West Nile will host the inaugural Race the Nile Uganda Ultra from November 23 to 27, 2026, bringing Ugandan and international cyclists to an approximately 800-kilometre endurance challenge designed to showcase the region and create opportunities for local businesses.
Starting and finishing in Arua City, the self-supported gravel race will take participants through rural communities, river valleys and demanding terrain. Riders will manage their own navigation, food, water, repairs and accommodation, using publicly available services along the route.
The format puts local enterprises at the centre of the experience, giving shops, food vendors, guesthouses and bicycle repairers opportunities to serve participants as they travel through the region.
Speaking during a discussion hosted by Karibu Travel Magazine, Dr Lilly Ajarova, Senior Presidential Adviser on Tourism and the initiative’s Uganda-based strategic lead, said the race offers a platform to introduce more visitors to West Nile while encouraging investment in tourism experiences and services.
“Its challenge has been less about lack of attraction, and more about visibility, accessibility, product development, and investment,” she explained, highlighting the region’s landscapes, cultural heritage, food and hospitality.
Ajarova said attracting visitors requires developing experiences that give people reasons to travel, stay longer and return. Race the Nile is intended to help make those connections by bringing participants into direct contact with the region’s communities and attractions.
“It gives us a platform to bring people to the region, to experience its attraction and share those experiences with the world,” she added.
Pablo Rodriguez, the originator of Race the Nile, said the approach grew from his experience volunteering in West Nile, where the landscape, cultural diversity and hospitality inspired him to explore ways of bringing greater international attention to the region.
“This race is built up from within the community, not from outside the community,” he explained, describing how the route and self-supported format encourage riders to use existing local services.
Participants will buy supplies from shops and food providers and find places to rest along the course. Organisers intend these encounters to direct visitor spending towards businesses while helping participants experience everyday life in West Nile.
Michael Adriko, who has been involved in developing and assessing the cycling routes, said the region offers terrain suited to gravel cycling and exploration.
“I personally have been riding in the remote landscapes of West Nile for the past five years,” he noted, describing its extensive unpaved roads and varied landscape as attractions for riders seeking a demanding adventure.
The course will be predominantly gravel and dirt, requiring participants to plan their pace, supplies and rest carefully. Riders can compete individually or in pairs, following the event’s self-supported rules.
Preparations include route assessments, engagement with communities, coordination with security agencies and medical arrangements involving Arua Regional Referral Hospital. GPS trackers will enable organisers to monitor participants’ locations and support emergency response.
Beyond the main competition, visitors will have opportunities to explore West Nile through shorter cycling experiences and tours. According to Ajarova, members of the West Nile Cyclists Club have developed half-day, full-day and two-day cycling routes for people interested in exploring the region without undertaking the full endurance challenge.
Tour operators are also developing options for visitors to extend their stay before and after the race, connecting the event with cultural, nature and other tourism experiences.
The competition will carry a conservation connection, with the overall winner earning the opportunity to name a white rhino at Ajai Wildlife Reserve.
Organisers intend Race the Nile to become an annual event, building participation and partnerships that support tourism, local enterprise and cycling in West Nile.
Ajarova invited competitors, visitors, businesses and the media to participate in introducing the region to wider audiences.
“The race is not limited only to those who are going to do the 800 kilometres. Come as a visitor to West Nile,” she urged. “Come and explore West Nile.”
Registration and event information are available at www.racethenile.com.