Maralal International Camel Derby
The Maralal International Camel Derby is one of the more unique travel experiences in Africa and as it only held every August, it is a great attraction for many visitors and locals alike.
Kenya’s Northern Frontier is a wild and untamed region, where people still wander with the seasons, and where one of the continent’s unique events happens every August, the Maralal International Camel Derby. Maralal Town is a relatively large settlement for the area and is set on a hillside. It is the headquarters of the Samburu People who are the cousins of the Maasai.
The town is mostly a market town but the growth of tourism in the region in recent years has ensured that is serves as a base for tourist activities such as wilderness walks, white water rafting and Camel safaris – and of course the Maralal Camel Derby. This remote desert town is a haven for adventurers and nomads wanting to experience Kenya’s wild north.
Annual Derby Day in Maralal
The Camel has been the mode of transport for people in the region for centuries and as such a camel derby is part of the way of life. The single humped dromedary is the vehicle of choice and each year in August people gather to celebrate their animals.
The Maralal International Camel Derby is a three day event where everyone is welcome. In fact visitors can also try their hands at riding the camels as the completion is opened to amateurs as well. The people of the region mostly use their animals as pack animals and some only get ridden at the derby.
The Camel Derby certainly brings colour and celebration to the usually arid town and as more and more visitors experience the event the more the town will benefit.
Kenya’s First President
Another interesting fact about the town of Maralal is that it is where Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s first president, was detained prior to his release.