Mt Kenya Climb - Chogoria Route, Climb Mount Kenya
6 Days Chogoria Route
This is by far the most scenic and interesting route. It takes in both tropical forests and moor land.
Day 1: Nairobi/Chogoria
Pick up from your Nairobi Hotel at 8am and drive north to Chogoria town for lunch and afternoon leisure walk in the town to acclimatize. Dinner and overnight at Chogoria Transit Motel, 2000m, L,D.
Day 2: Chogoria/Mount Meru Bandas - 4hrs, 16km walk, 950m ascent
After breakfast, take a 4x4WD vehicle to the forest clearance, 16km from where the walk starts. You will walk for 16km through the forest along the dirt and sometimes very muddy road for 4hrs to reach Mount Meru Bandas at 2950m for lunch and afternoon walks. Dinner and overnight at Mt. Meru Bandas, B,L,D
Day 3: Mount Meru Bandas - Road Head Camp, 3hrs, 9km, 350m ascent
After breakfast follow the track through giant heather and forest up to Chogoria road head from where the path drops to cross a stream then follows the broad ridge to the east of the gorges valley to reach Road Head Camp taking approximately 3-4hrs. Overnight at Road Head Camp at 3300m.
Day 4: Road Head/Mintos Hut - 4 hrs, 12km
After breakfast follow the track through giant heather and forest up to Chogoria road head from where the path drops to cross a stream then follows the broad ridge to the east of the gorges valley to reach Mintos Hut, 4200m. Dinner and overnight at Mintos Hut, B, L, D
Day 5: Mintos/Point Lenana/Met Station - 11-12 hrs, 29km, 785m ascent/1985m descent
Leave shortly after midnight at 2am towards the main peaks and divide after an hour, above a flat green area at the head of the valley known as temple fields, arriving at point Lenana at 6:30am. After taking photographs, descend to Mackinders for breakfast and continue down to Met Station at 3000m for dinner and overnight rest, B,L,D
Day 6: Met Station/Naromoru/Nairobi - 3hrs, 9km, 400m descent
After breakfast, descend through the rainforest which is 9km to Naromoru Park Gate at 2,600m where you will connect with your transport back to Nairobi, arriving at approximately 3pm, B,L
Tour cost: US$ 980 per person
Included in the price:
• Guarantee price/guarantee trek on confirmation
• Transfer to and from the base of the mountain
• Full board accommodation whilst on the trek.
• Meal plan as detailed: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Accommodations in camps/huts as per the itinerary
• 1 night full board hotel accommodation at Chogoria Transit Hotel
• All park entrance fees to include government taxes
• Service of an English speaking professional guide, porters and skilled cook
• Start and finish Nairobi
• Treated water on the trek.
• On completion, successful climb Certificate
Excluded:
• Tips, laundry, sleeping bags and drinks
• Accommodation before/after the trek
• climbing gears
• International flights
• Visas to Kenya
• Items of personal nature
• Any other extras not detailed in the above itinerary
Mt Kenya Climb - Chogoria Route, Climb Mount Kenya
Chogoria Route
The Gorges Valley is a major feature on the Chogoria Route. This route leads from Chogoria town up to the peaks circuit. The 32 km (20 miles) from the forest gate to the park gate are often done by vehicle, but it is also possible to walk. There is much wildlife in the forest, with safari ant columns crossing the track, monkeys in the trees, and the potential for seeing elephant, buffalo and leopard. The road is not in good condition, and requires careful driving and walking. Near the park gate the bamboo zone starts, with grasses growing to 12 m high (40 ft).
Once in the park the track passes through rosewood forests, with lichens hanging from the branches. At one point the path splits, with the smaller track leading to a path up the nearby Mugi Hill and across to Lake Ellis.
Top of large overhanging buttress overlooking Lake Michaelson, close to Hall Tarns.Near the trackhead a small bridge crosses the Nithi stream. Following the stream downriver a few hundred metres (yards) leads to The Gates Waterfall. The path heads up a ridge above the Gorges Valley, with views to the peaks, Lake Michaelson, The Temple, and across the valley to Delamere and Macmillan Peaks. Hall Tarns are situated right on the path and above a 200 m (700 ft) cliff directly above Lake Michaelson.
As the path carries on it crosses the flat head of the Nithi River and then the slope steepens. The path splits, heading west to Simba Col, and south west to Square Tarn. These are both on the Peak Circuit Route.
Mount Kenya:
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya, and the second highest in Africa (after Mount Kilimanjaro). The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (5,199 m - 17,058 ft), Nelion (5,188 m - 17,022 ft) and Lenana (4,985 m - 16,355 ft). Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around 150 km (95 miles) north-northeast of Nairobi. The area around the mountain is protected in the Mount Kenya National Park, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The National Park is around 620 km² (240 square miles), and receives up to 15,000 visitors every year.
The mountain is an extinct (dead) volcano standing alone, which last erupted between 2.6 and 3.1 million years ago. Its slopes include several different biomes; the lowest parts are dry upland forest, changing to montane forest of juniper and podocarpus at about 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), with a belt of bamboo at 2,500 m (about 8,000 ft) that changes to an upper forest of smaller trees covered with moss and "goat's beard" lichen. Above a distinct timberline at about 3,500 m (11,500 ft), there is an afroalpine zone, with its characteristic giant rosette plants. Twelve small (and rapidly shrinking) glaciers may be found scattered among the complex of peaks, of which Batian and Nelion are the highest.
The missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf was the first European to report a sighting of Mount Kenya, in 1849. The first recorded ascent of Mount Kenya was made by Halford John Mackinder, Cesar Ollier and Josef Brocherel on 13 September 1899. The highest point (Batian) is a technical climb; the classic Diamond Couloir climbing route is a Grade IV of about 20 pitches, up to YDS 5.9 in difficulty. Nelion was first climbed by Eric Shipton in 1929, and Shipton and Bill Tilman completed the traverse of the ridge between the two highest peaks. Point Lenana, at 4,985 m (16,355 ft), can be reached by a hiking trail. Mount Kenya is best climbed in January or February on the south side and August or September on the north side.
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