Maasai Mara Reserve hosts UltraMARAthon on 14 November
Published on 10/31/2026 at 15:32 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael MĂĽller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSRace weekend and conservation links
- UltraMARAthon organisers set the race for 14 November 2026 at Ol Chorro, Lemek and Mara North conservancies.
- The 50km course links two loops with ranger support and conservation initiatives in the northern Mara.
- Narok County manages the reserve, which was established in 1974 and forms part of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.
- Race pack collection takes place at Race HQ on 13 November 2026.
Maasai Mara Reserve will host the UltraMARAthon on 14 November 2026, bringing a 50km foot race through northern conservancies to Narok in Kenya. The event combines trail running with support for wildlife protection and community initiatives.
UltraMARAthon crosses three conservancies on 14 November
The race starts at 6.30am on 14 November 2026 in the Ol Chorro, Lemek and Mara North conservancies. The official race information describes a single-day course through the northern Mara ecosystem, with individual and relay categories.
The 2026 route is planned as two loops of approximately 25km each, beginning and ending at Race HQ. The organisers say the route may change slightly on race day, while the final map remains provisional. The event information also lists a 3km children’s race and welcomes spectators on a designated route.
Race pack collection and the pre-race briefing are scheduled for 13 November 2026 at Race HQ. The race information pack identifies the UltraMARAthon’s beneficiaries as the northern Mara conservancies, the Mara Elephant Project and Africa Mission Services Community Health Center. Its stated purpose is to support conservation, ranger work and community healthcare.
Maasai Mara Reserve places the race in a managed ecosystem
The reserve lies in Narok County, whose government identifies tourism and the Mara as important parts of the county economy. The county government manages the reserve and has developed a Mara Management Plan focused on park management, visitor security, wildlife protection and human-wildlife conflict.
UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre lists the Maasai Mara Game Reserve on Kenya’s Tentative List. The reserve was established through a 1974 legal notice and covers 1,510 square kilometres, according to the submission. It forms the northern section of the wider Mara-Serengeti ecosystem, with grasslands, acacia vegetation and rivers including the Mara, Talek and Sand.
That setting gives the race a different relationship with the landscape from a standard road event. The course follows conservancy tracks and game-drive roads, while rangers remain part of the event’s safety arrangements. The race therefore crosses working conservation areas rather than a closed athletics venue, linking the sporting programme directly with the land and communities it supports.
Conservancy roads shape the November race weekend
The event’s information pack says the course is mainly compact dirt, with rough and uneven sections and no technical trail sections. Participants are told to follow ranger instructions if wildlife creates a hazard, and headphones are not permitted while running.
For visitors, the distinction between the national reserve and neighbouring conservancies matters. The UltraMARAthon route is in Ol Chorro, Lemek and Mara North, while the official Narok County information describes the wider Mara as a connected tourism and conservation landscape. Access arrangements and local rules can therefore vary between the reserve and individual conservancies.
Visiting Maasai Mara Reserve: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The UltraMARAthon takes place on 14 November 2026 in Ol Chorro, Lemek and Mara North conservancies, with Race HQ serving as the start and finish location.
- Race pack collection and briefing are scheduled for 13 November 2026; spectators are welcome but must use the designated spectator route and follow conservancy rules.
- Narok County places the Mara in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley; road and air access arrangements differ between the reserve, conservancies and individual camps.
- The route uses dirt tracks, game-drive roads and open conservancy roads, with uneven ground and wildlife-safety instructions from rangers.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
The UltraMARAthon connects a fixed November date with conservation work across the northern Mara landscape.
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Frequently asked questions about Maasai Mara Reserve
When does the UltraMARAthon take place at Maasai Mara Reserve?
The UltraMARAthon takes place on 14 November 2026, with the race scheduled to start at 6.30am in the northern conservancies.
Where is Maasai Mara Reserve and how do you get there?
The reserve is in Narok County, Kenya, in the Great Rift Valley. The race route is in the Ol Chorro, Lemek and Mara North conservancies, so travel arrangements depend on the selected access point.
What is Maasai Mara Reserve?
It is a wildlife reserve and part of the wider Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. UNESCO records its establishment through a 1974 legal notice and lists it on Kenya’s Tentative World Heritage List.
