Kenya High-Altitude Running & Fitness Retreat in Iten: Train with Kenyan Athletes

Most days start early. You'll run before breakfast — usually an easy 60 to 90 minutes on the dirt roads and trails around Iten, often with a group of Kenyan runners who set the pace and keep you honest. On harder days the session might be a fartlek on the grass, intervals on the 400 m all-weather tartan track, or a tempo run. There are strength and mobility sessions three times a week in the gym, plus optional drills and technique work on the track. Ryan Mex and the local coaches write a plan for you at the start based on your current fitness and what you're training for, and adjust it as the altitude takes effect.

Altitude is the point. Iten sits at about 2,400 m (7,900 ft), and everything — the accommodation, the track, the trails — is at that height. Your body responds by producing more red blood cells, which improves oxygen delivery to the muscles. You'll feel it for the first few days. The coaches expect that and build in rest and easy days for exactly that reason. By the end of the second week most people are surprised by how much stronger they feel on the same routes they struggled through on day two.

Ryan Mex is the camp leader: a Maltese performance coach, national team athlete and ultra runner with a sub-2:30 marathon to his name. He's supported by Kenyan coaches and a dedicated team of pacers, so whichever pace you run at, someone is running it with you. The camp is based at the High Altitude Training Centre, which is a few minutes from Iten town and opens straight onto some of the area's best-known dirt trails. Meals are prepared on site and aimed at endurance athletes — plenty of carbohydrates, fresh vegetables, protein at every sitting.

Away from training, the programme includes seminars and cultural visits, a session at Kipchoge Stadium in Eldoret, and the option of a one-day safari to Lake Nakuru National Park with lions, rhinos, giraffes, zebras and flamingos. It's a running trip first and foremost, but you leave understanding something about how running works in this part of Kenya — why so many of the world's best come from a few square miles of highland.

There are two options. The full 13-day camp runs 23 January to 6 February 2026, and the shorter 8-day version runs 23 January to 1 February 2026. Both start together and follow the same opening programme; the 8-day group leaves earlier. The camp is capped at 18 people and needs a minimum of 12 to run.

What's included

- Ryan Mex as Training Camp Leader plus expert local coaches - Experienced English-speaking coaches and local athletes - Accommodation at a high-altitude fitness retreat athletic centre - Full board: all meals and snacks throughout the camp - All airport transfers and overland transportation by private vehicle - Complete training plan with custom workouts for your level - High-altitude all-weather tartan track and athlete facilities - Free use of fully equipped gym - Free use of 25 m swimming pool and pool area - Free use of sauna - Training sessions with Kenyan athletes and pacers - Visit and training session at Kipchoge Stadium, Eldoret - Exclusive training camp T-shirt - Discounts from partner brands (The Adventure Shop, Garmin Malta, Teamsport Malta, 24/7 Fitness Club, Oakley Sunglasses)

What's not included

- Flights (a group booking will be organised) - Kenya ETA visa (approximately €30) - Compulsory travel insurance - Optional excursions such as the Lake Nakuru wildlife safari - Beers, sodas, laundry and personal expenses - Gratuities and tips - Massage and physiotherapy sessions (available on request at extra cost) - Anything not listed in the trip inclusions