Sirimon Route & Naromoru route - Mount Kenya Climbing, Kenya
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Sirimon Route & Naromoru route - Mount Kenya Climbing, Kenya
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Sirimon Route & Naromoru route - Mount Kenya Climbing, Kenya
Mount Kenya:
P.O. Box 51322 - 00200, Nairobi,
Kenya. Website:
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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.
Sirimon Route
This route starts 15 km (9 miles) east around the Mount Kenya Ring Road from
Nanyuki. The gate is 10 km (6 miles) further along the track, which can be
walked or driven by two-wheel drives.
The track climbs up through the forest. On the north side of the mountain
there is no bamboo zone, so the forest gradually turns into moorland covered
with giant heather. The track ends at Old Moses Hut and becomes a path. This
continues up the hill before splitting into two routes. To the left, the
least used path goes around the side of the Barrow, to Liki North Hut. The
vegetation becomes more sparse, with giant lobelia and groundsels dotted
around. The path climbs over a ridge, before rejoining the main path
ascending the Mackinder Valley. Shipton's Cave can be found in the rock wall
to the left of the steep path just before reaching Shipton's Camp.
From Shipton's Camp, it is possible to ascend the ridge directly in front of
the camp to the site of Kami Hut, which no longer exists, or follow the
river up to Lower Simba Tarn and eventually to Simba Col. These are both on
the Peak Circuit Path
Naro Moru Route
This route is taken by many of the trekkers who try to reach Point Lenana.
It can be ascended in only 3 days and has bunkhouses at each camp so a tent
is not necessary. The terrain is usually good, although one section is
called the Vertical Bog.
The track starts in Naro Moru town and heads past the Park Headquarters up
the ridge between the Northern and Southern Naro Moru Rivers. At the
roadhead is the Meteorological Station, to which it is possible to drive in
the dry season. The route drops down into the Northern Naro Moru Valley to
Mackinder's Camp on the Peak Circuit Path.
