The Annual Maralal Camel
Derby is back this 30th August through to September 1st 2013.
The International Camel Derby is a fusion of colors,
cultures and marvelous animals: all competing in the desert for the honors of
having the top camel in the world. A serious sport and a wonderful spectacle
with entrants from Australia, America, New Zealand, Canada, England, France,
Spain, Japan, South Africa and around the world. It is hosted at the Yare Camel
Club and Camp, 3 kilometers south of the township of Maralal.
The Derby tests
the speed and strength of the camels, and the handling abilities of their
owners or jockeys. In addition, cycling races, donkey rides, local dancing
displays and stalls where curios and handicrafts, among other things, are
available.
"Maralal, about 348 kms North of Nairobi, is the gateway to Kenya’s wild and arid North, and is a Mecca for adventurers, nomads and camels," Magical Kenya. A Camel is a single-humped animal that originated in East Africa and later spread to Arabia. It is able to survive long periods without water, and able to withstand changes in body temperature. It is said to have been domesticated 3,500 years ago and used since as an important pack animal. The Maralal International Camel Derby brings hundreds of these beasts and their owners together in a desert near Maralal.
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| Camel Ride Photo Source; Nat Afric |
"Maralal, about 348 kms North of Nairobi, is the gateway to Kenya’s wild and arid North, and is a Mecca for adventurers, nomads and camels," Magical Kenya. A Camel is a single-humped animal that originated in East Africa and later spread to Arabia. It is able to survive long periods without water, and able to withstand changes in body temperature. It is said to have been domesticated 3,500 years ago and used since as an important pack animal. The Maralal International Camel Derby brings hundreds of these beasts and their owners together in a desert near Maralal.
