7-day Mount Kenya Summit Circuit trek

Leave Nairobi at around 0800hrs, driving through the agricultural country up to Chogoria town for lunch. After lunch, we take a 4×4 and drive up to the edge of the bamboo forest where we start our trekking through the dense bamboo forest for a distance of 10 km up to Mt Kenya Bandas.
Dinner and overnight at the Mount Kenya Bandas camp

After breakfast and sorting of porter loads we set off up the mountain at a nice and easy pace A slightly longer walk via Lake Ellis gives scenic views of Mugi, Ithanguni, and the Giants Billiards Table, whilst if we follow the river near the road head, upstream for about 3 km, the foreground scenery and flora is particularly beautiful.

Lunch on the banks of a stream, then it’s time to cut up the left-hand hillside to our camp at about 3,600m, well away from any of the more “touristy” areas.

Estimated time: 3hrs, Distance: 9km
700m ascent.

Breakfast fallowed by  a 3 hours hike to join the tourist track on the normal Chogoria route at an altitude of about 4,100m.  Breathtaking views over the Gorges Valley and back over towards Ithanguni and the Northern Moorlands.

Lunch is served at a small stream crossing, before continuing for a further hour to the Mintos Hut area at 4200m and our night’s rest. The afternoon is spent relaxing at camp, though a 10-minute walk to the “Temple” is well worth the effort.  This is a 150 meters vertical cliff that gets its name from the position visitors often adopt when peering over the edge – they look as if they are praying.

Today we begin our trek ascending up along the foot of huge rock walls. From the top, we`ll have an excellent view of Mt. Kenya. After ascending for a couple of hours you reach Tooth Col. From here you traverse until you reach the Austrian Hut for dinner and overnight.

Leave at 5.00 am for predawn attempt, climbing for 1 hour across bare rock and scree slopes characteristic of the alpine region up to Pt Lenana – the hiker`s summit, arriving in time to catch the African sunrise. Descend to Austrian camp( Top hut) for breakfast. After breakfast descends to Mackinder’s camp for dinner and overnight.

Day six of our 7 days Mount kenya circuit route begins after our breakfast, we climb clockwise up to Two Tarns and Nanyuki Tarns, and then passing between Oblong and Hausberg Tarns before descending to Shipton’s camp on the Northern side of the peak, at about 4200 meters for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we begin a 5-hour descent via Mackinder`s valley to the Old Moses camp (3,300m). The descent is gentle and it offers ample time to enjoy fascinating scenery which includes the moorlands before reaching the camp for lunch. After lunch transfer back to Nairobi arriving late afternoon.