Kapchorwa: The New Running Paradise
About Run Kapchorwa
Run Kapchorwa founders Daan (From Coach to Coach) & Mark (Adventures in Running / Sport for Africa) have been active in community sport development, capacity building and coaching in Uganda for several years.
From Coach to Coach began organizing running sessions for tourists in Kapchorwa in 2016, led by passionate running guide George Mwoko and with revenues going to community sport development.
In 2018, Daan and Mark joined forces to increase the profile of running tourism in Kapchorwa, using the ‘Home of Friends’ Guesthouse in Barawa (which Daan manages) as an operational base.
The ‘Run Kapchorwa’ initiative was further enabled in 2020 by Adventure Tourism Uganda, a three year project co-funded by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This project focuses on adventure and cultural tourism and aims to make the Ugandan tourism industry more diverse as well as socially and environmentally sustainable.
Run Kapchorwa has always strived to become a sustainable, local run organization. In line with this objective, Hope Charlotte Cherotich was appointed general manager in October 2023. Charlotte started her journey with Run Kapchorwa in October 2021. First as Community Operations Coordinator, later as manager of customer service. Charlotte is the Director of Kapchorwa Adventure Sports & Tourism Organisation (KASTO). KASTO aims to cultivate a thriving running and adventure tourism industry. With a resolute focus on empowering the future of young girls. We want every girl child to complete education. Thereby contributing to a just and equitable society.
Our Objectives
To promote Kapchorwa as a leading destination for sports tourism in East Africa
To use income from running and sports tourism to create employment, capability and community development
To use profits from commercial running initiatives to fund an athlete development programme that will support young, low-income athletes in Kapchorwa
To provide an economic boost for the region
To increase access to running and sport for all in the community
Why Kapchorwa?
Kapchorwa is one of only a handful of established high altitude training destinations in East Africa - a hotbed of endurance running talent.
Recognised as the running mecca of Uganda, it is a permanent home and training base to hundreds of elite endurance runners from Uganda and beyond. The presence of celebrated Ugandan Olympic and World champions such as Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo, Peruth Chemutai and Stephen Kiprotich has given the region the title: ‘The Land of Champions’.
Kapchorwa is a simple farming town perched at 1800m altitude on the flanks of the extinct volcano Mount Elgon and offers stunning views over the plateau far below. Visitors are rewarded with fresh mountain air, challenging terrain rising to 2600m, minimal traffic and endless trails of the famous red dirt to run.
Due to it’s remote nature, the region is still relatively untouched by tourism. It’s only in recent years that tourists have ventured here to run, hike and cycle amongst the beautiful nature, passing through villages, banana plantations and farmland alongside the athletes who train morning and evening as they aspire to become champions themselves.
With the construction of a high-altitude elite training facility in Teryet at 2600 metres above sea level well on the way, the future is bright for the running community in Kapchorwa.
“Promoting Kapchorwa as a prime destination for running tourism in order to facilitate community development, create employment opportunities and boost the local economy.”
Run Kapchorwa Athlete Development Programme
The Run Kapchorwa Athlete Development Programme is a key community interest output of the Run Kapchorwa social business model.
The programme has two key objectives:
To provide an athletic development pathway, quality coaching and safeguarding to talented young (14-21 yrs) athletes in low-income, rural areas of Kapchorwa
To create a fund that will support young athletes from low-income households who may not be in education or formal employment. This fund will enable vocational training opportunities as well as assistance with essential costs e.g. school & medical fees, athletic equipment, food, competition registration & transport
Since it’s inception in 2021, the fund has contributed over $800 USD toward athlete development in Kapchorwa. This includes: coaching materials & equipment, hosting local athletic events, payment of competition fees and facilitating young athletes to travel and compete at the National Cross-Country Championships in Tororo.
Athletes and coaches from the Run Kapchorwa Athlete Development Group taking part in the high jump competition at the Christmas 2021 athletics event hosted by the organisation.
