West Nile to Host Five-Day Cycling Race Across 13 Districts

The West Nile region in Uganda is set to host its first Race The Nile Uganda Ultra, a five-day self-supported gravel cycling race, from November 23 to 27, 2026. The 800-kilometre event will take participants through 13 districts, starting and ending in Arua City. The race aims to boost tourism and create business opportunities for local communities. According to Arua City Senior Tourism Officer Wathum Fred, the event will showcase West Nile's tourism potential.

The event has attracted 14 foreign riders, with organisers targeting 50 participants, including international cyclists. Wathum encouraged more people to register and urged residents to support the event and take advantage of the opportunities it presents. The race will be the first cycling event of its kind in West Nile and has been incorporated into the national tourism calendar, with plans to make it an annual event.

The race itinerary reveals that cyclists will be flagged off at Arua Hill Roundabout on November 23 and proceed along the Uganda-DR Congo border towards Koboko, then to Yumbe, where they will conclude the first stage. The second leg will take them from Yumbe through Moyo and Obongi, crossing the River Nile by ferry into Adjumani, and then through Madi-Okollo, Pakwach, Nebbi, and Zombo before returning to Arua City on November 27.

Route architect Michael Adriko stated that the race will have only four checkpoints across the region, with participants expected to obtain food, accommodation, and other necessities from local communities along the route. This arrangement aims to make the race self-supported while ensuring that local communities directly benefit from the event.

Residents along the designated routes are expected to benefit from the influx of cyclists, who will need to purchase food from local vendors, seek assistance from local mechanics in case of bicycle breakdowns, and arrange their own accommodation. The Director of West Nile Cyclists Club, Erima Dema Daniel, challenged communities along the route to prepare and position themselves to benefit from the event.

The winner of the 800-kilometre challenge will earn an opportunity to name one of the newly reintroduced white rhinos at Ajai Wildlife Reserve in Madi-Okollo District, valued at 10,000 US dollars, coordinated by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. The event is also expected to contribute to ecosystem restoration and local community development while promoting the cultural diversity of West Nile.

Organisers will connect all participants to GPS tracking devices to monitor their movements and respond to challenges they may encounter during the race. The event will also expose infrastructure and service delivery gaps along the route, allowing stakeholders to identify areas requiring improvement.

Key points

• The race will take participants through 13 districts in West Nile, starting and ending in Arua City.
• The event aims to boost tourism and create business opportunities for local communities.
• The winner will earn the chance to name a white rhino at Ajai Wildlife Reserve.