Register for 5 days or 3 days of breathtaking adventure. Registration closes on 30 June
STANDARD CHARTERED presents the 5th Rift Valley Odyssey (RVO) on 24-28 Sep (5 days) and 26-28 Sep (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 RVO traverses high altitude forests on both eastern and western escarpments of the Great Rift Valley, riding challenging terrain along smooth yet raw technical single-track, forest trails, bush trails, exhilarating descents, arduous ascents (peak race altitude is 2900m), pristine wilderness and open savannah teaming with plains game. Riding the RVO is like cycling through pages of the “National Geographic”, 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, over and around the extinct volcanoes of Mt Longonot, Hobley’s Volcano, Mt Ol Doinyo Eburru, riding under the imposing cliffs and natural steam vents of Hell’s Gate National Park. Each taxing mountain ascent will reward riders with fabulous descents.
This is a team event for 2 partners, with absolutely no course markings, each team must depend 100% upon their GARMIN GPS for navigation, the route will be issued to entrants in .GPX format. Teams must remain together throughout their odyssey as the route traverses remote wilderness areas, so having a teammate provides support in case of any mishap. For safety, marshals on motorbikes and medical teams will be strategically placed along the route.
The RVO requires a high level of physical fitness and mental preparation, the astounding scenery conceals the true physical challenge of the RVO, the route is ridden over smooth yet raw, technical, bush trails. The non-race “adventure mode” allows for time to enjoy the immense scenery (consider a camera as essential equipment). Whether one races for glory or rides for adventure, every rider will be challenged by self navigation across the immense, awe-inspiring Great Rift Valley.
The 5th Standard Chartered Rift Valley Odyssey will be held on 24-28 Sep (5 days) and 26-28 Sep (3 days). This year’s Odyssey journeys from Tigoni to Lake Nakuru national Park, with two race camps established within Hell’s Gate National Park and Soysambu Conservancy. The superbly located race camps will be custom built exclusively for RVO riders and accompanying supporters.
Registration closes on 30 June with entries limited to 120 riders only. Already 28 entries have been received for the 5 day event and none yet for the 3 day event. The 3 day event starts in Hell’s Gate National Park and finishes in Lake Nakuru National Park together with the 5 day event. To review the route description please click here
Please click here to register your entry.
Once again the Standard Chartered Rift Valley Odyssey will be supported by Navigation Systems (Garmin), Keringet, Castle-Lite, USN (Sky Healthcare), CMC Group (VW Amarok), Brackenhurst Hotel, Africa&you travel, Kedong Ranch, Finlay’s Flowers, Oserian Wildlife, Mundui Estate, Crater Lake, Kijabe Ltd, Soysambu Conservancy and many other landowners (large and small scale), Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service.
I look forward to taking you on an odyssey across the Great Rift Valley.
The Rift Valley Odyssey supports ‘Seeing is Believing’: Standard Chartered Bank’s flagship sustainability initiative aimed at eradicating avoidable and curable blindness. The program was launched in 2003, as part of the Bank’s 150th anniversary celebrations. Since its launch, the Seeing is Believing program has helped 23 million people, giving more than 2.78 million people their sight back.