At the beginning of March 2019, just before Kenya’s rainy season, my brother James and I set off to Nairobi on an overnight flight from London Heathrow. Our ultimate goal was to climb Mount Kenya, where the jagged peaks of Nelion and Batian reach a height of 5,199, making the mountain the second-highest in Africa. We aimed for the summit of Point Lenana at 4,985 meters – the highest peak you can reach without requiring a technical climb.
“According to this, you appear to be dying – unlucky”
James, halfway up Mount Kenya
Most trekkers who journey to East Africa will hope to summit the iconic Mount Kilimanjaro. Standing just across the border in Tanzania at a mammoth 5,895m, it is a favourite among charity trekkers (including myself, back in 2011!) and bucket-listers. To climb Mount Kenya, in comparison, remains relatively rare. However, as our photos and account will hopefully show, it is a breathtaking alternative. Trekkers can avoid the Kili crowds and enjoy some of the most spectacular scenery around.
Climbing Mount Kenya – Choosing a Trekking Company and Route: GoToMountKenya
Many Western companies will offer Mount Kenya group trekking packages for upwards of £2,500. Perhaps this is worth it for those unfamiliar with the area, new to trekking, or who will benefit from the extra reassurance that booking the complete package through a ‘big name’ tour company can bring.
However, our strong preference was to self-organise and find a local outfit to help us climb Mount Kenya. This would give us flexibility over the route and itinerary. It would ensure that all funds go directly into the local economy. It would also, crucially, mean we’d get to know our crew more than would be possible on a group trip.
Having flicked through plenty of options and reviews, we settled on Go To Mount Kenya and never looked back. There was excellent communication from start to finish. By the time we set off for the airport, we felt very well prepared.
Our chosen route was a five-day traverse of the mountain. This itinerary took us up the Chogoria route before heading down the Sirimon route and driving back to Nairobi.
Mount Kenya Day 1 – Nairobi to Bandas Camp (3,000m)
Keeping true to the never-ending battle to make the most of annual leave allowances, we’d made the (arguably inadvisable) decision to take an overnight flight from London Heathrow. We set off wearing full trekking gear and would start our climb on the same day we arrived in Kenya.
The flight passed in a whirlwind of forgettable films, drinks, and failed attempts to sleep. Yet, there were also exciting conversations with fellow trekkers who sat around us. Everyone, without exception, would be travelling onwards, of course, to Kilimanjaro.
Given that we were getting picked up directly from the airport to climb Mount Kenya, the welcome sight of both of our trekking bags trundling around the corner on the luggage carousel felt like the first big hurdle passed. There wouldn’t have been any chance to buy emergency clothes if they’d gone missing! For me, however, the celebration was short-lived. I began to feel an ominous rumbling in my stomach. I knew straight away it was not down to hunger or nerves.
If I thought that the clunky mountaineering boots I was wearing were too heavy-duty for the trek, then they were certainly not ideal for sprinting through the corridors of Nairobi Airport looking for the nearest toilet.
It was not the perfect start to the trip. I was immediately grateful for the easy-access Imodium that Lucy had packed into my first aid kit! I popped a couple, doused myself in hand gel, and then headed off to find James and escape from the airport.
Paul, our guide for the trip, greeted us, and we set off on the 4-hour drive to Mount Kenya National Park. Within 60 seconds of pulling out of the airport grounds, we’d spotted some gazelle peeking through the fence of Nairobi National Park. It was a perfect welcome!
The drive to the mountain was spectacular in its own right, taking us through lush valleys and breathtaking countryside. Eventually, we spotted a familiar shape beginning to emerge through the haze on the horizon. We were still a long drive away, but Mount Kenya would be an ever-present on the horizon for the next five days.
The Mount Kenya Climb Begins!
The trekking began shortly after lunch. We’d met the rest of our crew – three porters and a cook – and started the drive high through thick forests. As we bounced along the dusty track, a menagerie of birds and monkeys kept a constant eye on us. Elephants, lions and buffalo were known to visit the area but kept well hidden if they were close.
Eventually, we pulled and completed the rest of the journey to our first camp on foot. Our final point on Day 1 was Mount Kenya Bandas Camp, a permanent base of wooden huts at 3,000m. It was to be our only night ‘inside’, with the rest spent in tents. The thought of a proper bed was a great incentive, given that we’d spent the previous night crammed into a plane seat.
The trail up to the camp was pretty straightforward and perfect for easing us in ahead of the challenging trekking to follow. We hiked 10km on a well-trodden dirt road, with the razor-sharp summits of the Mount Kenya range in full view. They looked impossibly far away but provided a stunning backdrop to the walk.
Occasionally a truck would bounce down the track towards us, kicking up clouds of pastel yellow dust in its wake. Several trucks were filled with soldiers who had been battling significant fires that had torn across the mountain in the weeks leading up to the trip. Pockets of smoke were still visible, and much of the land was visibly charred.
Halfway up the trail, Paul pointed out some disturbances in the thick undergrowth beside the track. This, combined with some very fresh dung piles, was a sign that buffalo were active in the area. In a way, I was disappointed that it was a buffalo trail rather than evidence of an elephant or lion. Still, the prospect of meeting any of Kenya’s more significant mammals face-to-face on a deserted mountain trail didn’t exactly sound like the safest way to go on safari.
It was probably for the best that we didn’t have any unexpected visitors on our way up to camp. Nature did, however, ensure that the last couple of kilometres were power walked at a brisk pace – my Imodium was starting to wear off!
Porters – The True Heroes of Mount Kenya
I’ll forever maintain that the true heroes of any guided trek are the porters. Our team on Mount Kenya was no exception. These guys get up early, go to bed late and zoom up and down the mountain trails carrying everything the party needs for the entire trek, setting up camp well ahead of the clients’ arrivals. They can be all too easily taken for granted, but this is tough, demanding work that should not go underappreciated.
As if by magic, we had a flask of hot tea and biscuits ready for us once we’d wearily shaken off our bags and taken a shower. A rainstorm halfway up the trail meant we were covered in caked-on mud. As we sat on the grass outside our hut, watching the sunset over the mountain and listening to the cacophony of birdsong surrounding us, it seemed almost a shame to leave straight away in the morning. This place was bliss.
Once the sun had set, it was back into the hut for dinner. Among the many achievements of trekking crews on trips like this, the ability to consistently serve a delicious three-course meal halfway up a mountain has to rank as one of the greatest. On Mount Kenya, meals consist of a soup & bread starter, followed by a carb-heavy main like pasta or rice. Next, the dessert would be fruit, with coffee or tea. Sure, it’s not exactly Michel Roux levels of cuisine, but nothing could top it at that particular moment.
With the sun having set and dinner demolished in record time, it was time to get some desperately needed sleep. This would typically be the part where I tell you that we were out before our heads hit our pillows. However, on this particular occasion, no sooner had we switched our light off than we heard an immense CRASH and an absolute hammering on our tin roof. The blissful quiet we’d enjoyed during the early evening had been replaced by a storm of biblical proportions. The sky reverberated with the type of deafening thunderclaps you’d never get in the UK.
The storm certainly did its best to keep us awake. It succeeded dramatically for a while. Eventually, however, our exhaustion won out, and Day 2 of our Mount Kenya climb was upon us in a flash.
Mount Kenya Day 2 – Bandas Camp (3,200m) to Lake Michaelson (4,000m)
Day 2 began with a suitably hearty breakfast. More porridge and coffee than either of us could have hoped to consume, along with plenty more fruit – perfect. Before we knew it, we were setting back off again.
Today, we aimed to reach camp at Lake Michaelson. This surreal spot is perched 4,000m above sea level at the top of one of the most spectacular valleys you could hope to see. In fact, this was a change to the advertised itinerary. The usual campsite at Lake Ellis (3,600m) was sadly not suitable, having been ravaged by the forest fires.
The shift to Lake Michaelson meant that today would be particularly challenging. We planned to reach a total altitude of 4,200m whilst trekking alongside the Gorges Valley before dropping steeply down to our campsite. We would gain 4,200m in less than 36 hours after stepping off the plane.
This is an unwise move in anybody’s book, as our bodies certainly hadn’t had the chance to acclimatise properly. Slow and steady is the usual order of the day when trekking or climbing at high altitudes. When trekking in East Africa, one phrase you’ll hear a lot is ‘Pole Pole’, which means ‘Slowly Slowly’ in Kiswahili.
It hardly felt like we had much choice on our pace as we crept ever higher. Neither of us would be sprinting off anywhere soon! Beautiful meadows with gently waving grass and a soundtrack of muted birdsong quickly gave way to the eerily burnt ground, which stretched as far as the eye could see – the aftermath of the devastating forest fires.
A few patches of embers were still smouldering just off our path. We welcomed the opportunity to pause and play firefighter to stamp them out. Each break provided a much-needed chance to catch our breath as the oxygen grew thinner with each step we took.
Hitting 4,000 meters on Mount Kenya!
Eventually, as we broke through the 4,000-meter mark, the ground ahead of us suddenly fell away, and the horizon opened up. We’d reached one of the most incredible viewpoints of the Mount Kenya climb, standing on the edge of the world and staring straight up the Gorges Valley. The valley is a dramatic chasm cut out of the Earth, seemingly reaching all the way to the sharp summits in the distance. It was the perfect stop to shake off our rucksacks and take a much-needed break – just as our porter crew caught up with us and pressed on (as ever) at a seriously impressive pace.
Our route took us directly along the edge of the valley, and the views remained spectacular for the rest of the leg, especially as the clouds rolling in and out lent a dramatic atmosphere. Eventually, having reached 4,200 meters, it was time to wolf down our packed lunches and take an extended break. We would then descend steeply into the valley to our campsite. With both of us suffering a fair bit from the sharp altitude gains since setting off the plane, we decided to play amateur doctor, checking our blood oxygen levels and heart rates using James’ phone.
We found James’ pulse straight away, and he seemed to be doing fine. On the other hand, mine jumped all over the place before disappearing and failing to register a consistent measurement. At this point, James declared that I must be in the early stages of a heart attack. Or just outright dying. Thankfully, the accuracy of a phone pulsometer is questionable at best, and I have lived to tell the tale.
The weather started coming in as we set off again – the first real test for our waterproofs! On a climb of Mount Kenya, the weather tends to follow a predictable pattern, with clear skies in the morning and clouds coming in during the afternoon. We began our descent to Lake Michaelson, which followed a reasonably rudimentary path down the valley’s steep sides. Halfway down, one of Paul’s bags managed to wriggle free from his pack. It began a comical roll down the hill, which eventually saw all 3 of us chasing (carefully) after it before it came to a natural halt at the foot of a boulder.
Arriving at Lake Michaelson
We eventually made it down to the campsite with all our luggage intact. Breathtaking is a word too often bandied about, but it’s the right way to describe the cauldron of Lake Michaelson. It is surrounded on three sides by steep cliffs and mountain peaks, with the perfectly still lake stretching out in front of us before disappearing down a waterfall. There are stunning views back down the valley. Being so protected from the elements, there was an eerie, almost echoey quality to the sound in the camp. Even whispered conversation was audible from a seemingly impossible distance.
The icing on the cake was that we only shared this incredible camp with one other group. Humans were outnumbered here by wonderful balls of fluff called Rock Hyrax – which looked like giant mountain hamsters. These provided the bulk of the evening’s entertainment before the light, and warmth, rapidly faded away, and we retreated to the comfort of our tents.
Mount Kenya Day 3 – Lake Michaelson to Mintos Camp (4,200m)
The aim of the game today was to steeply climb back out of our campsite at Lake Michaelson and regain the altitude we had lost at the end of the previous day. We would then settle down at the remote Mintos Camp ahead of an early alpine start (i.e. middle of the night) to begin our summit attempt.
The journey from Lake Michaelson to Mintos Camp was relatively quick. However, the relentless steep climbing ensured no walk in the park. Once we had ascended the valley alongside a waterfall, the landscape opened up in front of us, and we could finally see the summit directly ahead of us in the distance. The many other peaks of the Mount Kenya range flanked it on both sides. Another truly spectacular sight.
With the sun beating down on us, we started another straight slog up a steep slope. Once finished, we’d effectively reached our camping altitude and were only a short walk from our tents. There was a chance for one more incredible view along the way – the 150m cliffs overlooking Lake Michaelson!
We stood at an impossible height, staring down at where we’d come from and feeling very small indeed. Of course, before heading off to camp, we had to take the chance for James and me to take turns getting “that” shot of each other standing on the cliff edge. It shamelessly fitted the definition of “for the ‘gram”.
Preparing for Mount Kenya’s Summit
Our arrival at camp did not signal the end of the day’s efforts. We’d made excellent time, and Paul suggested dropping our big bags and heading off on an acclimatisation walk. This would give us the best chance to attempt a successful summit the following day. So we trudged up a scree slope, surprising ourselves at how good we felt as we hit a final height of 4,600m.
The summits of Mount Kenya felt like they were in touching distance from the ridge we were on. It was the perfect confidence boost for what was to come. After a spot of ‘scree skiing’ to get back to camp, we spent the afternoon preparing our kit for our 2.30am departure and entertaining the small handful of Rock Hyrax who had come to sniff optimistically around our dinner.
Once the sun had set over the peaks, we headed straight to our tents to catch as much sleep as possible before our early start.
Day 4 – Mount Kenya Summit Day (4,985m)
Sleep hadn’t come easily. The combination of freezing temperatures, sleeping on a slope and excitement for the final climb meant that I had spent most of the night staring at the roof of the tent whilst occasionally keeping my ears pricked for the occasional animal noises outside. Camping can do strange things to the senses, especially in a remote place and especially when it’s windy outside. Every sound seems magnified, and you can convince yourself that even the benign patter of a curious Rock Hyrax is almost certainly a pack of hyenas about to tear into your sleeping bag.
Luckily, as my alarm rang at 1.45am, the hyena pack had left us alone. It was time to get some food and tea into us whilst we did our final checks.
Headtorches, gloves, hats, down jackets, and more – this was not the day to lose track of the vital equipment! Thankfully, we were both sorted, and we set off with Paul just before 2.30am. The Mount Kenya climb was getting serious!
The early morning start is always my favourite part of a summit climb, although I undoubtedly say this with the benefit of rose-tinted glasses! There is something indescribably surreal about setting off in the middle of the night, with every step taking a noticeable effort in the increasingly thin air and only the light of your headtorch guiding your path.
Surrounded by darkness, you put one foot in front of the other for hours and hours. Rocks, boulders and plants become dark shadows watching your every step across the frosty ground. Occasionally, you stop to glance and get a sense of progress, but the black night swallows up the light from your torch.
This was our reality for the next few hours. We pressed slowly on, barely making conversation except to nod and gasp that we were OK to carry on. Every so often, we’d spot a pinprick of light above or below us – a headtorch from another trekker showing us where we were aiming for and where we had already been.
It was monotonous, draining trekking – and all the more rewarding for it. Eventually, our zig-zag route up the side of the peak began to level out, and we hit a ridge. We could finally see over the ‘other side’ of the mountain and could spot the lights of the nearest towns twinkling thousands of meters below.
Sunrise and the Summit of Point Lenana
Traversing the ridge, we could begin to make out the beginnings of a warm, blood-red glow on the horizon. Sunrise was close – and so was the summit! We left our packs on a plateau before the final scramble to Point Lenana, the only point of the trek where we needed both hands and feet!
Unbeknown to me at the time, James was suffering quite significantly from the altitude and did a sterling job of stoically navigating the rocks despite it. As we reached the home straight, the sky looked like it was on fire. We had somehow timed our climb perfectly to reach the summit and watch a classic African sunrise from 5,000m!
The final hurdle was the ‘highest via-ferrata in the world’. A small section of ladders hammered into the rock face led us up to the plateau, where we were greeted with the sign and Kenyan flag, which showed us that we had made it to Point Lenana!
After the obligatory summit photos, we settled onto a perch and watched the sun creep over the horizon. It appeared first as a bright red sliver before stretching high into the sky in a matter of minutes. At points, you could see it moving through the sky, bringing with it some much-needed early warmth!
We were lucky to have a clear day. The conditions gave us the perfect view over Mount Kenya’s dramatic Nelion and Batian summits and allowed us to spot the hump of Kilimanjaro hundreds of kilometres away on the horizon. We spent thirty minutes or so on the summit, taking in the sights and watching the light change dramatically as the sun raced ever higher into the sky.
Descending to our final camp
Eventually, it was time to head down and descend to the other side of the mountain. We would reach Shipton Camp for breakfast before a long trek down to our final camp, Old Moses, at 3,300m.
We slipped and slid down a seemingly never-ending scree slope, finally crashing through the doors of the Shipton huts for some much-needed porridge and tea! It was the busier side of the mountain, and we shared our table with more people than we’d seen in the previous 3-4 days combined, and there were plenty of tents pitched on the flat ground outside.
Breakfast demolished, it was time to head off on what felt like the homeward straight. It was barely 10am, but standing on the summit was already beginning to feel like a distant memory. We would spend the next couple of hours gently descending Mackinder’s Valley.
The valley is named after Harold Mackinder, who is credited with being the first to climb Mount Kenya. However, if he is to be recognised for this achievement, it would be remiss of me not also to mention that he was a white supremacist who held some thoroughly unpleasant views and had 8 of his porters shot dead on the mountain.
The views up the valley towards the peaks were predictably spectacular, and the weather was perfect. Forking off to the right, we began to cross moorland and gentle streams, which could quite easily have passed for the Yorkshire Dales or the Peak District on a pleasant summer’s day. Eventually, Old Moses camp came into view – agonisingly far away. Unfortunately, it never seemed to get much closer, but finally, we made it, nursing a few extra blisters for our efforts!
Although the camp had huts and bunks, we opted for a final night camping on the mountain. The highlight of Old Moses was seeing the mountain’s shadow cast onto the plains below – an almost perfect pyramid, reminding us just how high we still were.
Read next: A winter walk on Loughrigg Fell in the Lake District.
Day 5 – Return from Mount Kenya to Nairobi
Our final day was a relatively short one. A brisk walk from Old Moses camp took us to the exit gate for Mount Kenya National Park. We’d meet our vehicle there and make our journey back to Nairobi. The Mount Kenya climb was coming to an end.
Although the walk was short and along the first tarmac we’d seen in days, it was a great chance to reflect on our journey with Paul and enjoy more of Kenya’s diverse wildlife. Particularly fun were the baboons who appeared in their dozens, bounding along the roadside as we clunked towards the end of our trip.
Once we arrived at the gate, it was finally time to bid farewell to most of our crew. As is customary on trekking expeditions like this one, James and I had split out a tip for everyone – porters, cook and Paul himself. Trekking and climbing in places like Mount Kenya is a seasonal business, and you should not underestimate the importance of leaving a good tip for your crew. A reasonable amount is 10-15% of the costs of climbing Mount Kenya.
After one final group photo, we jumped in our transport and began the drive back. We arrived in Nairobi ready for a great night’s sleep before our sunrise safari through Nairobi National Park the next morning.
Climbing Mount Kenya was a truly wonderful experience – a perfect combination of spectacular sights, challenging trekking and an incredibly professional outfit to organise it through. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Go To Mount Kenya to anybody looking to arrange their trip to climb Mount Kenya, and we’ll always be thankful to Paul and the gang for a brilliant week.
This looks like such a fun trip! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much for reading – it was a great experience and amazing mountain to climb.
What an absolutely magnificent adventure. Bravo! Being born in South Africa I long to return to explore more of Africa. I probably won’t be climbing up Kilimanjaro or Mount Kenya, but I look forward to visiting Kenya and I surely enjoyed your detailed account of your experience. I really like your overall attitude and appreciation for the work of those who navigated your way for you. Your photos are certainly very evocative and dramatic. Love the ones of the sunrise.
Peta
Hi Peta,
Thank you so much for reading and for your kind comment. Very pleased that you enjoyed the blog, and that my appreciation for the guides & porters came across as intended! Hope you can make it to Kenya at some point soon!
Matt
I hope so too. Do stop by our Green Global Trek, we would love to read your thoughts and feedback on our blog.
I hope this won’t be a duplicate comment but I tried to leave a comment and it wouldn’t post. Anyway congrats!! We attempted to summit Mount Kenya a few years ago. Unfortunately it had been snowing for days. Not only was the route covered in snow and ice but there was a lot of ice fall. We completed one pitch before turning around. At least it’s a great hike so it wasn’t all bad.
Kenya is high up on my bucketlist, though I didn’t know it’s home to the second highest mountain in Africa! Will definitely make use of this post in the future.
Thanks Nadia! I think Mount Kenya is still relatively unknown, but it’s a beautiful area to explore even if you don’t want to hike all the way to the top! Would love to go back and explore more of Kenya one day 🙂 Thanks again for reading!
Congrats! We attempted to summit Mount Kenya a few years ago but it had been snowing for days and the route was not only covered in snow and ice but also large chunks of ice were dropping down from above. We completed one pitch before we were forced to trunks around. The hike was amazing though so it wasn’t a complete disappointment.
Thanks for stopping by! Sounds like you absolutely made the right decision to turn around in those conditions. Like you say, the hike is a great one regardless – would like to experience it in winter conditions one day!