Destination Kenya
This route commences 15 kilometers (approximately 9 miles) to the east of Mt. Kenya Ring Road, starting from Nanyuki, and is followed by a 10-kilometer journey to the gate, which can either be walked or driven. The trail ascends through the forest and terminates at Old Moses Hut. As you progress, the vegetation gradually becomes sparser, eventually rejoining the main path that ascends the Mackinder Valley. Keep an eye out for Shipton's Cave, situated in the rock wall on the left side of the steep path just before reaching Shipton's Camp. From the camp, follow the river up to Lower Simba Tarn, and then continue to Simba Col, both of which are on the Peak Circuit Path.
We will pick you up from your hotel and depart from Nairobi at 8 am, heading to Nanyuki town for lunch, which will take about 4 hours. Afterward, we proceed to Mount Kenya National Park's Sirimon Gate, which is approximately 1 hour away and situated at an altitude of 2,440 meters. From the Sirimon Gate, we follow the track as it winds uphill through the forest, which gradually transitions into heathland after about 3 hours. About 3½ hours from the gate, the track veers right to reach Judmaier Campsite at 3,300 meters, where we will have dinner and spend the night.
After breakfast, we continue trekking along the track, ascending through the Mount Kenya National Park's rainforest to an altitude of 3,990 meters, while taking the left fork at a junction after one hour from Old Moses Camp. The track eventually crosses the Ontulili River. We continue left, contouring through the Moorland and eventually cross over to reach Liki North Camp at 3,993 meters for the night (camping).
After a hearty breakfast, we trek from Liki North Camp uphill towards Mackinder's Valley. Along this valley, you'll have panoramic views up towards the main peaks, including Nelion, Batian, and Lenana. Following a scenic hike, we reach our overnight camp at Shipton Campsite, situated at 4,200 meters, where we'll have dinner and spend the night.
Starting from Shipton's camp, the trail leads to Kami Hut, located below the north face of Batian. Continuing west-southwest, the trail ascends with switchbacks in the snow before reaching Hausberg Col at 4,590 meters. From there, we descend into the upper Hausberg valley and rest at the aptly named oblong and Hausberg tarns. Ascending to the crest of a ridge known as Arthur's Seat, we follow the trail winding along a beautiful series of rock ledges. Eventually, we descend to Mackinder's Camp for the night.
The typical approach is to begin the day early, setting out at 2 am to ensure reaching the peak in time to witness the sunrise. The hike from Mackinder's Camp to Point Lenana takes approximately 4 hours, arriving at the summit by sunrise at 6:30 am. After enjoying the sunrise and capturing summit photographs, we descend back to Mackinder's Camp for breakfast, which takes about 2 hours. We continue descending Mt. Kenya for approximately 4 hours, eventually arriving at Met Station for dinner and overnight.
After breakfast, we descend through the rainforest, covering a distance of 9 kilometers to reach Mount Kenya National Park's Naro Moru Gate, situated at 2,600 meters. Here, you will connect with your transportation back to Nairobi, with an estimated arrival time of around 3 pm (Breakfast, Lunch).
Destination Kenya
Destination Tanzania
Mountain Climbing
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Here is a list of travel information you may find useful when planning your safari holiday tour of Kenya and Tanzania. If you require any further details or have questions on something not covered by this list, please get in touch with the Grayton Expeditions team.
Tourists visiting Kenya must have a valid visa. Your passport must also be valid for at least six months after the date
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