Eldoret

The Uasin Gishu plateau sits at around 2,100 metres, and the combination of altitude, a culture of running from childhood, established training camps and the example of successive generations of champions has made this region the most productive source of distance runners in the world. Iten, 30 kilometres away, is the centre of it, and athletes come from across the globe to train there. Iten sits about thirty kilometres north-east and is the centre of the region's running culture.

Yes, and visitors are generally welcome to watch morning training sessions at Iten, where several camps host Kenyan and international athletes year-round. Some camps take paying guests who want to train alongside them. Sessions start at dawn, so an early departure from Eldoret is necessary. Arrange visits in advance through a camp or a local guide rather than turning up unannounced. Altitude affects arrivals as well as athletes, and some visitors feel short of breath for the first day or two.

Eldoret has an airport with daily flights from Nairobi taking about an hour. By road it is roughly 310 kilometres from Nairobi, five to six hours through the Rift Valley and up onto the western highlands, and buses run frequently. The town also sits on the main route toward Uganda, so it is a common overnight stop for overland travellers. The town works better as a base for the surrounding highlands than as a destination in its own right.

The Kerio Valley escarpment east of Iten is genuinely spectacular, dropping a thousand metres from the plateau edge with long views across the Rift. Kaptagat Forest offers walking and is used by athletes for training. The surrounding farmland at over 2,000 metres is unlike anywhere else in Kenya. The town itself is a working commercial centre rather than a sight. Iten sits about thirty kilometres north-east and is the centre of the region's running culture.

Cooler than most visitors expect for Kenya. At around 2,100 metres, days reach only 22°C to 26°C and nights fall to 9°C to 12°C, so warm clothing is needed year-round in the evenings. Accommodation rarely has heating. The altitude also leaves some arrivals short of breath on exertion for the first day or two, which settles quickly. Altitude affects arrivals as well as athletes, and some visitors feel short of breath for the first day or two.

December to February is the driest and clearest window, with warm days, cold nights and the best conditions for the Kerio Valley viewpoints and the surrounding countryside. June to September is cooler and wetter but workable, and coincides with the busiest period at the camps. April and May are the wettest months, when rural roads become muddy. The town works better as a base for the surrounding highlands than as a destination in its own right.

For anyone with an interest in running, absolutely, and Iten alone justifies the journey. For other travellers it is more of a staging point than a destination, useful on the route between Nairobi and Uganda or the far west. The Kerio Valley escarpment adds genuine scenic value, and the highland climate makes a pleasant change from the lowlands. Iten sits about thirty kilometres north-east and is the centre of the region's running culture.

Yes, and a number of camps in and around Iten take paying visitors who want to train at altitude, ranging from serious club runners to complete amateurs. Facilities are simple and the culture is unpretentious. Give yourself several days to adjust before attempting anything hard, as 2,400 metres at Iten is high enough to affect performance noticeably at first. Altitude affects arrivals as well as athletes, and some visitors feel short of breath for the first day or two.