Leg 3

IDEAL KM 110km + 50km liaison

ESTIMATED TIME 9:30

An easy connection to reach today's playing field... but looks can be deceiving.

The scenery changes very quickly. Plateaus and hamadas unfold, carved by wadis, sometimes subtle, often deep, always unpredictable. It is tempting to descend into the old river bed and follow its course between small cliffs, only to emerge much further on and far off course. One would almost think that these natural traps were designed solely to lengthen the gazelles' route and increase their mileage...

Then come the wide, sandy wadis flowing down from the north, seemingly welcoming and easy to drive on, almost enjoyable… until barriers of camel grass (or rather, dromedary grass in Morocco) break the momentum. The vehicle gets bogged down, the shovels come out, and time stretches out under the sun.

And as if that weren't enough, the terrain holds other surprises. The dreaded "cauliflowers" - rock-hard plants full of sand - provide a quickly and brutal reality check for anyone who dares to drive over them.

In this area, reference points are few and far between. There are few clear landmarks to steer by, the distant horizon is blurred by the heat, visibility is deceptive… Navigation becomes demanding, almost instinctive.

This third leg sets the tone for the days to come, and the return to the bivouac will feel like a well-deserved refuge, a moment for the Gazelles to catch their breath… before facing what lies ahead.

Tomorrow, everything changes with the start of a marathon leg towards a new bivouac.