The Rift Valley Odyssey delivers a series of breathtaking mountain bike races and adventures across Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. The RVO series of multi-day races and adventures plus bespoke private adventure trips to select destinations.

RVO events are designed by riders for riders, with fastidious attention to route detail to ensure the ultimate mountain biking experience. Each event location is carefully selected to provide a breathtaking race or adventure where the route is premium!

The Race Series is graduated 1 to 5 in terms fitness and skill levels demanded. RVO Ngong Hills (level 2) is the easiest of the 2-day races, suitable for anybody new to mountain biking. The 5-day Rift Valley Odyssey is the premier race (level 5), attracting cyclists from across the world. This is a bucket list event that avid mountain bikers aspire to ride, with 40% of the participants being international.

Fundamental to each RVO event is 100% self-navigation using a Garmin GPS device. The only course markings are the stage start and finish. Each team must depend 100% upon their Garmin GPS to self-navigate along the course. The first RVO in 2010 pioneered this form of adventure racing; self-navigation instils a true spirit of adventurous wandering across the diversity of Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Each RVO event is a personal Odyssey.

RVO teams of 2 or 3 partners must remain together throughout their Odyssey, the course is in remote wilderness areas so having a teammate provides support in case of any mishap. Safety marshals on motorbikes and medical teams are strategically placed for support along each stage.

The Adventure Series are intimate, fully serviced, vehicle supported, mountain bike group tours; their steady pace allows for time to immerse in the outstanding scenery (a camera is essential). Each adventure is unique with special attractions; each day yields different topography, geology or wildlife experiences. Accommodation varies from bush camps to luxury tented camps and lodges.

All RVO events require moderate levels of physical fitness with some technical skills to fully enjoy trails in areas beyond the reach of ordinary cycling events. Whether one races for glory or rides for adventure, every RVO cyclist will be breathless from the combination of challenging terrain plus self-navigation plus an immense landscape.

The RVO is a series of long adventurous journeys – riding is believing