Camel Trophy: The Regret of a Victory Won

Imagining what the Camel Trophy once was is no easy task today, in an age where we are used to being constantly connected through the smartphones in our pockets. Mobile data, GPS, even artificial intelligence guide us daily through routes and directions, to the point that getting lost has become nearly impossible. Forget all of that. We are in 1980, and the world was entirely different. None of the above existed, and venturing into Africa or South America could easily turn into a true adventure — almost a survival mission.

The first edition of the Camel Trophy took place in 1980 with three German crews aboard Jeep CJ 6s sponsored by Camel on an expedition through Brazil.

The Camel Trophy was much more than just a motorsport challenge or a marketing operation. It was an extreme adventure, an experience at the edge of the impossible, in remote, wild, often hostile places. It was born in 1980 from an idea by the German branch of RJ Reynolds Tobacco, which decided to promote the Camel cigarette brand through an event that could embody the free, rugged, and untamed spirit of its advertising campaigns. Thus came the idea of a raid into the heart of the Amazon jungle — a harsh, unpredictable land, light years away from the comforts of the Western world.

In 1981 began the Land Rover saga, as the brand became vehicle supplier to Camel, seeing the event’s potential to promote its range. The first used was the Range Rover.

The first edition took place between April and May 1980, covering 1,606 kilometers of the legendary Trans-Amazonian Highway in Brazil, from Belém to Santarém. Three German crews took part, aboard locally assembled Jeep CJ 6s branded by Ford. In twelve days, they faced a grueling challenge filled with torrential rain, mud, sweltering heat, mechanical breakdowns, insects, unexpected obstacles, and nights spent in hammocks in the jungle. Temperatures exceeded 40°C, and humidity hovered near 100%. The Camel Trophy was born like this: as an almost improvised feat, but one destined to leave a lasting mark on the collective imagination.

Camel Trophy challenges pushed the limits and often required help from local populations to overcome the toughest terrains.

The media success was such that a second edition was organized in 1981, again in the Amazon and open only to teams from West Germany. The big change was the introduction of Land Rover vehicles, with which the Camel Trophy would forge an unbreakable bond lasting almost two decades. Defender, Range Rover, Discovery, Freelander — all specially modified to survive the harshest conditions — became the visual symbol of the event, recognizable by the iconic sand-colored livery bearing the Camel logo.

Throughout the editions, every Land Rover model was used, from the Range Rover to the Defender, pictured here, and eventually the Discovery.

From 1982 onwards, the competition opened to the world, becoming an international event. Teams from the Netherlands, Italy, the United States, and many other nations joined, selected through trials designed to test their readiness for such a challenge. Every year, the continent, climate, and route changed. From the jungles of Borneo to the Kalahari Desert, from the Siberian mountains to the rivers of the Congo — the goal remained the same: to complete the course. Winning was secondary. What truly mattered was endurance, teamwork, adaptability, and the skill to face the unknown.

Year after year, the Camel Trophy became increasingly spectacular, featuring raft crossings to ford rivers.

The Camel Trophy ran for nineteen editions, from 1980 to 2000, becoming the world’s most admired adventure motorsport event. Only two editions lacked Land Rovers: the first in 1980 and the last in 2000, held between Tonga and Samoa, where Honda CR-Vs were used for logistical reasons. The 1999 edition did not take place, but the event’s echo never truly faded. Even today, years later, images of Land Rovers crossing rivers, mud, and makeshift bridges still circulate the globe, inspiring generations of enthusiasts. The Camel Trophy wasn’t just a race — it was the dream of pure adventure, of man challenging nature, and discovering true victory through hardship and camaraderie.

The Camel Trophy was a real adventure that, sadly, has not been held since 2000.