In 2025, 80 runners covered 230 km of Kenyan wilderness over five race stages within an eight-day event; the ForRangers Ultra raised more than £125,000 for wildlife rangers

The Laikipia region of central Kenya sits on a high plateau northwest of Mount Kenya and much of it is divided into wildlife conservancies. These places are home to rhinos, elephants, zebras, giraffes and many other animals and are guarded by rangers who try to ensure that no poachers can enter their territory. The area is very rugged and the interior of the conservancies is rarely seen by anyone but locals. Every year, athletes take part in a long-distance foot race across these conservancies. Called the ForRangers Ultra, it is a self-sufficient event and the money it raises goes toward ranger welfare and rhino conservation.The first race in 2018 drew about 50 runnersThe race began in 2018 with about 50 runners, as Beyond the Ultimate and Big Life both report, although Save the Rhino’s event page puts the figure at more than 40. The event is a collaboration between Save the Rhino, ForRangers and Beyond the Ultimate. The first edition covered 220 km, 10 km shorter than the 230 km course of 2025. Hundreds of people have taken part so far and the event website describes the race as a way to connect participants with rhino conservation at its core and with the people they are helping.80 runners leaving the foothills of Mount KenyaThe Save the Rhino diary, titled “The 2025 ForRangers Ultra Race Diary: £125,000 raised for Kenya’s Rangers,” opens on a sunny September morning in the shadow of Mount Kenya. A field of 80 runners set off on a 230 km course. The diary was written by Eleanor Glynne-Jones, the charity’s Michael Hearn intern and Raj Pandya, its community fundraising manager.Five stages in five days through five conservanciesAs seen in the mentioned diary, the duration of the course is five days. From the description given at Beyond the Ultimate, the structure is five stages in five days in an event that lasts eight days, with arrival and recovery times included. As noted on the event page, the route traverses five conservancies with varied landscapes, ranging from savannah to thick forests and goes through the foothills of Mount Kenya up to the equator.Carrying food, safety gear and at least 2.5 litres of waterThe fundraising page for the 2025 race describes the event as completely self-contained. Each runner carried their own food, safety equipment and at least 2.5 litres of water, which could be replenished at checkpoints and camped in the wilderness every night. Helicopters, aircraft, and rangers provided support, according to Beyond the Ultimate and the runners shared the course with rhinos, elephants, impalas, zebras and giraffes.Runners and Laikipia rangers on the same courseThe diary notes that for the five days, runners from all over the world ran beside, spoke to and were safeguarded by rangers from the Laikipia area. Each of the runners received a Save the Rhino wristband with one simple directive: give it to a ranger at some point during the 230 km run.As noted by Glynne-Jones, the participants were consistently grateful to both the rangers and the medical team for the duration of five days. Beyond the Ultimate frames the wider conservation effort more sharply, describing the struggle as a war between organised poachers and the rangers protecting the animals.More than £125,000 raised for ranger welfare and rhino conservationTogether, the diary says, the runners helped raise over £125,000 for rangers in Kenya. The diary explains how the money is used. It supports the rangers and conservancies that the runners travel through, giving them equipment, training and facilities that allow the rangers to protect animals and their habitat. It adds that the funds also support the conservation of all five rhino species.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.