5 Days Mount Kenya Trek Trip
Ascend by the west or north-west and descend the south-east Chogoria route to traverse the Mountain via the peak of Point Lenana.
Overview
Days Summary
- Day 1: Transfer from Naro Moru to the Mount Kenya National Park gate. Trek to Met Station Camp
- Day 2: Trek from Met Station Camp to MacKinder's Camp
- Day 3: Acclimatization Day, Trek from MacKinder's to Hut Tarn &/or Tyndall Glacier and return to Mackinder's
- Day 4: Trek from Mackinder’s to Point Lenana and descend to Lake Ellis and Nithi Falls via Hall Tarns
- Day 5: Trek from Nithi Falls via Meru Banda's and transfer to Chogoria town.
Itinerary
Day 0
- Elevation N/A
- Travel time: 175km-4hrs
If you will be flying to Kenya then we will offer airport transfer to Naru Moru, evening arrival will mean at least one night in Nairobi before transferring to Naru Moru on the west of Mount Kenya to meet the guides and the porters who all leaves around Naru Moru and can meet you any day you arrive.
Day 1
- Elevation 2000-2500-3050m
- Travel time: 10km-3-4hrs
Today all the guides and porters will meet us in Naru Moru, and we will load up the vehicle(s) for the short 15km drive up the Naro Moru gate of Mount Kenya National Park. There are often baboons and bushbuck wondering around the area as we sign in and then and then we head off along the vehicle track through the forest of bamboo and hardwood trees. We will stop for a picnic lunch at the convenient stop before continuing on up to our first camp at Met Station. Located close the edge of the forest where buffalos often come out overnight to graze.
Day 2
- Elevation 3050-4200m
- Travel time:10km-6hrs
From Met Station we follow the vehicle track a bit further before turning off on a footpath through the Hygenia forest and then out onto the more open heathland. From here you get a fantastic view back over the treetops and down to the plains beyond. The Heath and Moorland continues and also sports Giant Cabbage Groundsel and Giant Lobelia Deckenii as we make our way up past the over dramatically named “Vertical Bog” to the outcrop known as picnic Rocks, for Lunch. We continue on the moorland for a bit longer before joining the edge of the Teleki valley and winding between Giant Tree groundsel and Ostrich Plume Lobelia, and then onto grasses in the Valley floor as we cross a river and follow it on a gentle approach to our next camp at Mackinder’s Hut on an outcrop of moraine.
Day 3
- Elevation -4200-4500-4200m
- Travel time:10km-6hrs
Today we will walk a day-walk from Mackinder’s Hut to aid our acclimatization. There are few possibilities and we most likely to walk up to a pair of small lakes called Hut tarn and Nanyuki Tarn collectively two Tarn! From here we get a great view straight across at the South West of the main Summits and Glaciers that hang from it. It is also possible to walk up to the foot of two of these Glaciers, the Darwin and the Tyndall, but it is a slightly more difficult route. We will be back at Mackinder’s for lunch and for final preparations for our early morning start to summit point Lenana for Sunrise.
Day 4
- Elevation -4200-4985-3500m
- Travel time: 8-10km-5-8hrs
Today we will be up around midnight for hot drinks before starting our ascent to point Lenana. After a short flat section, we are onto the frozen screes by torchlight (on clear nights we can use the moonlight) climbing up and up to reach Austrian Hut at 4790m. at the Hut we will take a break, the duration of which will be decided by our speed so far, the idea being that we arrive at Point Lenana just before sunrise and don’t have to wait in the cold.
From the Austrian Hut we follow a ridge all the way to the summit. The ridge is initially quite broad but it does get narrower and we will take our time over the short sections that needs hands as well as feet, there are steel cables on the upper two thirds of the route and though not really necessary, they can be reassuring. The Sun will rise around 6am and we will drink in its warmth as well the spectacular view before dropping down by either re-tracing our ascent route or alternative traversing right over and down the South side past Austrian Hut, before turning to the East and down to Hall Tarns for breakfast. After enjoying the amazing views of the cliffs of the Temple and Lake Michaelson, we will set off further down the Mountain to Camp at Lake Ellis.
Day 5
- Elevation -3500-1800m
- Travel time: 8km-3-4hrs. 70+km (1.5hrs)
This morning again we set off downhill. The path can be quite indistinct at first, on this less-used Trail, but we generally follow the line of watercourse until the 4x4 track that takes us down to the forest boundary. Here we have the option the option of heading straight down to Meru Bandas (cabins) or a diversion around to the beautiful Nithi Falls. Back at the Bandas, or just a little after them, we will meet up with our 4x4s for the drive back down through the forest to Chogoria town, where you will meet up with any kit that you dint take on the mountain with you (we will have transferred it around the mountain and it will be in a secure custody) other options include tailor made safaris, climb Mount Kilimanjaro, a visit to any of the game reserves around Mount Kenya or transfer back to Nairobi for a city tour.
Price
$960 P/P. Minimum 2Pax
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Quotation price Includes:
- Return transfers from Nairobi to Mt Kenya (private)
- All Park fees.
- All food while on the Mountain.
- Accommodation in mountain huts/ camping where applicable.
- All guiding services
- Porter support for the climb.
Not included are:
- Personal clothing and equipment
- Tips and gratuities for guides and porter
- Beverages while not on the mountain