Cycle Kenya

Intro

This tour brings you face to face with the sights, sounds, and wonders of the so-called Kenya is known as the "Jewel of East Africa." You'll feel the wind in your hair as you travel in one of the most exciting countries on earth. From your starting point in Nairobi, you'll see wild animals in their own habitat, the second highest mountain in Africa, and Africa's largest lake.

This route takes you through the Central Highlands, to the North West of the capital Nairobi. You will go through tea and coffee plantations, stop by Mt Kenya, the highest mountain in Africa, then visit the great Rift Valley, and end your trip on the shores of Lake Victoria. You will go through several National Parks and Reserves along the way, including Mount Kenya, Aberdare, Lake Nakuru, Kerio Valley and Kakamega Forest Reserve. This trip truly is an experience to last a lifetime; you'll meet local tribespeople, visit the rich tea and fruit plantations that give an insight into colonial history, and experience the variety of culture that makes up this great country.

Difficulty: Challenging

Duration: week

Quick Facts

Nine day trip
Six days cycling
Fully guided
Comfortable hotel and lodge accommodation
Experience the mountains, lakes, valleys, and wildlife of East Africa

Itinerary

We normally run this trip over a weekend, Friday to Sunday, however if you would like to do this at any other time, including midweek, then please contact us.

A typical itinerary looks like this:

Day	Activity
1	Depart London to Nairobi. Transfer to hotel
2	Day in Nairobi. Equipment check, warm up. Transfer to Nyeri.
3	85km Cycle around Nyeri to Kiamutura. Return to Nyeri. Great views of Mt. Kenya and Aberdare National Parks.
4	87km Transfer to Githurnu. Cycle to Lake Naivasha. This route crosses the Aberdare National park and lands you in the heart of the Great Rift Valley. Naivasha has a lake and lush farmland, with a stunning backdrop of the Rift Valley.
5	99km Cycle from Lake Naivasha to beautiful Lake Nakuru Aberdare National Park is on your right as you go through fine farmlands of the Rift Valley. We stay in a hotel in Nakuru.
6	108km Kabarnet to Eldoret. Hotel: Eldoret We travel along good and quiet roads from Kabarnet to Eldoret. This part includes the toughest part of the challenge: a climb of the Elgeyo Escarpment. We go through various villages, including Ainamoj, and Kessup, and cross the Kerio Valley.
7	65km Kapsabet to Kakamega Morning transfer from Eldoret to Kapsabet. We cycle through the Rift Valley from Kapsabet. This route takes us through the Kakamega Forest reserve, which is great for both scenery and wildlife.
8	55km Kakamega to Kismu. This route takes us from Kakamega to the shores of Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa. Transfer to Nairobi.
9	Depart for London

Note: this itinerary serves as a guide only. They should not be used as a guide book and are applicable only in conjunction with a Maximum Adventure trip / approved Leader. This trip has the potential for harsh weather conditions and visits areas where a short notice change of itinerary may be necessary. Details may be altered to suit the needs of participants, inclement weather, or any reason the guide deems necessary.

Weather

Nairobi is quite high up, at an elevation of 1661m, and it is just one degree south of the equator. It has a subtropical highland climate. Weather in Nairobi is generally sunny and warm in February, with average daily temperatures in February ranging from a maximum of 26 deg. C. to a minimum of 12 deg. C. Average precipitation is 57mm during the month.
In the Great Rift Valley, the weather is similar but hotter, with February temperature ranges of 38 - 24 degrees, and precipitation of 47mm. On the coast around Mombasa, the February temperature ranges are 32-23 degrees and low precipitation of 15mm.

Course Requirements

This is a moderate to strenuous cycle ride. A typical day's ride is about 70-110km. You should have a good level of fitness, but do not need supreme technical ability. We will go mainly along low-volume paved roads, with some off-road cycling.
A mountain bike is necessary, since Kenyan roads tend to have potholes. The off-road sections are mostly good tracks, with just a small amount of non-technical single track. We can also offer some more technical sections for more experienced riders.

Safety

Safety is our primary concern. We steer well clear of areas that are known for crime, and areas with dangerous animals. You have a training and information session on the first evening, which will give you more information which will include some basic safety tips, such as not to feed baboons, etc.