Rhino Charge

The Rhino Charge is Kenya’s most unconventional motorsport event. Teams of drivers and navigators race modified 4x4 vehicles across 100 kilometres of unmarked Kenyan bush, attempting to reach as many scoring posts as possible in under 10 hours. There are no roads. The exact location is kept secret until a few days before the event and changes each year. Vehicles must be road-legal and start from zero factory specification - no purpose-built race machines.

How it works

The event is a charity fundraiser for Rhino Ark Kenya, which funds electric fencing around key highland forest ecosystems to protect rhino habitat. Teams raise pledges before the event; the more posts a team reaches and the fewer kilometres they travel between them, the better their score. It rewards smart navigation and mechanical preparation over raw speed.

Around 60 teams compete each year. Vehicles range from aggressively modified Land Cruisers and Defenders to more surprising entries. Breakdowns are common. Recovery and repairs in the field are part of the competition.

The spectator experience

The Rhino Charge is also a social event. A main spectator camp is established near the start and finish area with food, camping, and live updates. Many supporters follow favoured teams into the bush in their own vehicles. The atmosphere in camp on the evening before the start and through the night has a festival quality - teams doing last-minute preparation, generators running, the smell of cooking fires.

The location changes each year, which means the specific logistics shift. Organisers publish details and directions once the venue is confirmed.

Practical information

• Date: Usually the first Saturday of June; check the official Rhino Charge website to confirm the 2026 date
• Location: Undisclosed until approximately two weeks before the event; past events have been held in Laikipia, the Aberdares foothills, and Nanyuki area
• Tickets: Spectator passes required; available via the official website
• Camping: On-site camping is available for spectators; bring your own tent and supplies or look for organised camping packages
• Getting there: Road access from Nairobi is typically 3 to 5 hours depending on location; 4x4 vehicles strongly recommended for spectators

All proceeds go to Rhino Ark Kenya’s electric fence programme, which protects some of the country’s most important water catchment forest from human-wildlife conflict.