5-Day Mount Kenya Climb — Sirimon to Chogoria
Kenya · 5 Days / 4 Nights · Road Safari
Duration
5 Days
Destinations
Kenya
Transport
Road Safari
Style
Mountaineering
Difficulty
Challenging
Price
On request
Overview
Mount Kenya is Africa's second-highest mountain and one of its most beautiful, with jagged volcanic peaks, tarns and glacial valleys sitting almost exactly on the equator. Its twin summits, Batian and Nelion, are technical rock climbs, but Point Lenana at 4,985m is reachable by fit trekkers with no climbing experience. This traverse climbs the gradual Sirimon route for good acclimatisation and descends the Chogoria route, widely considered the most scenic on the mountain, past Lake Michaelson and the Gorges Valley. It's also an excellent acclimatisation climb before Kilimanjaro.
Highlights
- Sunrise on Point Lenana at 4,985m
- A full traverse — up Sirimon, down Chogoria
- Views of Batian and Nelion from Shipton's Camp
- Lake Michaelson and the Gorges Valley
- Only a short drive from Nairobi
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Drive north from Nairobi through the central highlands to Sirimon Gate (2,650m), then walk through forest and open moorland to Old Moses Camp (3,300m).
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Old Moses Camp
A steady climb up the Mackinder Valley, with giant lobelias and groundsels and the peaks coming into view, to Shipton's Camp (4,200m) beneath Batian and Nelion.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Shipton's Camp
An early start to reach Point Lenana (4,985m) for sunrise, then descend the Chogoria side past the tarns to Minto's Hut above the Gorges Valley.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Minto's Hut
Descend past Lake Michaelson viewpoints and the Vivienne Falls through moorland and bamboo forest to the Chogoria roadhead.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight
- Chogoria bandas
A final walk or drive down through the forest to Chogoria Gate, then the drive back to Nairobi.
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 1: Nairobi to Sirimon Gate and Old Moses Camp. Drive north from Nairobi through the central highlands to Sirimon Gate (2,650m), then walk through forest and open moorland to Old Moses Camp (3,300m).
Day 2: Old Moses to Shipton's Camp. A steady climb up the Mackinder Valley, with giant lobelias and groundsels and the peaks coming into view, to Shipton's Camp (4,200m) beneath Batian and Nelion.
Day 3: Summit Point Lenana and descend to Minto's. An early start to reach Point Lenana (4,985m) for sunrise, then descend the Chogoria side past the tarns to Minto's Hut above the Gorges Valley.
Day 4: Down the Chogoria route. Descend past Lake Michaelson viewpoints and the Vivienne Falls through moorland and bamboo forest to the Chogoria roadhead.
Day 5: Chogoria Gate to Nairobi. A final walk or drive down through the forest to Chogoria Gate, then the drive back to Nairobi.
What’s Included
- Licensed mountain guide, assistant guides, porters and cook
- Park, conservation and camping or hut fees
- All meals and drinking water on the mountain
- Tents, sleeping mats and group camping equipment (camping routes)
- Park gate transfers at the start and end of the climb
- Pulse oximeter checks and a first-aid kit carried by the guide
What’s Excluded
- International flights and visas
- Personal climbing kit — boots, layered clothing, sleeping bag
- Travel insurance covering high-altitude trekking and evacuation
- Tips for guides, porters and cook
Optional Add-ons
Frequently Asked Questions
For the trekking routes, no — they need good fitness and determination rather than technical skill. We'll tell you honestly if a route involves scrambling, ropes or glacier travel, and match you to something that fits your experience.
Our itineraries are paced to acclimatise, guides check oxygen saturation and symptoms daily, and anyone struggling descends — the only reliable cure. Choosing a route with more days on the mountain is the best way to improve your chances of summiting.
The drier months — roughly January to early March and June to October — give the clearest skies and firmest trails. The long rains (April and May) make routes wet and cold, though many climbs still run.
Yes. We can hire sleeping bags, down jackets, trekking poles and more locally, so you don't need to fly with everything.
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Price
On request