour up the lower slopes but the views are little better - in fact, Kilimanjaro is at its most dramatic from across the plains.

This is followed by a long fast run with a series of mountain ranges to your left and wide vistas across rolling plains to your right. At Mombo, we recommend a detour either of 35km each way on tarmac to the old hill station of Lushoto, with reminders of Tanzania’s origins as a colony of the Kaiser’s Germany; or the roadbooked but rough section of 95km through the Usambara Mountains, a fabulous green landscape of small farms, waterfalls and tea plantations complete with English suburban bungalows - allow at least three to four hours for this. After another 300km of asphalt - mostly fast, but the last 100km potholed - you skirt Dar-es-Salaam to reach the lovely Indian Ocean beach resorts to the north. Overnight at the oceanside Bahari Beach Hotel.

Classic Reliability Trial: Taita Hills to Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) 637km / 642km

Sadly, El Niño’s rains have left the road through the Usambaras (and most other gravel roads in this region) impassable for two-wheel drive cars, so this day consists just of a long run to Dar. The first 82km, to the Tanzanian border are on gravel, the rest on asphalt. If conditions are good, crews will have a spectacular view of Mount Kilimanjaro, then a pleasant run past the North and South Pare Mountains and the rugged Usambaras. Time for lunch or a cool drinks break at the Travellers’ Inn, Korogwe, before the final 300km to Dar. Keep your wits about you for the final 100kms – heavy traffic, police speed checks and potholes make this one of the less pleasant parts of the route. The overnight stay at White Sands, on the shore of the Indian Ocean, will make it all worthwhile, however.

A very early start is advisable, partly to get you free of Dar - and the grotty main road into the city - before traffic builds up, and partly because this is a long day. It’s entirely on asphalt, though, unless you have time for a detour. If you do, the best places are probably the Mikumi National Park, through which the main road passes after about 260km - the lodge and water hole are only 3km off route, and there are some short-ish driving trails, or through the Mufindi tea plantations. We saw some good wildlife by the main road itself. Overnight: simple hotels in Mbeya.

Classic Reliability Trial: Dar es Salaam – Morogoro 309km / 207km

From Dar es Salaam to Namibia, the route is predominantly on asphalt, as the back roads in this part of Africa tend to be too rough for 2x4 cars, especially classics, and our aim is to “get you there” fairly quickly. We have, however, put in at least one competitive element each day. You’ll have a ceremonial send-off from the splendid Karimjee Hall (the former Parliament Buildings) before enduring the potholes again. It does improve, however, and we’ve found a nice rally loop of 140km (weather permitting) for crews to blow any cobwebs away before stopping at Morogoro, at the foot of the beautiful blue Uluguru Mountains. The town’s charms have somewhat faded, but our Oasis Hotel is brand new.

Most of the time, you are on the same good fast tarmac as the 4x4s (see above), but there is a good rally loop of 140km. Overnight: simple hotels in Mbeya.

You pass first through a green and hilly part of southern Tanzania locally known as “Little Switzerland”, then to hills with distant views of Lake Malawi and the mountains beyond. Finally, after crossing the border, you run alongside Lake Malawi itself: a blue inland sea with white beaches and traditional fishing villages. Stop at one of these to explore, and in the evening try the lake fish - fried chambo is delicious.

Here, too, is one of the most unforgettable 4x4 excursions of the event: the vertiginous 16km rough track up through 20 hairpins, past wonderful vistas across the lake and a pair of waterfalls that plunge some 200m vertically down the cliff face, to the Victorian hilltop mission station of Livingstonia, still in use and remarkably intact. The core route is mainly on tarmac, but the lakeside main road is badly broken up for one stretch of about 100km. Overnight: Mzuzu Hotel.

Classic Reliability Trial: Morogoro – Mbeya 670km / 655km

The core route continues through ever-changing landscapes down the main asphalt road; but post-1950 cars have a gravel loop of 77km to tackle. Overnight: simple hotels in Mbeya.

Another day spent drifting alongside beautiful Lake Malawi. The main route is on good tarmac, but the roadbooked rally section out of Mzuzu runs through attractive back country and is not too rough. Or you can head straight for the Chintheche control point at a small lakeside hotel and laze for a few hours on the palm-fringed white sandy beach. Or you can visit the old Arab slave traders’ port of Nkhotakota, and see Dr Livingstone’s fig tree and the wonderful cathedral-like Victorian church. Or you can rush ahead and make the necessary time to visit the colonial luxury of the Livingstonia Beach Resort at Senga. Overnight: Capital Hotel, Lilongwe.

Classic Reliability Trial: Mbeya – Mzuzu 383km / 383km

Now come a couple of less demanding days when you can enjoy the beautiful country of Malawi. Today, you follow the same route as the 4x4s the previous day - see above - with a regularity section of 16km of twisty smooth asphalt in the middle. Overnight: Mzuzu Hotel.

Sorry, but this is a rather boring day to get you quickly across Africa, on tarmac which is mostly fair but has some nastier potholed stretches. The roads are good enough for the distance to be fairly easily covered in the time. Overnight: Pamodzi Hotel.

Classic Reliability Trial: Mzuzu - Lilongwe 444km / 433km

After a super rally section of 35 km out of Mzuzu on dirt back roads, you follow the same route as the 4x4s - and you too should have time for a short break on the beach at Chintheche. Overnight: Capital Hotel, Lilongwe.

Straight down the main road, which is mostly good tarmac, to get to Victoria Falls nice and early. This is one of the world’s great sights. Your appetite is whetted as the road passes alongside the turbulent Zambezi just above the falls; stop here to see the spray rising in the distance, and hear the thunder. Then, between frontier posts, you cross into Zimbabwe on the bridge high above the gorge, and get your first sight of the falls themselves. After the border post, you have to park and go on foot to get a better view - it’s well worth the time and the ticket price. Continue to the fabulous Elephant Hills Hotel, our overnight stop, complete with poolside barbecue.

Classic Reliability Trial: Lilongwe – Lusaka (Zambia) 605km / 605km

Remarks as for 4x4s – we have deleted the rally sections as these, too, are now too rough. Overnight: Pamodzi Hotel.

A 5.00 a.m. start to cross early into Botswana, and then an unforgettable eight-hour drive on jeep roads through one of Africa’s richest game reserves, Chobe National Park. Overnight: Island Safari campsite, Maun (with poolside barbecue).

Classic Reliability Trial: Lusaka - Victoria Falls 495km / 490km

Once again, this is primarily a transport section on well-surfaced roads. So that everyone can enjoy the experience of being at Victoria Falls, we have once again set an early start to the day, so that (subject to staying within the regulations) the earliest cars will be able to reach the Falls by 13:00. Along the way, there will be a rally section of about 50km on wide, well surfaced gravel roads. Overnight: Elephant Hills Hotel.

The longest day’s drive of the event, but by no means the toughest, consisting predominantly of excellent, fast and quiet asphalt and gravel roads. A chance to glimpse the Okavango Delta, the Popa Falls and northern Namibia’s great Baobab Tree, before overnighting at the luxurious Mokuti Lodge or other hotels nearby.

Classic Reliability Trial: Victoria Falls – Maun(Botswana) 628km or Popa Falls (Namibia) 571km

The route crosses from Zimbabwe into Botswana at the end of an excellent dirt road rally section of about 50km, after which there are 500km of straight smooth tarmac through flat scrubland and birdlife-rich dry lake beds. Here, we saw an enormous lone bull elephant, right by the roadside, as well as zebra, ostrich and a wide variety of deer and antelope. Overnight: Best Western, Riley’s Hotel, Maun. Pre-1950 cars have a shorter day, travelling through the Chobe and Capriri game parks to an overnight halt at Popa Falls rest camp, Namibia (571 km).

You have the whole day to spend crossing the superb Etosha National Park, one of the biggest and best concentrations of game in southern Africa. Overnight: Okaukuejo Rest Camp.

Classic Reliability Trial: Maun or Popa Falls – Namutoni (Namibia) 989km or 581km

The post-1950 cars make an early start to tackle the longest single day drive of the entire event - 989km (600 miles) to Namutoni, on the edge of Namibia’s Etosha National Park, crossing the border at Mohembo. However, the roads are so open, fast, empty and smooth asphalt that it will be easy to maintain an average close to your maximum cruising speed for almost the whole distance - but keep an eye on the temperature gauge. (On asphalt, the open road speed limit is a reasonable 120 km/h.) The pre-1950 classic cars have a much shorter run. Both enjoy a very smooth and fast gravel section of 180km, before entering Etosha National Park to overnight at Namutoni Rest Camp.

Most of this day is spent on typical Namibian gravel roads - fast, straight, and well maintained - across remote and arid Damaraland, before dropping down to the Atlantic for a 70km run down the wild Skeleton Coast, often eerily damp and misty thanks to the cold offshore current. Here you can make a detour northwards to Cape Cross, home of a vast seal colony. Swakopmund, the main seaside resort of this prosperous country, is a clean and beautifully restored German colonial town, with a lot of buildings from the Kaiser’s era. Overnight: holiday bungalows.

Classic Reliability Trial: Namutoni – Windhoek 672km / 590km

This day starts with a “tourism” emphasis, for we have allowed at least four hours for the 146 km run through the National Park at Etosha, from the entry point in the old German fort at Namutoni, to the restart control at Okaukuejo. This is longer than a typical “tourist” time, and will give you the chance to make detours, to look at the wildlife, and take lots of pictures. Two long sections on enjoyable gravel roads take you south to Namibia’s capital of Windhoek. Pre-1950 cars take a shorter and easier route. Overnight: Safari Court Hotel.

It’s a run of 313km to Sesriem, on straightforward gravel roads across the vast landscape of the Namib Naukluft Desert. We suggest you aim to get there in time to make an extra trip to see the incredible sand dunes at Sossusvlei. Overnight: Sesriem Camp Site (in your own tent – barbecue).

Classic Reliability Trial: Windhoek – Swakopmund 324km / 327km

You have the morning off in Windhoek, to fettle your car if necessary, before a formal noon restart in the city centre and a special test on the Tony Rust Race Track. Then a wonderful regularity section of 130km on the sweeping gravel ridge road across the Khomas Hochland hills brings you to the Namib Naukluft Desert, and on to Swakopmund. Overnight: Swakopmund Rest Camp.

If you preferred to linger on the coast and in the desert the day before, you can visit the Sossusvlei dunes today at first light, when arguably they are at their most dramatic, before going through some superb big country to the strange and beautifully restored Duwesib Castle, and on to the night halt at Keetmanshoop. Overnight: Canyon Hotel.

Classic Reliability Trial: Swakopmund – Sesriem 471km / 344km

From Swakopmund, the route heads inland with a long steady climb on straight wide good gravel up into the Namib Desert, followed by a series of rally sections over three splendid mountain passes, the Kuiseb, the Gamsberg and the Spreetshoogte. Competitive motoring ends at lunchtime after just 390km (226km for pre-1950 cars) at Solitaire, which like many places in Namibia looks big on the map but actually consists of just three or four buildings. The afternoon features a drive to Sesriem and on to Sossusvlei, a part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park famous for its huge and spectacular sand dunes. This is optional, but it’s actually a must! Overnight in your own tents at Sesriem camp site, with barbecue.

This is another day on superb and empty gravel back roads through stunning scenery. The highlight is Fish River Canyon, described with only slight exaggeration as the 'Grand Canyon of Africa'.

Dirt roads across vast open spaces bring you down into the Orange River valley, a thin ribbon of greenery through the desert, crossing into South Africa at the Velloorsdrift/Onseepkans border. You then spend the night at the Augrabies Falls in the excellent National Park resort and campsite - a braai (barbecue) with a whole spit-roast deer or antelope is promised.

Classic Reliability Trial: Sesriem - Keetmanshoop 592km / 514km

For the classic cars, this is one of the best day’s rallying of the event, with a series of superb sections through spectacular and beautiful scenery in southern Namibia. All participants have time to visit the strange and beautifully restored Duwesib Castle, built at the beginning of this century by a German baron. The post-1950 classics cover 592km, virtually 100% on gravel; pre-1950 cars, an easier 514km. Overnight at the Canyon Hotel, a modern town hotel at Keetmanshoop.

There’s time to linger at the Falls before a long run on a trucking dirt road across featureless Bushmanland, then through ranching country and small towns reminiscent of the American West, before reaching the Atlantic for our overnight halt at the little fishing port and seaside resort of Lambert’s Bay. Overnight: Marine Protea Hotel and holiday apartments (with fresh fish beach barbecue).

Classic Reliability Trial: Keetmanshoop – Augrabies Falls (South Africa) 667km / 613km

The classic cars today take the same route as the 4x4s the day before (see above). To make sure classic car crews will have time to enjoy Fish River Canyon, we will mount a Time Control as you enter the Canyon, after which there will be a compulsory 45 minutes before you leave. Pre-1950 cars take a shorter and easier route. Overnight: Augrabies Falls Rest Camp (with barbecue).

The highlight of today’s run is the gravel backroad through the spectacular Cederberge mountains, where a succession of passes each reveal yet another stunning view, before descending the panoramic Grydo Pass to the pleasant little fruit-growing town of Ceres. Overnight: Pine Forest Holiday Resort.

Classic Reliability Trial: Augrabies Falls – Lamberts Bay 584km / 527km

The Falls are spectacular, and if you did not have time to view them on arrival yesterday, have a quick look this morning before you leave at a very civilised 08:00. On this penultimate day, the route’s meat is a 280km rally section on a gravel back road across Bushmanland. After a fuel and lunch stop, post-1950 cars tackle a further 190km section on good gravel roads through beautiful mountains to Clanwilliam. Our last night on the road is at the characterful seaside resort and fishing port of Lambert's Bay, using the Protea Marine Hotel and holiday apartments. A fish barbecue on the beach is promised.

A fairly gentle run across the superb Michell’s and Bainskloof Passes, down into the wine areas of Paarl and Stellenbosch, with the chance to stop, taste, and maybe buy a Christmas bottle or two; but leave time to pause at historic Simonstown as you go through en route to your late lunch rendezvous with the classic cars at Cape Point.

Classic Reliability Trial: Lambert’s Bay – Cape of Good Hope 442km / 414km

This is your last day on the road, but to cram everything in we will be asking you to start at 05:00. We will return to the Clanwilliam Dam, then a section through the Cederberge, a series of passes on small gravel roads through stunning mountains. We then enter Dutch Colonial country in earnest, with three superb tarmac mountain passes - Gydo, Michell’s and Bainskloof - before encountering a wine-list of names like Paarl and Stellenbosch. Finally, we reach the ocean at False Bay, in sight on the Cape of Good Hope, and follow the shore through historic Simonstown up to Cape Point, for a late lunch in the spectacular cliff-top restaurant there.

The older cars will not have to go through the Cederberge, and can if they wish take an altogether shorter and easier route to the Cape, which is 80km less and on faster main roads.

All cars: Cape of Good Hope – Cape Town 75km

After our halt, you must make a short detour to the Cape of Good Hope itself, down at shore level, before the last leg up the twisty corniche coast road high above the Atlantic - a splendid way to enter Cape Town for the finish on the quayside of the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, where the first car is due to finish at 17:30. Then the celebrations can begin and the champagne be sprayed.

Your entry fee includes two nights at the sumptuous Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town’s finest, right on the Waterfront, and the prize-giving lunch at Cape Town’s Civic Centre the next day, when we will be the guests of the Mayor and City Council.