Adventure Alternative

Adventures/Mt Kenya

Mount Kenya region

From Nairobi to get to Mount Kenya will take a day. Journey time is about four hours but you will want to stop for a bit to eat, traffic jams, overturned lorries, police stops, pee stops, photo stops and so on. There are buses out of Nairobi, either local juggernauts which belch black smoke and stop at every kiosk on the way, or tourist coaches which are faster. A popular alternative are the Nissan vans which you see everywhere in Kenya and these will give you the fastest alternative to getting there; not necessarily the safest since matatu journeys are notorious.

As you come out of Nairobi and head north, you will pass Kahawa ( where the British Army barracks are ) and head up towards Thika, where they grow great tea and coffee. The road is good and after some hours you will reach Karatina and then Nyeri. In fact your turn off for Naro Moru, if you are taking that side of the mountain, is on the right between the two. Karatina is worth a look around, especially to see one of Kenya`s largest markets. Nyeri is very special- Scouts, take a look at Baden Powells grave !, or visit Baden Powells house Paxtu at the top end of the town where you will also find the great Outspan Hotel with staggeringly beautiful gardens, sample a lovely High Tea and a bit of colonial splendour. From here you take the bus to Treetops Hotel ( the two hotels are linked ), one of the great hotels of the world built in the branches of the the tress with spectacular night views over the salt licks.

From the Karatina/Nyeri turn off you are about an hour and half away from the mountain and the road is still good although watch out for the road humps that are not marked ! Arriving in Naro Moru the turn off to the right for the park gate is at the far end of the town and the Naro Moru River Lodge is on the left (expensive accommodation, but you can camp there aswell).
Turning right is a track which extends about 27 km through the farmland to reach the park gate which is around 8000 feet in altitude. This track can be a bit of a nightmare to drive depending on the conditions so it is wise to take it slowly. It will take up to an hour in a car.

Arriving at the gate is beautiful ! A lovely array of buildings, recently erected and a smartly attired Ranger will greet you. Here you need to fill in the paperwork and pay your entrance fees. Note: the Kenya Wildlife Service is now operating a Smartcard system whereby every visitor pays their fees at the Park Headquarters in Nairobi ( along Langata Road, up past Wilsons Airport ) and you are given a card which is swiped at the actual park entrance.

Having done that your adventure can begin, but do not make the mistake of arriving too late because you cannot walk in the Park after dark. You can camp at the gate though.

Description of the mountain

The beautiful, snowcapped peak of Mount Kenya is the second highest point in Africa at 17,058 ft. It is a challenging and popular destination for trekkers and climbers. The summit and a second peak, named Batian and Nelion,  are for advanced climbers; but a third peak, Lenana, at 16,350 ft is more accessible and a very feasible goal for fit people.

From a distance the volcanic peak dominates the surrounding slopes and valleys. Elephant, black Rhino, Cape Buffalo, Colobus monkey, antelope and Giant Forest Hog can be seen in the foothills of the 228 sq. mi. national park. From the lower forests of bamboo, the landscape develops to unusual high-altitude equatorial vegetation on the shoulder of the mountain with giant heather, lobelia and groundsels. Giving the slopes an alpine desert appearance and a striking feel, almost as if it is from another world.

Terrain up High

Higher up the terrain becomes more rocky and glaciated, with scree slopes to negotiate. This is the remains of the volcanic plug. It can get cold here and although there are paths, it is advisable to use a guide. Adventure Alternative staff have climbed Mount Kenya many times over the past ten years and we have noticed how the glaciers have retreated dramatically. Where there used to be an ice cave at 15,600 ft there is now nothing because the Lewis Glacier has reduced in size so much. The route now to the summit of Lenana from the West side on the Naro Moru route, which would be the most popular, is now a rock ridge route which requires easy scrambling skills. To come out on top of the ridge to see the sun rising in the East is truly an experience to remember, a real `high point`on any trip. But it is challenging and you need to have the right gear, and you need to have good knowledge of trekking.

Camping or Lodging

You can either camp or you can stay in lodges. Camping is included in the price of your entrance fee, and don`t let anyone say otherwise !, or you can stay in lodges all the way up to Mackinders on the west side. These can be booked at the Naro Moru River Lodge in the village of Naro Moru as you drive up the Nanyuki Road past the mountain. It is on the left right opposite the turning on the right which goes up to the park gate ( a 27 km slog on foot which can be broken into two days since there are a few `hotels` and hostels along the way - we recommend the Blue Line Hotel, 3 kms up and on the left, it is the one we use at Adventure Alternative ).

You will find the lodges on the mountain itself are fine, just bunks with mattresses ( except for Austrian Hut at 15,600 ft where its just bare wood ). There are always rangers staying in the lodges and they have radio contact with the park gate. You will spend time at Mackinders to acclimatize and it is lovely here; the brick building has cooking space, lots of beds, a meeting area, water piped down from above and toilet huts. The Rangers here are very accommodating and you`ll almost always find a few porters around if you need some help.

If you are camping then you cannot have any fires, so bring your own stoves. There`s plenty of room for tents but the ground is rocky and hard. Watch out also for the rock hyrax who hang around here, a large rodents who apparently are related to the elephant. Leave any food in your tent porch and you will find dozens of these animals in your tent with you.

Porters

You can get porters anywhere in Naro Moru but you run the risk of hiring someone who wants your money but who has never been on the mountain before. You can aks at the Naro Moru River Lodge or go to the Moutn Kenya Guides Association building which is up the track going to the park gate a couple of kilometers on the left.

A porter will cost around 350 Ksh per day, but it is up to you to haggle. Remember you need to cover the ocost of their days coming off the mountain and you need to supply them with rucksacks ( perhaps to carry just tents, or just food ). If you don`t have these, they will charge you for the hire of the worlds oldest rucksack which they have. You will also need a guide who will charge more, up to 500 Ksh per day, and the quality of your guide will be the success of your trip on Mt Kenya. A bad guide means bad porters and trouble from the start. Choosing carefully is a bit of a lottery but I do recommend going to the Mt Kenya Guides Association. Adventure Alternative use only the head guides from here and as such we do not have problems with porters.

The porters normally stay in the lodges for nothing. Part of their pay includes buying their food, stoves and fuel. We make sure they have enough and are happy with their clothes and footwear since it is patently unfair to expect them to carry rucksacks over rock, snow and scree in cold temperatures without a pair of boots and warm gear.

Not far from Mount Kenya National Park is the Aberdare National Park, a landscape of high alpine moors and primeval forests. The Aberdares are known for an abundance of wildlife, including a number of rhino, and the Karuru waterfalls, the highest in Kenya. It is also home to the world-famous Treetops Hotel which overlooks a water hole, and wildlife around camp includes giraffe, zebra, elephant and buffalo.

We can organise your trip to Mount Kenya and we have all the equipment in Naiobi to do it. Treks or climbs can both be accommodated. We welcome your enquiry.