Safari Gravel Race
Date
Saturday 15.06.2024Distances
100 kmCity
Hell’s Gate, Naivasha
Country
KenyaThe Safari Gravel Race is the championship event of the LOOP Safari Gravel Race series and a UCI Gravel World Series Qualifier event. The Safari Gravel Race is set in Hell’s Gate National Park (Naivasha), made famous by the Lion King, and offers gravel and mountain bike riders an accessible opportunity to have a fun and adventurous ride in one of the most picturesque landscapes in Kenya. Plains animal spotting is all but guaranteed – and so are the incredible vibes at the finisher’s party at Carnellies. For those looking to have a nice intro to the Kenyan gravel scene – or brush shoulders with some of the excellent international riders coming to race the Migration Gravel Race, this is the event for you!
Course
The course has all the highlights of the Hell’s Gate national park, including “Pride Rock” and is a total of 100km long, challenging because of the altitude and elevation profile. The surface is 62% gravel with surfaces varying from red clay, single track and game trails.
Starting in Sulmac Village on the south side of Lake Naivasha, the route initially covers a mix of paved and unpaved roads. After 8 km, riders encounter the first gravel climb, forming a loop that brings them back to the start location after 21 km. The middle section features a long 36 km stretch of gently ascending gravel roads, followed by a descent. The most challenging part of the course is between km 60 and 90, on the east side of Hell’s Gate National Park, primarily on paved roads.
Profile
The course is challenging because of the altitude, varying from 1900m at the starting point to reach the highest point on course after 91km at 2208m above the sea with gradients up to 12%. The total elevation of the course is 1391m.
The main difficulties are situated in the second half with three consecutive climbs of respectively 6.9km (4.3% average), 3.3km (6.5% average) and 6.7km (5.3% average) before the last 10km back down to the finish.
HELL’S GATE, NAIVASHA
Hell’s Gate National Park, the inspiration for Disney’s The Lion King, is a popular destination because of its easy access from Nairobi (only 90kms away) as well as the variety of wildlife and amazing landscapes that can be experienced by bike.
Naivasha Kenya, where the race will be situated, is a well-developed touristic destination and boasts a wide range of accommodation and food options that can cater to mass participation events with participants from varying socio-economic backgrounds.
For more information : https://www.kws.go.ke/content/hells-gate-national-park
