Paragliding and running.
The escarpment is the starting point for both of them. Kerio View is the centre for paragliding in the region, and sits a few kilometres from what many would call the global capital of running.
Following thermals along the escarpment.
The rising thermal currents along the 250 km of Elgeyo Marakwet escarpments provide the uplift that enables paragliding pilots to enjoy long flights over beautiful landscapes. World records have been set by visiting pilots, mostly from Europe.
Kerio View is the center for this sport. It has the facilities and support services so necessary for an enjoyable experience. The take-off and landing ground next to Kerio View (North 00° 39′ East 35° 30′) and the helicopter pad are the only such facilities in the region that are well maintained and also officially recognised.
The convenience of the landing ground is such that a client can be one moment flying serenely at 3000m and, 10 minutes later, be drinking a cold beer at the KV Lodge bar. This must be a unique experience in Africa.
Paragliding can be done throughout the year subject to prevailing winds and weather conditions. The most suitable period is from late November to late February - this is high season for paraglider bookings in Kerio View, so book well in advance.
Kerio View charges a small fee for use of the ground. We also request all pilots, on arrival in Kenya and before embarking on a flight, to register with PAK (Paragliding Association of Kenya); this ensures all legal and insurance concerns are met.
Ask about a flight
The global capital of running.
Kerio View is just a few kilometres from the small municipality of Iten, the capital town of the County. Many people, however, would regard it as a world capital - the global capital of running. Recently the IAAF recognised its importance by conferring on it the status of "World Sports Heritage Site".
This recognition is due to the multitude of Olympians and World champions, literally hundreds, that have lived and trained in Iten and its environs. Many of them, of the present and the past, are frequent visitors to Kerio View. If you want to meet the top runners, their trainers and managers, KV is the place to be.
Iten, at 2350m above sea level, could be at the optimum elevation for training; much above this height, the practical difficulties of cold and a long acclimatisation period outweigh any possible advantages.
One should not believe that Kerio View and Iten are just for the super sportsman. This is absolutely not the case. Most visiting runners are here just for pleasure and to expand their horizons - some don't even aspire to the term "runner" and prefer to be called joggers.
The gym