Samburu Maralal Camel Derby, Kenya Safaris

Maralal Camel Derby is an internationally recognized annual event that takes place at Yare Camel Camp in Samburu County, Maralal city in Kenya, East Africa. The event started in 1989 known as the Maralal International Camel Derby and since then it has been held every year in August. The Derby is a sporting event that has been used as a way to raise awareness of cultural diversity and tourism potential to foster peace among communities within Samburu County. It attracts participants from all over the world: Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, England, France, Spain, Japan, China, Mexico, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, South Africa and many other countries. Incoming registration to participate. Camels are available for hire and come with saddles and handlers.

How to get to Maralal

Yare Camel Camp is located 3 km south of Maralal on the main road from Nyahururu, Samburu County. From Nairobi, the distance is 345 km (230 km of tarmac and 118 km of graduated murram). The road safari takes you through some of Kenya’s remote and arid areas, ideal for adventure safaris. Air travel is available by charter flights from Nairobi.

Where to stay

Yare Camel Camp has 15 bands with single, double and twin accommodation arrangements. It also has ample space for camping. Visitors can bring their own tents or rent them at the camp. The camp has a restaurant with a capacity of 60 people, a well-stocked bar with enough seating capacity, a nice special outdoor area and a large conference room. The rates of the bands are pocket and suites for all types of clients. The city of Maralal also boasts of many hotels.

Activities

The activities of the event include camel races for professionals and amateurs, race for peace with morans from different communities, Samburu Cultural Night that offers a unique cultural experience with music, dance, traditional foods, arts and crafts and two traditional weddings of Samburu. This creates the perfect combination of culture, adventure and action.

Other attractions in Samburu include;

Samburu culture

Samburu culture is rich in many traditional things like songs and dances, artifacts, nomadic lifestyle, values, belief systems, the role of all age groups and many more. Learn more about;

1. the medicinal plants of Samburu,

2.how to make spears, swords and other implements by visiting blacksmiths,

3. how traditional Samburu foods are made: milk, meat and blood,

4. how to light the fire by rubbing two sticks.

Guided nature walks and safaris

Samburu has varied climatic and physical characteristics that offer a rich environment for guided nature walks. The climate ranges from humid highland conditions to an extreme desert environment. The time for the safaris varies from a full day to two weeks depending on the endurance, time and interest of the client. You can go to the forests or arid areas. Others are interested in particular scenic areas such as the ‘house of God’, the impressive escarpment of ‘View of the end of the world’.

Photo safaris

The land of Samburu offers many features, traditions and wildlife for photography. Every turn of the road is interesting: birds, wild animals, hills, ant hills, mountains, caves, valleys, dances, costumes, there are many.

If you are planning a Kenyan vacation in August, this is an event not to be missed on your itinerary as part of your Samburu safari.