Explore Mount Kenya : Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-tallest mountain after Kilimanjaro, is 17,000 feet in height. Kikuyu tradition claims that it is the Supreme Being’s residence. Mount Kenya is known to the Kikuyu as Kere Nyaga, which translates to “the mountain of brightness.” Mountain climbers frequently travel to and hike Mount Kenya. There are several picturesque trails that give both straightforward and more difficult ways to reach the peak’s summit.
However, Mount Kenya has a lot to offer other safari travelers as well. It has a wide range of animals, including numerous species that are specific to Mount Kenya. A significant portion of the mountain is protected by the Kenyan government as part of the Mount Kenya National Park, a site that has been designated as a World Heritage Site. Game drives and horseback safaris are popular ways to tour the Mount Kenya foothills.
WILDLIFE ON MOUNT KENYA
As the altitude varies, the flora and wildlife change. The lower slopes are covered in dry highland woodland. The next area is a montane forest with yellowwood and cedar. Olive baboons, waterbucks, black rhinos, black-fronted duikers, leopards, genets, bush pigs, and hyenas could all be spotted. The Big 5, black-and-white colobus monkeys, Sykes monkeys, bushbucks, and other wildlife can also be found atop Mount Kenya.
A bamboo belt encircles the peak higher up. It gradually disappears as you climb and is replaced by heath bushes, moorland, and finally rocky outcrops. Even if there is fewer vegetation, you might come across a few high-altitude zebras or big eland antelopes, Explore Mount Kenya
THE WEATHER IN MOUNT KENYA
The equator, where the volcano is located, is linked to Mount Kenya’s climate, which is often warm and sunny during the day and gradually cools off at night. The dry season and the wet season are the two seasons that Mount Kenya experiences. The dry season lasts from mid-March to June, and the wet season lasts from July to September. The optimum time to climb Mount Kenya is during the dry season, which is characterized by little to no precipitation and daily average temperatures ranging from 11 °C to 26 °C depending on height.
It is recommended to bring warm clothing, especially at night, because while climbing Mount Kenya, you will spend the night at the highest heights of the mountain. However, despite the volcano’s great altitude, temperatures rarely drop below freezing. A sleeping bag, thermal base layers, fleeces, and protective outer layers are some of the essential packing list for climbing Mount Kenya.
MOUNT KENYA TREKKING ROUTES
Naro Moru route to Mount Kenya
The most popular alternative for the ascent is this particular trip, which ascends the Noro Moru Route from the west. It includes the infamous “Vertical Bog,” which leads from Mackinders Camp to the Talek Valley and up for about an hour above the Met Camp. The Austrian Hut is located at the base of the Lewis Glacier, which has now greatly receded over the past 20 years. From here, an acclimatization day is followed by an early start to the summit, first through simple trails to the top of the valley, and then up a difficult zigzag route on lose ground.
This route presents the additional difficulty of a Via Ferrata in addition to its breathtaking scenery. The fixed lines assist to give a little bit more confidence, but the airy exposure of scrambling the side of the summit ridge from the Austrian Hut is definitely an adrenaline rush for anyone wishing to experience the exposure of steep summits. The gorgeous Chogoria route is the most popular descent from the peak, but you may also take the Sirimon way or the Naro Moru route back down for less money, Explore Mount Kenya
Chogoria route to Mount Kenya
The Chogoria Route on Mount Kenya, like the Noro Moru Route, does not necessitate technical climbing abilities. The Chogoria trail is the most popular option for the descent and is arguably the most picturesque of the trekking routes. You can also ascend it. This route begins and ends in Embu, and getting there requires 4×4 transportation. Additionally, there is a hiking trail that ascends Point Lenana and passes by the Lewis Glacier and Gorges Valley. Although this route lacks the same infrastructure as the Naro Moru and Sirimon routes, there are lakes and tarns to explore. Any ascent on the Chogoria side will require a camping trip.
Sirimon route, Mount Kenya
The simplest of the three hiking paths to Point Lenana is Sirimon, another walking route that connects to the destination. The five-day route, which also departs from Naro Moru, offers a variety of landscapes and pleasurable hiking, making it the ideal option when combined with a descent down the other side via the Chogoria path.
COMBINATION ROUTES, TRAVERSES AND SUMMIT CIRCUITS ON MOUNT KENYA
You can choose from a variety of combination routes that travel up one path and down another to hike to Point Lenana. Nearly all of these are camping routes, but you can stay in mountain huts on some of them. Mount Kenya Traverse, which takes five or six days and ascends the Naro Moru and descends by the Chogoria route, is our top pick since it combines breathtaking beauty with strenuous trekking and effective acclimatization. The Top Circuit, which lasts seven days and circles the summit massif while camping high the entire time, investigates the mountain’s crevices.
MOUNT KENYA BATIAN PEAK TECHNICAL CLIMBS
If you are an experienced traditional climber, you will enjoy the challenge of Batian Peak, Mount Kenya’s actual summit (5,199m). Previous technical rock climbing experience is necessary for this 21-pitch climb. The entire 21-pitch climb to the top of Mount Kenya is completed in a single day, making it both a stunning and taxing ascent. The optimum months to try this peak are from June through August, Explore Mount Kenya
MOUNT KENYA NELION PEAK TECHNICAL CLIMBS
On Mount Kenya, the second-highest summit requires 18 pitches of traditional rock climbing. Prior to ascending this difficult peak, you must have a lot of technical rock climbing experience, just like its neighbor. If you are an experienced climber in good physical condition, it is feasible to climb both Nelion and Batian Peak on the same day. However, this requires traveling between the two peaks. In fact, there is a little bivi cabin directly on Nelson’s peak that can accommodate two hikers who have become weary or have run out of time. The months of September through March are the best for climbing Nelion.
THE BEST TIMES TO VISIT MOUNT KENYA
Although Mount Kenya may be climbed all year round, the best months to do so are January through March and June through October from any of the trekking routes. The wet months are typically April, May, and November. However, since climate change began, it has become more challenging to anticipate them, Explore Mount Kenya
MOUNT KENYA: FITNESS LEVEL REQUIRED FOR MOUNT KENYA HIKING
You don’t have to be a very fit climber to complete the trekking routes up to Point Lenana. However, you ought to be physically healthy overall and have some prior experience hiking in steep terrain. You must be in top climbing fitness to tackle Nelion or Batian Peak. Climbs with multiple pitches require a lot of muscle and endurance. Both in terms of your walking and climbing abilities, you must ascend Point Lenana as part of the technical climbing routes, so be prepared to walk as well as climb multiple pitches. Adventure Alternative encourages good acclimation regardless of the path you take. In order to prevent you from ascending too soon and to give you enough time to acclimatize, some tour companies incorporate extra days and hikes into their itineraries.
HOW TO GET TO MOUNT KENYA?
Mount Kenya is located around 200 kilometers (125 miles) northeast of Nairobi city and is protected by Mount Kenya National Park. In order to reach the peak, one must fly to Kenya via Nairobi and land at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO). Road transportation can be used to go to Mount Kenya from Nairobi in either a public or private car.
HOW HARD IS IT TO CLIMB MOUNT KENYA?
Regardless of the peak you are climbing, climbing Mount Kenya is generally quite difficult, so every climber needs to be at least somewhat fit. Your level of fitness aids you in negotiating steep terrain and longer distances while climbing. Because Mount Kenya is higher, climbing it is typically more difficult than descending. Please take note that if you are experiencing altitude sickness, you will require the assistance of a professional guide.
