By KPC Sports Reporter
The Magical Kenya Mountain and Trail Series will return to Nandi County this week, headlined by the Taptengelei Cultural Festival and the fifth edition of the Tinderet Barngetuny Mountain Run.
The three-day event, which marks the opening leg of the 2026 series, will run from January 15 to 18 and is expected to draw athletes, adventure enthusiasts, and cultural tourists from across the country and beyond.
Announcing the event, Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Chief Executive Officer June Chepkemei said the series offers a unique platform to showcase Kenya’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage while opening up economic opportunities for host communities.
“This is an important event for us because it allows us to showcase the beauty of Kenya while directly engaging communities and highlighting what they have to offer,” Chepkemei said.
She added that the initiative positions Kenya as a premier destination for adventure tourism and mountain running.
Launched in the same region in January last year, the series has since expanded to several destinations, including the Western region (Magharibi Trails), the Aberdares (Aberdare Trails), and Mt Kenya (Mt Kenya Trails).
Chepkemei noted that the trail series has helped unlock tourism opportunities at the grassroots level, with homestays growing and local food vendors benefiting from increased visitor numbers.
The 2026 edition will kick off on January 15 with mountain trail activities featuring bicycles and off-road vehicles, highlighting the rugged terrain of Tinderet.
Participants will traverse tea plantations, valleys, and farmlands across Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties.
On January 16, the Taptengelei Cultural Festival will take center stage, offering visitors an immersive experience of Kalenjin culture.
The festival will feature traditional foods such as mursik, indigenous vegetables, and millet, alongside demonstrations of traditional farming methods, cultural regalia, music, and indigenous education systems that historically shaped Kalenjin society.
The series will culminate on January 17 with the Tinderet Barngetuny Mountain Run, which doubles as the national championship for mountain running.
Tinderet Member of Parliament Julius Melly, who is the patron of the event, said more than 3,000 runners are expected to take part, with spectator numbers projected to exceed 10,000.
“This event is not only a platform to celebrate Kenya’s rich heritage and breathtaking landscapes, but also an opportunity to empower communities through sports and tourism,” Melly said. He added that the event brings people together, stimulates local economies, and showcases the unique beauty of the Rift Valley to a global audience.
The Barngetuny Mountain Run has gained international recognition as a selection event for Kenya’s team to the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships. Winners from last year’s edition represented the country at the championships in Canfranc-Pirineos, Spain, where Kenya finished eighth overall among 72 nations and emerged top in Africa with over 20 medals.
Melly noted that beyond athletics, the event promotes education, health, and environmental conservation, while creating multiplier effects across sectors such as hospitality and technical training.
The Magical Kenya Mountain and Trail Series is organized in collaboration with Athletics Kenya and the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and forms part of KTB’s broader strategy to integrate adventure tourism, cultural heritage, and sustainability under the Magical Kenya Adventure Brand.
Through the initiative, Kenya aims to attract more than 200,000 adventure travellers over the next five years.