Experience

DAY 01 – 9km 3-4hrs / 2000 – 3300M

Today all the guides and porters will meet us in Naro Moru and we will load up the vehicle(s) for the 50km drive around the west of the mountain and up to the Sirimon gate of Mt Kenya National Park. After checking into the park we head off along the vehicle track through the forests hardwood forest. After 15 minutes or so we will cross the equator, with a big signpost to let you know you are there! We will stop for a picnic lunch at a convenient spot before continuing on up to our first camp at Old Moses, where you have good views of the peaks ahead.

DAY 02 – 13.5km 7-8hrs / 3300 – 4200M

This morning we will have a hot breakfast and a reasonably early start to make the most of the usually clearer conditions in the morning. We set off across the alpine heath and moorland and traverse around and over a couple of streams and ridges before dropping into the MacKinder Valley. We usually have lunch under a cave-like outcrop before continuing up the valley towards the main peaks. There is a short steeper section as we pass Shipton’s Cave and then another as we arrive into Shipton’s Camp. Here we again set up camp next to the huts and prepare dinner.

DAY 03 – 2-4Km 2-4hrs / 4200 – 4590M

Today is a day-hike from Shipton’s to aid our acclimitisation. There are a few options for this but a good one is to climb up the side of the valley to the West and onto the Hausberg Col. The col sits just next to the main peaks and high above the camp and the valley we walked up the day before. It also allows us to see across to Point Lenana and most of our route for the following day. We can also see down to two tarns on the opposite side of the col and if anyone is keen they can make the 300m descent and re-ascent to go and visit them, though the scree can be hard work on the way back up! We then return to Shiptons for lunch, rest and final preparations for our early morning ascent to Point Lenana.

DAY 04 – 18km 11-13hrs / 4590 – 4985M

This morning we will be up just after midnight to prepare for our night-time ascent to Point Lenana, it is an exhilarating feeling stepping out into the cold under the starlight and crunching up the frozen scree. We skirt the rocky outcrop above the camp then cross a flat area before joining the scree. We then zig zag our way up and then follow a broad ridge and a steeper slope up over the skyline. Passing the bowl of Harris Tarn we skirt above it and then cross an area of bare rock and a small scramble. If we are ahead of schedule there is a small niche/cave where we can huddle up for a rest. It is then less than half an hour up to the bare summit for sunrise. The sun will rise around 6am and we will drink in its warmth as well as the spectacular view before dropping down by either re-tracing our ascent route or alternatively 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 05 – 8km(3-4hrs) +70km(1.5hrs) / 3500 – 1800M

This morning we set off again downhill. The path can be quite indistinct at first on this less-used trail but we generally follow the line of a watercourse until we hit the 4×4 track that takes us down to the forest boundary. Here we have 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’ll meet up with our 4×4’s for the drive back down through the forest to Chogoria town before continuing on to the town of Embu where you’ll meet up with any kit that you didn’t take on the mountain with you (we’ll have transferred it around the mountain and it will be in a secure room in our Embu Guest House). It is possible to get back to Nairobi on this date, however if you have time then a couple of days in Embu is well worth it. Aside from our own Moving Mountains projects, Embu offers a safe and lively nightlife, a number of outdoor swimming pools and some great walks and other activities in the surrounding hills.