Going to an Enduro Race could just be the perfect weekend getaway, if:
- You love nature
- You think motorbikes & their riders are dope
- You are ready to bring out your inner child & crawl through bushes to cheer on the racers
I’ve been to three races (Naivasha, Lukenya, Kereita) so far. It’s exactly my kind of fun outing with a relaxed crowd and some awe-inspiring atheletes!
Sure, but what’s Enduro? It’s an off-road racing discipline where racers navigate rugged terrain and natural obstacles on dirt bikes over long distances, focused on endurance and technical skill, and I’d say courage.
As opposed to Motocross which it’s sometimes confused with, Enduro is held in open landscape, not on a closed circuit track. In the savannah, in a forest, on a mountain, you get the drift.
I hope that video answered your questions 😎
The routes I’ve seen so far are 8-12km long, and a lap could take even an hour to complete. On top of riding in terrain where others might find walking difficult, the riders also have to actually navigate, either following colourful ribbons tied to bushes or their GPS. 😅
More pics:
Looks fun?
Spectating is good fun, as well!
And look at the Junior Category! 🥰
Now, how to go about it?
- Know the dates. There are 6 races in the annual championship. Remaining 2026 dates: 25/26 Apr, 27/28 Jun, 25/26 Jul, 10/11 Oct, 28/29 Nov.
- Know the venues. They’re announced a few weeks prior. Follow the Kenya National Enduro channel on IG for updates. Venues could be 1.5-3 hours from Nairobi, so you can decide if you’ll make a day trip or stay for the weekend near the venue.
- Plan your day: Broadly, there are 5 agenda items spread out all Saturday and Sunday morning: Junior Briefing & Practice Laps (1.5 hrs), Junior Race (1 hr), Senior Briefing & Practice Laps (2.5 hrs), Senior Race (3.5 hrs) and a final debrief. (Junior being kids and teens, and Senior being teens and adults)
- Spectating: There are usually 6 tracks, 3 in use at a time (Gold, Silver and Bronze difficulty levels for the senior category, and J1, J2, J3 for the Junior category). The start and finish line doesn’t have much action. The fun is out there, away from the main camp, so be ready to walk a lot. Carry water and walking shoes. 💪
- You can ask at the scrutineering desk where to find good spectator spots. While some sections are more straight and bikes fly by, there are lots of natural obstacles like rocks, climbs, rivers, logs, drops, tight corners, etc where (some) racers will slow down and you get to admire their skill. Cheer them on, three hours of such serious riding is not a joke. You might get a brap as a thank you 😉
- Safety: Bikers tend to fly by at pretty high speeds, so be sure to stay off the track, and hop into the bushes when you hear engines. Any slight distraction could cause an accident.
- Yummy catering is usually available, check the poster.
- Enjoy the thrill, network and have fun!
PS: Me acting as a side stand with some fun, friendly riders at Kereita.
PPS: Just to clarify. I’m talking about the Championship organized under the MSFK umbrella by EAMSC. There might be other Enduro events that may work similarly or differently.