After a short prologue stage on New Year's Eve 1998, the race began in earnest on 1 January 1999 and ended on 17 January after 16 competitive stages.
[1] The event was marked by a robbery on the 12th stage of the rally between Néma and Tichit in Mauritania of fifty competitors by armed men, in which vehicles, money and petrol were stolen.
[2] Rally co-ordinators decided to continue with the race.
[2] The rally was won by French driver Jean-Louis Schlesser.
[3] The motorcycle title was won by Richard Sainct, whilst the truck title went to Karel Loprais in a Tatra 815.