The Naro Moru Route approaches from the West and the Kenya Wildlife Service have a National Park Gate there and also their main headquarters for the mountain. This route used to be by far the most popular route as it is relatively short and has huts at Met Station (3050m) and MacKinders (4200m), however the Sirimon route is now the most popular. The huts are good at both locations and they also provide camping space at a lower cost. The first day up to Met Station is on a vehicle track through the forest, bamboo and also moorland sections. The second day goes through more bamboo and forest before emerging onto the alpine heath and following the Teleki Valley to MacKinders camp. You would usually then use the South approach to Point Lenana, passing another hut (Austrian Hut) at 4790m.
The forest is still dense on this route, as is the bamboo zone. You are quite likely to see bushbuck, Colobus monkey and Sykes Monkey and also evidence of Buffalo and Elephant. The hygenia forest is also in good condition with a lot of flowers and other plants. The giant heathers above the forest were heavily damaged by a fire in 2013 but the alpine moorland has a lot of Giant Lobelia as well as MacKinders Gladiolus higher up. The Teleki Valley has a lot of the classic Tree and Cabbage Groundsels as well as Lobelia Telekii and Deckenii. Some of the cabbage groundsels in particular absolutely massive. On the approach to or at MacKinders you are almost guaranteed to see Rock Hyrax.
Like the Noro Moru Route, this route does not require any technical climbing skills. Arguably this most beautiful of the trekking routes, it is also the longer option and our most popular option for the descent, however you can ascend the Chogoria route too. This route starts and ends at Embu and requires 4×4 transport to reach the starting point. It is also a trekking route that summits Point Lenana taking you through the Gorges Valley and the Lewis Glacier. There are lakes and tarns to explore along this route, although not the same infrastructure that you get on the Naro Moru and Sirimon routes, any climb on the Chogoria side will be a camping trip.
This route is the easiest of the three trekking routes to Point Lenana. Also starting from Naro Moru, the route takes five days and the diverse scenery and enjoyable hiking make this route the perfect choice if accompanied with a descent down the other side on the Chogoria route.
We at Elegantwildsafaris.com have several different combination routes for trekking to Point Lenana, allowing you to go up one route and down another. Almost all are camping routes, but some have mountain huts that you can upgrade to. Our Mt kenya traverse combines spectacular beauty with airy and challenging trekking and good acclimatisation. Mt kenya circuit summit attempt is a bit longer at seven days and explores the nooks and crannies of the mountain, circling the summit massif and camping high throughout.
for a succesful technical rock climbing in Mt kenya technical skills and experience are highly recommended and required for this 21-pitch climb. All 21 pitches are done in one day, making this Mt Kenya summit not only a beautiful climb, but an exhausting one as well. This peak is best attempted in June through August.
The nelion peak is considered as the highest peak in Mt kenya which demand 18 pitches of trad rock climbing. Like its neighbor, plenty of technical rock climbing experience is required prior to climbing this demanding point. It is possible, if the weather and snow pack permits, to climb both Nelion and Batian Peak in the same day if you are a well-experienced fit climber, but this involves traversing between the two. There is in fact a small bivi hut right on the summit of Nelion which can take two people who get weathered out or have run out of time. Prime times for climbing Nelion are September through to March.
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