Baringo County has been announced as the host of Rhino Charge 2025, the 36th edition of Kenya’s homegrown off-road motorsport event that raises funds for forest and wildlife conservation.

The announcement was made this morning by Don White, Clerk of Course, during a pre-event briefing held at Braeburn School, Nairobi, attended by competitors, sponsors, officials, checkpoint crews, camp operators, and media.

Rhino Charge is more than a motorsport spectacle — it is a uniquely Kenyan innovation in conservation fundraising. Organized by Rhino Ark Charitable Trust, the event
channels millions of shillings annually into protecting Kenya’s most threatened water towers and biodiversity hotspots, including the Aberdare Range, Mt. Kenya, the Mau Forests Complex, and Kakamega Forest.

This year, the event reaches a new milestone with the first-ever electric vehicle entry, introduced by Car No. 20 — a symbolic gesture aligning the tradition of rugged endurance with modern sustainability values. White also confirmed that the event had attracted a full entry list of 65 competition vehicles, a feat last achieved in 2014, underscoring the enduring popularity and competitive spirit of the Rhino Charge.

In a nod to inclusivity, White announced the return of the Classic Charge, a gentler format for new entrants, with 10 slots reserved, in addition to the main Charge’s 55. He also introduced a new treasure hunt activity for spectators, limited to 30 teams, which will run parallel to the main event on Charge Day. Prizes will be awarded later at the annual Spirit of the Charge celebration.

With Baringo’s semi-arid and rugged terrain providing a fresh and challenging backdrop, White urged all participants to prioritize safety, noting that 4,000 people attended the 2024 edition in Kajiado County. He warned that this year’s location has thorny shrubs and a high presence of bees. “Although the medical team is fully equipped, the first line of safety lies with each participant,” he said.
Christian Lambrechts, the Executive Director of Rhino Ark, emphasized the conservation milestones powered by funds raised through Rhino Charge. Key among them:

• In Kakamega Forest, the Trust has completed 33 km of electric fencing, with a third of the project already installed.
• In the Aberdares, a new 12-km section has been built near Wanjohi to seal a formerly unprotected zone that had become a hotspot for illegal activities.
• A fresh 60-km fencing section is underway on Mt. Kenya, stretching from Naro Moru to Nanyuki.
• In the South West Mau, fencing work is set to begin on a 30-km section, with a groundbreaking event slated for May 22, just before the Charge.

Lambrechts highlighted a landmark project in the Aberdare Salient, where Rhino Ark and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) are jointly establishing a 40-square-kilometre black rhino sanctuary. Already, 19 km of perimeter rhino fencing has been completed, along with supporting security infrastructure. The first translocation of rhinos is expected in the coming months, marking a major step in endangered species recovery efforts.