TransAnatolia Starts from Abant

TransAnatolia, Turkey's first and only rally-raid and the world's sixth-biggest, sets off from Abant in Bolu on Saturday 24 August on an unforgettable, action-packed journey towards Göbeklitepe in Şanlıurfa.

Now in its ninth year, the event will feature 87 participants from nearly 20 countries across five different categories. The route runs through Bolu, Haymana, Lake Tuz, Lake Meke, Cappadocia, Mount Nemrut, Mardin and Harran, before finishing at Göbeklitepe.Over seven days, the competitors will tackle a total distance of 2,300 km. The first day starts at Lake Abant in Bolu and takes in Beypazarı, Nallıhan, Gordion and the Haymana stage. On day two the crews start from Haymana and cover Lake Tuz, Sultanhanı, the Obruk Lakes, Mekke and Acıgöl. Day three runs from Acıgöl through Ihlara, Güzelyurt, Nar Lake and Cappadocia, while day four goes from Cappadocia through Erciyes, Sultan Marshes, the Ahır Mountain plateaus and Maraş. Day five leads from Maraş across the Nurhak Mountains, Engizek Mountains and Mount Nemrut, and day six from Mount Nemrut through the Atatürk Dam area to Mardin. On day seven, the crews head from Mardin to Göbeklitepe, where they will complete the TransAnatolia challenge.
Organised from 24 to 31 August with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, TransAnatolia is being run this year as a candidate event for the FIA Cross Country World Cup.