Transanatolia Spor Organizasyonlari is proud to announce that an exciting new revised version of the Transanatolia Rally will run from August 29th to September 6th, 2026.
The event will be held over a demanding route of approximately 2,300km through Central and Northern Turkey, offering competitors around 1,400km of timed competition.
Open to Ultimate, Stock and classic cars, Challenger and SSV SUVs, trucks, quads and five motorcycle categories, the spectacular off-road rally will pass some of the most dramatic landscapes that Turkey has to offer.
Riders of single-cylinder motorcycles above and below 450cc are catered for in the first two categories, in addition to three classes for twin-cylinder bikes below 650cc, between 650cc and 1000cc and above 1000cc.
“Our team has laid on a challenging and scenic route through some of the most beautiful parts of Turkey that I am sure will offer competitors in all sporting disciplines a unique challenge,” said general coordinator Burak Buyukpinar. “Competitors will be able to experience traditional bivouac camp-type accommodation during the rally, as well as hotels in some of the cities en route.”
One of Europe’s most exciting and challenging rallies will start in iconic Istanbul before heading into the stunning Lake Abant National Park, near the city of Bolu in the Western Karadeniz (Black Sea) region of northern Turkey, for a night under the stars on August 30th.
Competitors will then move on to the Black Sea coastal port city of Zonguldak for the first time on August 31st, taking in challenging off-road terrain and spectacular vistas.
The route then heads in a southeasterly direction through the stunning Ilgaz Mountain National Park en route to another night halt under the stars in the city of Kastamonu on September 1st.
From there, the rally continues in a southeasterly direction en route to the beautiful city of Tokat in the mid-Black Sea region of Anatolia on September 2nd. Overlooked by the awe-inspiring Tokat castle, the historic city is situated on the confluence of the Tokat and Yesilirmak rivers.
From Tokat, the route of the Transanatolia Rally heads south into the semi-arid Cappadocia region of central Turkey, well known for its stunning ‘fairy chimneys’, cone-shaped rock formations and demanding off-road terrain. Competitors will camp under the stars on September 3rd and 4th.
The route takes in the central Anatolian city of Aksaray, one of the important and historic stop-off points on the historic Silk Road, on the banks of the Melendiz River.
Competitors then head northwest, taking in the awe-inspiring salt lake Tuz Golu (Turkey’s second largest lake) and its famous resident flamingoes, en route to the finish in the historic Turkish capital of Ankara on September 5th.
The inaugural Transanatolia Rally was held in 2010 and was one of the most ambitious events to be staged in the region.
In 2012, Burak Buyukpinar and Orhan Celen established a new organising team and were joined by Necati Sahin in 2014 when Ankara hosted the start and finish. Ahmet Agaoglu joined the organisation partnership last year as a board member.
The goal is to now establish the event as one of the most challenging and popular in the world, taking advantage of stunning terrain in one of the most beautiful regions of Western Asia.
The TransAnatolia Rally has invaluable support from Castrol, TOSFED, UMKE, Antalya OffRoad Orman Candur, General Tire, ASOK, Izeltas, Sportoto, fikirmedya, Jules Verne business travel, Kahve Dunyasi, Jeep and Fiat.
Rally entry fee for bikes are set at €4,100, €6,700 for cars and € 6,900 for trucks. Raid entry fees are €3,500 for bikes and €6,000 for cars. Guests with their own vehicles can follow the event for €2,400 or €2,800 in an organisation vehicle.