Five Days Of cycling across an incredible landscape
Standard Chartered presents the 5th Rift Valley Odyssey (RVO) on 24 – 28 September (5 days) or 26 – 28 September (3 days). A breathtaking mountain bike adventure across Kenya’s spectacular Great Rift Valley; an amazing experience for the discerning rider that seeks pure MTB adventure across a fascinating landscape; for the racing snakes, this is an opportunity to race with your heart and eyes wide open. Whatever your pace, the Standard Chartered Rift Valley Odyssey is an unforgettable experience!
The 2014 route extends the RVO into new territory, stages 3 4 and 5 are all new. Each stage will have 3 water / spectator points, all are easily accessible in 2WD vehicles. For spectators, the SC-RVO will take you would otherwise never get to see.
Stage 1: Tigoni start to Lake Naivasha is a repeat of previous years. It’s been impossible to discover any better trails that what we’ve previously enjoyed. 100 km across a network of forests and amazing landscape, it’s hard to imagine a better day on a bike!
Stage 2: The good news for SC – RVO RVO veterans is the Poacher’s Pass is back. The geothermal construction teams have vacated the area leaving behind a wider and faster trail that nature is steadily reclaiming back inot single track for us. Poacher’s Pass descends 350 m over 7 km of swooping, slithering turns, liberally embedded with loose rocks and coated with loose shale. The ascent after Poacher’s is long all new trails. Bring your granny gear.
Stage 3: The new route from Naivasha to Soysambu has proved the most difficult to design, finding the most “palatable” route over the Mt. Eburu massif took many days of exploration, most of the trails ascend at a steady 8 – 10% radiant with intermittent relief at 4 – 5%. The best compromise I found is to route around the massif and not directly over it, at 96 km, it will be a tough day
Stage4: Goes straight up around and down Mt. Eburu, the big climbing day is rewarded by a never descent to the shore of Lake Elementaita. The lush montane forest of Mr. Eburu should feature in a Harry Potter movie, it makes for surreal riding.
Stage5: Delivers a gorgeous traverse across Lake Nakuru National Park and Soysambu Conservancy. Despite the best attention of Kenya Wildlife rangers, riders must keep their sharp for rhino, buffalo and the odd lion!
The SC-RVO traverses high altitude forests on both eastern and western escarpments of the Great Rift Valley, riding yet raw technical single – track, forest trails, bush trails, exhilarating descents arduous ascent, pristine wilderness and open savannah teaming with plains game . Riding the SC-RVO is like cycling through pages of the “National Georaphic!, starting from the verdant tea farms of Limuru, the adventure navigates high altitude indigenous forests, along the serene shores of Lake Naivasha, Lake Oloiden, Lake Elementaita and Lake Nakuru, around the extinct volcanoes of Mt. Longonot, Hobleys Volcano, Mt Ol Donyo Eburu, Ol Karia; riding under the imposing cliffs and past the natural steam vents of Hell’s ate National Park. Each day on the RVO will deliver stunningly different terrain.
Once again the Standard Chartered Rift Valley Odyssey will be supported by GARMIN(Navigation Systems), Keringet mineral water, Castle-Lite, USN (Sky Healthcare), VW Kenya (CMC Group ), Brackenhurst Hotel, Africa & you travel, Kedong Ranch, Finlay’s Flowers, Oserengoni Wildlife Sanctuary, Kongoni Lodge, Mundui Estate, Crater Lake Sanctuary, Ndabibi Kijabe, Soysambu Conservancy and many other landowners (large and small scale), Rhino Ark Conversation, Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Forest Service.