The 35th edition of the Rhino Charge is slated to be held in Kajiado during the Madaraka day weekend. Making the announcement, Rhino Ark, Executive Director, Christian Lambrechts, said the much-anticipated route notes to the actual venue, will remain secret and will only be released to competing cars, sponsors and spectators a few days to the event.
The main events of this year’s Rhino Charge are:
- Friday, 31st May– Scrutineering (inspection of the Competing Cars)
- Saturday, 1st June – Rhino Charge
- Sunday, 2nd June – Prize-giving
The Rhino Charge is not only a world renowned 4×4 off-road competition, but is also one of the few sporting events run for a national conservation purpose. It is conducted to support the safeguarding of the integrity and ecological functions of Kenya’s mountain forests, also known as water towers, as they are the source of all main rivers in the country.
Since its conception in 1989, the Rhino Charge has raised Kshs 2.1 billion for conservation in Mount Kenya, the Aberdares, South Western Mau and Mount Eburu in the Mau Forests Complex, as well as Kakamega Forest.
The first Rhino Charge raised Kshs 250,000. The amount has increased over the years to cross the Kshs 180 million mark in 2018, thanks to supporters locally and internationally.
Nkoteyia Community Conservancy in the Ewaso Nyiro landscape in Samburu County hosted the 34th edition of the Rhino Charge’s venue, where Kshs 173 million was raised towards the completion of the 61-km-long section of the Mt. Kenya Electric Fence in Nyeri County, the construction of the Kakamega Foret electric fence, the maintenance of the 758 kilometres of electric fence built to date in Aberdare, Mt. Kenya, Eburu and Kakamega, the expansion of community patrol teams to include South Western Mau, among many other activities.
Projects funded by proceeds from Rhino Charge include the construction of the world longest game-proof fences, such as the 450 km Mount Kenya Electric Fence of which 300 km have been built to date.
The funds have also been used in the maintenance of the completed 400-km Aberdare Electric Fence and 43.3 km perimeter electric fence around Mount Eburu, as well as for the ongoing construction for the fencing of Kakamega Forest in Western Kenya.