MOUNT KENYA CLIMBING
Mount Kenya Hiking, Mt Kenya
Climbing
Conquering
the highest mountain in Kenya, Mount Kenya, is an
exhilarating event and the breath-taking views of the
African sunrise from Point Lenana is a
never-to-be-forgotten experience. This trek can be
undertaken by any physically fit person and several
routes up the mountain are shown below: -
Mount
Kenya, Africa's second highest mountain at 5,199m
(17,058 feet) and the highest of all Kenya Mountains, is
roughly circular, about 60km across at the 200mm
contour, where the steep font hills rise out of the
gentler slopes of the centered highlands. At the centre
of the massif, the main peaks rise sharply from around
4,500m to the main summit of Batian 5,199m, Nelion
5,188m and point Lenana 4,985m. Other major summits on
the mountain include Point Piggott 4,957m, Point Dutton
4,885 and Point John 4,883m. Of the three main peaks
(Batian, Lenana and Nelion), only point Lenana can be
reached by trekkers and the other two being only for
technical climbers.
It
is the second highest peak in Africa and stands some
what unjustly in the shadow of it's taller neighbour
Kilimanjaro, which lies some 320km away in the south and
is visible on a clear day. Kilimanjaro may see much more
traffic - due to the possibility of summiting via
several non-technical trekking routes and due to the
sometimes dubious honour of being one of the Seven
Summits - but Mount Kenya offers a wealth of excellent
and diverse climbing possibilities on rock, snow and ice
Mt. Kenya is an ancient volcanic mountain much older
than Mt. Kilimanjaro. It’s believed to have once reached
well above 600m. What is left today is volcanic plug
which erosion has fashioned into the complex jagged
outline of the central peaks.
Sirimon
Route Hiking
Hiking
on Mt Kenya
Mt
Kenya Trekking
While
trekking the Mt. Kenya, you will pass through the
cultivated farmlands on the lower slopes as the trails
pass through the rain forest, rich in trees of many
species but noticeably camphors, then onto a bamboo zone
growing to heights of more than 12m or more up through
open moor land before reaching the moonscape of higher
slopes. The forests are rich in wildlife including
elephant, buffalo and monkeys with even the moor lands
offering a long list of mammals including the rock
hyrax, the nearest living relative of the elephant.
Sunbirds, hyrax and soaring eagles make the walk around
the peaks one of the most beautiful expeditions in the
East African mountains.
Getting to Mount
Kenya from Nairobi
Mount
Kenya is approximately 200km north of Nairobi, the
capital of Kenya, and is comfortably accessible by road
using a variety of transport options - buses, mini
buses, taxi cab or a car hire will get you close to the
mountain on the tarred roads to the nearest town:
Naromoru town for Naro Moru route, Nanyuki town for
Sirimon route and Chogoria town for Chogoria route. The
last stretch from the nearest town to the various
trailheads (typically +/- 25km) will be on dirt roads
and these can be in poor condition (especially in wet
weather) and require a 4WD, or an approach on foot.
When
to Trek Mount Kenya
Although,
Mount Kenya can be climbed all year round, the highest
rainfall occurs between late March and the middle of
May, and slightly less between late October and mid
December. Maximum rainfall occurs in the forest belt and
on the south-east side of the mountain where it reaches
2500mm. per year at 3000m. Rain and, higher up, snow can
however be encountered at any time of year - even in the
driest periods (January and February). Normally the
drier seasons are associated with clear, dry weather
which can last for many days on end. The best weather is
generally in the mornings, and convectional rainfall, if
any, tends to come in the mid-afternoon.
Chogoria Route
There
are three main routes, which penetrate the forest and
the moorland. The routes are: Naromoru route, Sirimon
route and Chogoria route and each of which has something
different to offer. The other routes which are dormant
are the Timau Route, Burguret Route, Meru Route and
Kamweti Route
Climbing
Mount Kenya Sirimon route - The least used of the three
main routes, but features the most gradual ascent
profile and best acclimatisation options and above all
the most interesting since its on the drier side on the
mountain. The route passes through impressive Yellowwood
forests in the lower reaches and features abundant
wildlife and beautiful alpine scenery higher up.
Climbing Mount Kenya Naro Moru route - The fastest route to point Lenana but not as scenic as the other two. It is often overcrowded with many climbers since it's the most popular route compared to Chogoria route and Sirimon route.
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