History 1970s

1977 Safari Rally (Kenya)

Overview Route Results Cars Challenges

Overview

Event Name: 25th Safari Rally

Date: April 7–11, 1977

Host Country: Kenya

Surface: Gravel

Total Distance: ~5,000 km

Total Starters: 67 crews

Total Finishers: 13 crews

The 1977 Safari Rally stood tall as the longest and most grueling event of the World Rally Championship calendar. Massive distances, unpredictable African weather, and punishing terrain made it a rally of survival rather than outright speed. Björn Waldegård and Hans Thorszelius drove with precision, composure, and toughness in the Ford Escort RS1800—overcoming intense local competition and mechanical carnage to earn one of the most prestigious victories of the year.

Route

Mount Kenya Foothills: Rocky ascents and winding ridgelines with sharp drop-offs and boulder hazards.
Amboseli Region: Dusty plains and acacia-covered savannahs, prone to sudden flash floods and animal crossings.
Nakuru–Naivasha Sectors: Muddy ruts and volcanic gravel with deep erosion channels and storm runoff.

Spanning Kenya’s vast landscape, the rally crisscrossed from Nairobi through the Great Rift Valley, the Amboseli plains, Lake Naivasha, and into the dust, rocks, and flood-prone trails of central Kenya.

Unpredictable thunderstorms and intense heat put pressure on cooling systems, tires, and navigational consistency as drivers contended with open-road rallying conditions and tight timing controls.

🏆 Results

Overall Winner
Björn Waldegård & Hans Thorszelius · Ford Escort RS1800
2nd Place
Shekhar Mehta & Lofty Drews · Datsun 160J
3rd Place
Rauno Aaltonen & Robin Hillyar · Peugeot 504 V6 Coupé

Waldegård’s measured aggression and vast rallying experience allowed him to manage the Escort’s durability perfectly—beating local heroes and factory teams on their home turf in one of rallying’s toughest endurance trials.

Navigation & Challenges

  • Open Road Format: No special stages—crews navigated through public roads on tight time schedules across vast regions.
  • Animal Hazards: Giraffes, zebra, and cattle commonly wandered into rally routes, requiring full-time vigilance.
  • Extreme Attrition: Heat, flooding, dust, and mechanical breakdowns eliminated the majority of competitors.

The 1977 Safari Rally was a true epic of endurance and strategy—Waldegård’s calculated triumph became one of the signature moments of his legendary rally career.

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