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Kenya Cycle Challenge
Congratulations to our heroic Kenya Cycle Challenge team, who tacked 230 kilometres of dusty, rocky dirt tracks and steep slopes whilst encountering giraffe, zebra, hyena and wildebeest on their way to Ndhiwa!
The group travelled into Nairobi and all participants chose to stay at Wildebeest Eco Camp, a beautiful, sustainable tourism site. Here, the group met John Blissett of Willetts Safaris, who developed and coordinated the cycle.
The adventure began in the small village of Talek which is near Narok, a town in South West Kenya with a population of approximately 40,000 people, mostly Maasai. The team settled into Crocodile Camp for the evening, where they were set up with their bikes, met some local crocs, shared stories with Maasai Warriors and had a good night’s rest before the challenge which lay ahead.
Cycling Day 1 – Main Road to Aitong – 48km, elevation gain 14m
After a hearty campfire breakfast the team set off on their bikes full of nerves and excitement! Today’s route was relatively short and easy designed to warm the cyclists up. They battled steep rocky hills but were rewarded with a trip to a local Maasai bar and enjoyed a Tusker beer to cheers the first day! They settled down for the night in a local village hostel.
Cycling Day 2 – Aitong to Oloololo – 46km, elevation gain 347m
The second day of the cycle was much tougher, as the team climbed the Oloololo escarpment. The climb was well worth it, with remarkable views across the Mara triangle. The wildlife encountered on the route was astounding, the cyclists had to stop to let giraffe cross the road in front of them. Zebra and wildebeest watched the team zoom past in a confused manner. Impala bounced past and the team cautiously cycled by a hyena and young cub. At the end of the challenging day, the cyclists set up camp at the top of the escarpment, watching down on lions, elephants and the Sun setting over the Mara Triangle.
Cycling Day 3 – Oloololo to Migori – distance 65km, elevation gain 57m
On the third day, the team tackled a longer distance, the terrain was still challenging but they spent large parts of the day cycling downhill. A highlight was cycling past local schools and being greeted with high fives from kids running out to greet the team ‘Jambo!’ Today’s reward was the luxury of having a hot shower and a proper bed!
Day 4 – Migori to Ndhiwa – 66km, elevation gain 372m
The final day of the cycle was the toughest for the group, as they tackled fatigue, tired legs and the hilliest journey, but it was certainly the most rewarding when they arrived in Ndhiwa and were welcomed by Team Kenya employees.