Sleepy Maralal comes alive in 2 days of August when local and international entrants arrive for the annual Maralal International Camel Derby. The Yare Club is the base of this event, which is Africa's premier camel race. The race is great fun and racers are grouped in professional (42 km), semi-professional (20 km) and amateur (10 km) categories.

Many amateurs are embarrassed by the obstinacy of the camels, which can head off in a completely different direction from that planned by the organisers. In recent years, a parallel professional mountain bike and amateur bicycle race event also takes place. The bicycle race is on the calendar of the International Cycling Union and winners tally credits accordingly.