Climbing Mount Kenya – Routes, Prices and Tips
Situated in the former Eastern province of Kenya, currently popular as the Eastern region of Kenya features this remarkable mountain approximately 17 kilometers south of Equator and 150 kilometers north-northeast of Nairobi capital city.
It is undeniably the highest mountain in this stunning East African state and second highest in the entire continent after Kilimanjaro which is about 320 kilometers in the south and can easily be spotted in the broad day light. Its highest peaks include Nelion which stands at altitude of 5188 meters, Batian at 5199 meters, Point Lenana at 4985 meters.
This mountain derived its name from state’s name itself. Mount Kenya features among the very few stratovolcanoes and it evolved about three million years ago after the opening of the East African rift. Prior glaciation, it stood at a height of 7000 meters and was filled with an ice cap for thousands of years. This however led erosion of slopes and several valleys that radiate from its center point. Today, this mountain features about eleven small glaciers and its forested slopes are significant source of water for most parts of Kenya.
Besides, it features many vegetation bands from its baseline up to its summit while its lower slopes comprise of distinct kinds of forests. Most of the alpine species are primarily endemic to this mountain and they include among others the giant lobelias, senecios as well as local subspecies of rock hyrax. About 715 square kilometers of this mountain is gazetted as a national park and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.
Mount Kenya National Park registers about 16.000 tourists each year and it was founded in 1949. This park offers refuge to an areas which surrounds this mountain. The park itself was established basically for tourism, protect its scenic beauty, biodiversity and water catchment areas in its surrounding areas.
This mountain is surrounded by ethnic communities in Kenya most of which include Embu, Ameru, Maasai and Kikuyu. These ethnic groups look at this mountain as one of the most significant treasures especially when it comes to culture. The Kikuyu stay on the southern and western part of this mountain and these are mainly agriculturalists as the soils along this mountain slopes. This ethnic group believes that God-Ngai also known as Mwene Nyaga one point stayed in this place when he descended from heaven.
The Ameru on other hand live in the east, north and north-western slopes of this mountain. These are also agriculturalists and mainly rear cattle. The Maasai are found on the Kenyan highlands about 150 kilometers north-northeast of Nairobi. The Embu stay in the southeast of the mountain and treat this mountain as God’s refuge. This mountain looks like Mount Fuji. Its central peaks are volcanic plugs which resisted glacial erosion. The original crater stood at 6000 meters higher than even Kilimanjaro.
Ever since it became extinct, this mountain has had 2 main periods of glaciation that can be sighted around the 2 major rings of moraines below the glaciers. The lowest moraine lies at about 3300 meters. The lower slopes of Mount Kenya have not been glaciated and currently been cultivated and forested. These can be differentiated by steep sided V-shaped valleys with several tributaries. On the top part, you will find moorland and the valleys become U-shaped and shallower with flatter bottoms.
When this mountain was once active, satellite activity occurred. The northeastern part of it features ancient volcanic plugs and craters. The biggest of these include the Ithanguni and this featured its own ice cap when the main peaks were occupied in ice. This can be sighted by the smoothed summit of the peak. The circular hills with steep sides are common in this place that are perhaps the ruins of the small plugged vents. The rocks which make up this mountain comprise of rhomb porphyrites, basalts, phonolites, trachytes and kenytes.
Mount Kenya Climbing Tours
Mount Kenya is Africa’s second highest mountain and offers a choice of exciting treks and climbs through varied ecosystems and awe-inspiring scenery. With its volcanic ridges and glacial valleys radiating across the land like spokes from a wheel, the massive bulk of Mount Kenya straddles the Equator yet is permanently crowned with snow.
The Mount Kenya National Park, surrounded by 2000 square kilometres of Forest Reserve, is dominated by the twin summits of Batian (5,199 m) and Nelion (5,188 m). The Mount Kenya Forest Reserve provides the ideal habitat for vast herds of buffalo and elephant as well as a bright kaleidoscope of birds and other wildlife. At higher altitudes, the forest gives way to lush bamboo groves where colobus monkeys leap and leopard prowl and, higher up, there is tussock grass and alpine moorlands, jewel-studded by icy glacial tarns and moraines.
As for the globally unique alpine flora, it features 13 species endemic to the mountain including giant lobelias, groundsel and water-holding cabbages. Mount Kenya Treks & Climbing Tours We offer tailor made treks on Mount Kenya for small private groups.
Our trips are flexible, personalized itineraries (without set departure dates) with experienced guides who will make sure your trip is safe and enjoyable. Climbing Mount Kenya is an experience of a lifetime, highly recommended to the adventurous traveller willing to forego some of life’s luxuries for a few days. Point Lenana (4985m) can be achieved by any physically fit person and no climbing experience is necessary. It is also possible to hike on the mountain without the pressure of a summit climb.
There are plenty of trails off the beaten track where you can spend time appreciating the dramatic and varied landscape. Personalized Treks & Climbs Your trip will be just yours – a private trek. You will not be joining a bigger group. So even if your group is just two people, you will be on your own with your Guide. Small groups make the whole experience more personal and less regimented. The Mountain Team Your trip will be supporting a local group which makes its living from guiding guests around the mountain.
The Guide will lead you at a leisurely pace and chat to you about the mountain on the way. The Cook will produce delicious meals in camp and provide picnic lunches. The porters will help you with all your kit and also set up camp. The Guide, Cook and porters are all registered with the Kenya Wildlife Service, and are all locally based in and around Nanyuki town, located on the north western side of Mount Kenya. When to visit Mount Kenya The best times to visit Mount Kenya are June to October and December to March.
The ground is at its driest from January to March, the ideal months for camping and access to the park gates. At other times of the year, the ground is wetter and occasionally an itinerary has to be changed if an access route becomes too waterlogged. It is advisable to avoid April to May and November, the long and short rains respectively. You may well experience the odd shower whatever time of year you visit. The mountain has its own micro-climate with convectional rainfall sometimes occurring from late morning to late afternoon.
How to get to Mount Kenya
The main route to this mountain takes you through Nanyuki or Naro Moru and all these can easily be reached from Nairobi using bus or matatu, private means of transport. You can as well reach Mount Kenya from Chogoria. Besides, there is an airstrip in Nanyuki and there are scheduled and charter flights. On other hand, Mount Keya trekking companies can also arrange visitor transfer from Nairobi to this mountain. However, interested hikers are encouraged to come along with their climbing gear.
In conclusion, if you are good at hiking or mountain climbing, Mount Kenya should one of a must to include destination in your travel plan.