Climbing Mount Kenya

On arrival at Nairobi International Airport you will be met by a local representative and transferred to your hotel.

Timau Route (2,700m) - Marania Camp (3,200m).
Hiking time: 4 hours

After breakfast you will be collected from your hotel and transfer to Wilson Airport for a scheduled light aircraft flight to Nanyuki. On landing you will be met and transferred to the departure point for your hike. (BLD)

The hike starts off at the moorland zone and takes you up through patches of bamboo and heather. You will stop for lunch on the rim of the crater, which offers a chance to see some of the rare mountain species such as eland, zebra, buffalo and even the occasional elephant. The view as you ascend is breathtaking, looking down across Kisima, Lewa Downs, Samburu and the great Northern Frontier beyond and up to the glaring peaks of Mount Kenya ahead. You will continue on your way to Marania Camp on the edge of one of the mountain’s shoulders in heather moorland.

Marania Camp (3,200m) - Major’s Camp (3,800m).
Hiking time: 8 hours

You will depart the camp after breakfast, and walk up through the moorland back towards the peaks ahead that make up the Mt Kenya Massif. Lunch will be at the Marania Spring, which is the source of the river that runs by Marania camp, this is a beautiful lunch spot and especially if there are some curious zebra around. You should arrive at Major’s Camp in the afternoon, which is set up at the base of the valley near some very dramatic rock faces. Some wildlife have been known to frequent the area, previous guests have had sightings of the rare Serval cat. (BLD)

Major’s Camp (3,800m) - Simba Tarn (4,650m).
Hiking time: 8 hours

The hike up towards the Lower Simba Tarn starts off being fairly steep and eases off before the final climb up to Simba Tarn. This walk is definitely an experience that resembles no other, with an extremely unique lunar landscape coupled with very distinctive vegetation. This will be your first glimpse of the fabulous Giant groundsels particularly in the Hobley Valley below the massifs of Terere and Sendeyo. This vegetation is endemic to Mt Kenya with its unique adaptions to the vast day to day temperature changes. You will arrive at the Simba Tarn camp at the top of the Hobley Valley and aptly named Gorges Valley. The views from Simba Tarn camp are breathtaking. (BLD)

Simba Tarn (4,650m) - Point Lenana (4,985m) - Met Station.
Hiking time: 12 hours

An early departure at 5.30am for a sunrise summit is the best way to experience this climb, and enjoy the expansive views of the mountainside, valleys and country beyond - even the summit of Kilimanjaro if you are lucky. (BL)

The descent takes you down the southern side along the Naro Moru route where you will have brunch in the Teleki Valley. Then it’s a final walk down to the MET station for collection. You will be back in the Nanyuki area for around 3 pm. You will then continue by road transfer to Nairobi and you hotel.

After breakfast you will be transferred to Nairobi and your onward arrangements. (B)