Out of Africa? The Future of the Dakar Rally

The Amazonian rainforest and the Andes mountains could replace the African desert as South America vies to stage the Dakar Rally.

Argentina, Brazil and Chile are looking into the possibility of hosting the race later this year and there are also talks about a race through several South American countries and climate zones.

There is alleged interest from Russia, China and Australia -- and the South American options as well -- to stage the race next December.

"South America is not only the best but the only option," insisted Carlo de Gavardo of Chile on the website of the El Comercio daily.

De Gavardo is a former motorcycle rally World Cup winner and his father, Giorgio, is the Latin-American representative in the Dakar Rally organising team.

According to De Gavardo, a Dakar in South America could run through Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru.

Such a race could cross the Andes range, run through the Argentinian Pampas, the Atacama Desert in Chile, and pass Lake Titicaca in Peru and the Machu Picchu Inca ruins in Bolivia, as well as the Amazonas rainforest in Brazil.