Budapest to Bamako 2008 is a British travel documentary series which follows the annnual Budapest to Bamako (or Great African Run) rally, as 150 teams try to navigate the perilous road to Mali bringing €500,000 worth of aid with them.
The series premiered worldwide on the Travel Channel on Wednesday 21 May 2008, at 20h30 (South Africa time). There are four half-hour episodes in the series.
Synopsis
It's brave, it's bizarre, it's Budapest to Bamako and it's back this May on the Travel Channel - the rally that goes where the Paris–Dakar rally fears to tread.
This year 150 teams try to navigate the perilous road to Mali, bringing €500,000 worth of aid with them.
Just like the Olympics, the famed Paris to Dakar rally has in recent years become a venue for well-financed professional racers, shutting the door on the regular guy who wants to experience the thrills and adventure of a Europe-to-Africa rally.
The Budapest-Bamako has been created with these "regular" adventurers in mind. Feel the Dakar experience for a fraction of the cost.
From its humble roots the Budapest-Bamako has grown into a major international sporting and cultural event. Hundreds of drivers and adventurers set out each winter for Africa, bringing direct aid to the world's poorest communities.
In 2005 only 45 teams lined up at the start line. In 2008 over 400 people made the journey. As the event constantly evolves the spirit (and motto) remains the same: "Anyone. By Anything. By Any Means."
Rattling along with the ice cream truck and the 50-metre long articulated bus are the two Kevins, Travel Channel's very own team, in their mystery car.
As they marvel at the passing beauty, which includes Miss Hungary 2008, they soon find out it's more difficult than they thought to even get from Hungary to Spain.
Clue - it's not via Croatia...
The Budapest to Bamako motto of still holds and the difference between success and failure is in the skilled hands of many a Western Saharan mechanic along the way to Bamako.