Philipp was booked on the WRC Experience (not at the Dakar Experience) in November 2026 in Jeddah. Dear Philipp, We have already expressed our condolences for the loss of your father and understand that this prevented you from participating in the tour. At the same time, we ask for your understanding that such a short-notice cancellation with a full refund of the tour price is not possible, especially for a personalized VIP tour. A special private transfer was booked for the entire duration of this tour. As a gesture of goodwill, we have offered to credit half of the tour price towards the 2026 edition of the WRC race in Jeddah. This credit can be used for any other trip or event organized by Ride Xpower and is transferable. You can find an overview of our tour offerings here: www.ridexpower.com. PS: We recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance on all tours. Update: a 40% credit was offered (not 50%).

Vehicle We provided the best vehicle for a desert adventure: a Toyota HiLux diesel 4x4 manual, actual model. It wasn't communicated beforehand that Marcin Jr. had little driving experience and struggled with the vehicle and the desert conditions. After a driving course, things went well, and we got the impression that he enjoyed the car once he overcame his initial apprehension. An automatic transmission is not available for this vehicle; we regret that Marcin Jr. assumed it would be. Daily Schedule The daily schedule is dictated by the Dakar Rally's timetable. At 5:30 a.m., the first biker leaves the bivouac and travels on the road to the off-road start, which is 50-150 km away, and on some stages up to 400 km away. At 7:30 a.m., the first biker starts, followed by the cars at 9:00-9:30 a.m., and so on until all 450 vehicles are in the race. The group decides at the daily briefing when they will depart for the start. To see the first biker, you need to get up at 5:30 a.m. and leave the camp between 6:00 and 6:30 a.m. For those who have opted for an overnight stay in a hotel instead in the desert camp, this means departing up to 40 minutes earlier, as our camp is chosen to be closer to the starting points. The Dakar Rally provides information about the final starting points at the race briefing at 9:00 p.m. These can change due to the race's progress, weather, and other circumstances (e.g., shortening the race distance). The start times are announced at 9:30 p.m. We post all relevant stage information in the Meet Dakar participant group as soon as it is available. Afterwards, the departure time from the camp was determined and also communicated to the group. That's the Dakar Rally for you. It makes little sense to expect the schedule for the next day in the afternoon. This is not missing organization, this is the Dakar Rally. I'm sorry that Marcin missed the start of her favorite racer on one or two days. The start time was clearly communicated at 9.30 p.m., and the departure time from the hotel in town was the responsibility of the individual after not joining the organized tour. With a little more communication it could have went well as our team knows the local road conditions and that the roads are busy with 450 racer cars driving to the start location(s). Etiquette Every culture has its customs and sensitive areas, and the language barrier can easily lead to misunderstandings. We are welcome guests in Saudi Arabia with its fascinating Arab culture, which we are happy to experience and embrace. And as a guest, one should adapt to local customs. Besides, the matter was a misunderstanding and wasn't worth mentioning and could simply be resolved while sitting around the campfire. Emotions are normal on such an adventure trip with long days in the desert and shouldn't be overreacted to. Early Departure We were unaware that you had left early; you were in the camp until the end of your booked trip, used the vehicle, and followed the Dakar Rally according to the information on the start, finish, and spectator points. Expectations We apologize for any misunderstandings regarding the vehicle and for any misinterpretations of the Meet Dakar itinerary and desert camp, or for any misinterpretations of our tour description. An adventure tour, a desert camp, and the Dakar Rally in the vastness of the Saudi Arabian desert is not comparable to a 5-star resort; this is precisely the adventure you will experience at Meet Dakar. Feel like a Dakar racer.

Dear Nick, That's quite a lot to cover in one sentence, so I'll try to answer it in a structured way. Arrival and First Night We arranged airport pickup even though this wasn't included in the tour package. Our driver was stopped at a security checkpoint before the airport. Due to Dakar's security measures, there were increased checks. We clearly communicated this in the WhatsApp group and asked you to take a taxi. We also advised you not to pay the hotel anything under any circumstances. The hotel was booked and paid for, but communication with reception in Arabia is very difficult. Despite this, you paid for your stay, and the WhatsApp group message wasn't read. The taxi fare and the payment have been refunded. Please note that your credit card provider usually takes until your next statement to process the refund. Vehicle Your vehicle was handed over on the day of arrival, and you were picked up at the airport in the vehicle. Unfortunately, you didn't read the message that the driver ultimately arrived on time, but you ignored him and took a taxi. The meeting point was then at the hotel, where the driver also stayed. We can't make sense of the statement "not working truck." Camp You arrived one day before the official tour start, and to ensure you had proper accommodation, we booked your first night in a hotel. We also don't understand the "little food and drinks" comment; the first night was in a hotel, and you certainly didn't pay for it yourself, as mentioned above. On the second day, you were at the camp, where both a hot shower and a toilet were available. Burned clutch The vehicle was transported 500 km from Jeddah to Yanbu, and you drove it for two days. On the evening of the third day, the clutch burned out so badly that it was no longer drivable. It was repaired within three hours, without any discussion or cost to you. Tour End Your tour was booked from January 1st to 10th, while the standard tour runs from January 2nd to 11th. Your return flight was scheduled for January 10th. Therefore, the car rental ended on the evening of the 9th, and the hotel was booked until the 10th. We nevertheless allowed you to keep the vehicle until the 10th. You did not vacate the hotel room by noon as usual, but only in the evening. Naturally, the key card is only valid until noon. Apparently, the late checkout was not coordinated with reception, and we also had no information to arrange this. We apologize for the misunderstanding caused by this lack of communication. Payback As mentioned earlier, the amount has been refunded to your credit card, and it may take until your next statement for the credit to appear. Please contact your credit card company.