Lewa Safari Marathon
Lewa Safari Marathon takes place Late Jun 2027 (traditionally the last Saturday in June; 2026 ran Jun 27) in Lewa Conservancy, Kenya. The dress code is Technical running kit, cap and high-SPF sun protection. Highland mornings are cool, so bring a light throwaway layer for the start. Typical cost ranges from 250 to 6000 EUR per person.
A marathon and half marathon run through a working wildlife conservancy in northern Kenya, past zebra, elephant and both black and white rhino, with armed rangers on the course and helicopters overhead moving animals off the route. It raises significant funds for Tusk's conservation and community programmes across the region. The field is deliberately capped, and most international entrants pair the race with a safari stay.
- When
- Late Jun 2027 (traditionally the last Saturday in June; 2026 ran Jun 27)
- Where
- Lewa Conservancy, Kenya
- Dress code
- Technical running kit, cap and high-SPF sun protection. Highland mornings are cool, so bring a light throwaway layer for the start.
- Cost
- Typical cost ranges from 250 to 6000 EUR per person.
- Weather
- Dry season at about 1,700m: cool 10 - 14C mornings, sunny 25 - 28C days, little rain
- When to book
- Entries open in late March and close around 10 May, with a capped field of roughly 1,400 runners. Lodges on the conservancy must be booked months earlier than that.
- Getting there
- NBO (Nairobi Wilson), about 45 min by light aircraft to the Lewa airstrip; or roughly 5 hr by road from Nairobi
- Where to stay
- Sirikoi Lodge (the luxury option on Lewa, exceptional guiding), Lewa Wilderness (long-established family-run lodge on the conservancy), Lewa Safari Camp (tented, more accessible, race-weekend favourite)
- Official site
- https://www.lewasafarimarathon.com/
How to attend
Register online when entries open in late March - there is an international portal at lewasafarimarathon.com and an East Africa portal at lewasafarimarathon.co.ke - with entries closing around 10 May and carrying a fundraising commitment for international runners. It is open to the public but capacity-limited, so entry day matters. Book a Lewa lodge or camp months ahead of that, since conservancy beds are the real constraint and fill first.
Insider tip
The altitude, not the wildlife, is what breaks people - arrive at least three days early to acclimatise at 1,700m, and treat your target time as at least fifteen minutes slower than sea level.
Get inside Lewa Safari Marathon
Booking matters here: entries open in late March and close around 10 May, with a capped field of roughly 1,400 runners. Lodges on the conservancy must be booked months earlier than that. Members track that window, what it really costs, and 573 more events across the season.
Free while in beta. One email when your invitation is ready, nothing else.