Maralal International Camel Derby

Held each August at the Yare Club and Campground about three kilometres outside Maralal, the International Camel Derby is one of East Africa's more unusual annual events. It draws participants from Kenya and beyond for a long weekend of camel racing that splits between a professional class for experienced jockeys and an amateur open class for anyone willing to rent a camel.

The event runs from Friday through Sunday and draws a lively crowd of locals, Kenya-based expatriates, and travellers who have timed their journey north specifically to be here. Camping at the Yare Club during derby weekend is a sociable experience. The surrounding hillside fills with spectators, and the bar does good business regardless of the outcomes in the sand. Book accommodation well in advance if you plan to attend; the Yare fills quickly.

things to do sight
A story
The amateur class of the Camel Derby is deliberately inclusive — any visitor can enter by hiring a camel and a handler with a long stick. The handler runs alongside the camel for the entire race, alternately encouraging and restraining the animal, while the rider holds on and hopes for the best. The professional class, run separately, is far less chaotic and considerably faster.