Climbing Routes on Mount Kenya

There are three main Climbing Routes on Mount Kenya, which penetrate the forest and the moorland. The routes are Naromoru route, Sirimon route and Chogoria route and each of which has something different to offer. The Trek Mount Kenya Climbing Expeditions has offers for the below hiking routes. It is possible to combine hiking Mt. Kenya with Kenya safaris.

Climb Mount Kenya Naromoru route – The fastest route to point Lenana but not as scenic as the other two. It is often overcrowded with many climbers since it’s the most popular route compared to Chogoria route and Sirimon route trek Mount Kenya.

Mount Kenya Climbing Chogoria route – The most scenic and interesting of the three main routes on the mountain. The route passes the enchanting Hall Tarns and looks down sheer cliffs into the spectacular Gorges Valley and onto the beautiful Lake Michaelson.

Climbing Mount Kenya Sirimon route – The least used of the three main routes, but features the most gradual ascent profile and best acclimatisation options and above all the most interesting since its on the drier side on the mountain. The route passes through impressive Yellowwood forests in the lower reaches and features abundant wildlife and beautiful alpine scenery higher up.

Note: The normal pattern of weather on Mount Kenya is for clear mornings with mist closing in from 10:00am although this can clear by evening. Therefore, early morning climb Mt Kenya starts are the order of the day with a 2am start for the final ascent to point Lenana, if you want to catch the sunrise. Go to Mount Kenya now and experience the majestic sunrise over Mt. Kenya. Sirimon route Mount Kenya is one of the best routes to use to hike to Lenana Peak.

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.

The Temple is a 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 The Temple, which is a 300 m (1,000 ft) cliff 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 of hiking Mt. Kenya.

Naromoru Route

Vertical bog on Mount Kenya on the Naromoru 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.

Go to Mount Kenya climb via Naromoru route – The track starts in Naromoru town and heads past the Park Headquarters up the ridge between the Northern and Southern Naromoru 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 Naromoru Valley to Mackinder’s Camp on the Peak Circuit Path.

Sirimon Route Mount Kenya

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.

Trek Mount Kenya

Main Peaks of Mount Kenya: Mt Kenya elevation:

-Batian (5199 m – 17,058 ft)

-Nelion (5188 m – 17,022 ft)

-Point Lenana (4985 m – 16,355 ft)

-Coryndon Peak (4960 m – 16,273 ft)

-Point Pigott (4957 m – 16,266 ft)

-Point Thompson (4955 m – 15,466 ft)

-Point Dutton (4885 m – 16,027 ft)

-Point John (4883 m – 16,016 ft)

-Point Melhuish (4880 m – 16,010 ft)

-Point John Minor (4875 m – 15,990 ft)

-Krapf Rognon (4800 m – 15,740 ft)[17]

-Point Peter (4757 m – 15,607 ft)

-Point Slade (4750 m – 15,580 ft)

-Terere (4714 m – 15,462 ft)

-Sendeyo (4704 m – 15,433 ft)

-Midget Peak (4700 m – 15,420 ft)

-The Hat (4639 m – 15,220 ft)

-Delamere Peak

-Macmillan Peak

Glaciers on Mount Kenya

The glaciers on Mount Kenya are retreating rapidly. The Mountain Club of Kenya in Nairobi has photographs showing the mountain when it was first climbed in 1899, and again more recently, and the retreat of the glaciers is very evident. Descriptions of ascents of several of the peaks advise on the use of crampons, but now there is no ice to be found. There is no new snow to be found, even on the Lewis Glacier (the largest of them) in winter, so no new ice will be formed. It is predicted to be less than 30 years before there is no more ice on Mount Kenya, climbing & trekking Mt Kenya.

The area of glaciers on the mountain was measured in the 1980s, and recorded as about 0.7 km² (0.25 square miles). This is far smaller than the first observations, made in the 1890s.

Climb Mount Kenya clockwise from the north:

-Northey

-Krapf

-Gregory

-Lewis

-Diamond

-Darwin

-Forel

-Heim

-Tyndall

-Cesar

-Josef

Water streams starting around Mount Kenya

Mount Kenya is the main water catchment area for two large rivers in Kenya; the Tana, the largest river in Kenya, and the Ewaso Ng’iro North. The Mount Kenya ecosystem provides water directly for over 2 million people. The streams that start on Mount Kenya are:

-The Sirimon

-The Liki

-The Nanyuki

-Mutonga

-Kithino

-The Nazita

-Thingithu

-The Nitmi

-The Tnuchi

-Kathita

-The Nyamindi

-The Sagana

-The Nairobi

-The Naro Moru

-The Burguret