Mt. KENYA (information)

mountaineering: 2006/Aug/05..2006/Aug/08

General View ---------

To climb up alone is prohibited. But if you are not alone and have some experiences of mountaineering, why don't you try to climb up without a guide?
When you plan the mountaineering you'd better ask KWS(refer to 'Organization) first. Because they know the public fee and the latest information.
Agency and guides may tell a lie sometimes (or they don't know exactly). Even though you climb up with a guide, you'd better pay entry fee and accommodations by yourself each time.

Climate ---------

I climbed up in August. There were often rain and the trail becomes muddy or stream.
The daytime temperature is about 15 degree. In the night 4 degree. At the top of LENANA, -4 degree in the morning. (I might be lucky)

Equipment ---------

Waterproof shoes or socks are needed. And under your knees become muddy. You need to prepare against it.
You cannot find a good map in Nairobi. Prepare for it in advance is better. The maps in the book shops shows wrong or old trails and so on. You can get better one (not the best) at the Mt. KENYA gate (ks700) made by KWS. Even though this map also includes wrong trails. You must check the route again with the ranger at the gate. If you have a GPS, my GPS data also will help you.
In the night it becomes cold. If you plan camping, you'd better have a sleeping bag for winter and a mat against the cold ground. While you are climbing in a daytime, it's cool. Only a jacket is enough. You can get water at the each hut. And in Mackinder Valley you can find water from the mountain.

Economy ---------

entry fee (Mt. KENYA for mountaineering); $70/3 days (minimum charge) +$20/day (for the extra day) There is a student discount rate but you need proceed it at Nairobi in advance.
guide fee; about 750../day, porter fee; about 650../day
camping; $5/day (At the gate you have to pay the fee. You can pitch a tent anywhere in the mountain.)
hut (dorm); 500..

Naro Moru is a small town. There are petrol stations and groceries but no ATM.

Accommodations ---------

in Naro Moru

in the town and near the town I found some other accommodations.
Mt. KENYA Hostel & Camp (YH) (from Naro Moru town take D448, after 6 km and next 2.4 km, there is a sign of the YH. The Matatu is ks800 from Naro Moru)
C250, D500 / shared toilet & cold shower, kitchen(stove), bar, breakfast(150), dinner(450)
(refer to 'Organization)

Route ---------

in Sirimon Route (climb)

This route is not steep..
(Nairobi)

(ks350, 3h / matatu for Nanyuki)
if you could find a matatu heading for 'MERU,' you can go to 'Sirimon Route Gate Sign' without changing the matatu in Nanyuki.

(Nanyuki)

(ks50..80?, 10min? / matatu for Meru)
getting off at the following sign.

Sirimon Route Gate Sign (along the main road) (At.2146)

(9 km / walk or private taxi / earth, muddy)

Sirimon Route Gate (At.2662)
C; $5, lodge; $70?

(about 3 hours / earth)
You can leave the gate in the afternoon. Old Moses Camp is not so far.

Old Moses Camp (At.2659?)
C; free, D; 500

(about 8 hours / earth, muddy, stream)
You'll pass the two valleys. In Mackinder Valley you can get the mountain water around the trail. You can enjoy alpine plants on the way.


(Sipton's Caves)
You can find them from the last slope to Sipton's Camp.

Sipton's Camp (At.4256)
C; free, D; 500

(about 3 hours / earth, steep, near the top rocky, covered with snow)
If you climb up without GPS and the guide in the night , it is difficult and dangerous I think.

LENANA (At.5025?)

in Naro Moru Route (descend)

This route is steep but short. You can climb up watching the peaks.
(LENANA) (At.5025?)
If it's clear, you can watch Austrian Hut from the peak.

(rocky with snow)

Austrian Hut (At.4866)
C:free, D1000
Around the hut there are many rocks. Be careful of walking.

(rocky, gravel, earth)


(Lewis glacier)
It was far from the trail when I watched. But in winter the glacier comes to the trail, I heard.

Mackinder Camp (At.4266)
C; free, D; 1100

(marsh, woods, muddy, stream)
There are poles along the trail, though there's almost no way. But don't worry. If you don't lost your direction, there's no problem.

Met Station (At.3068)
C; free, D; $12 or ks870 / soda; 100
After watching the sunrise at LENANA, you can go down to Met Station at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon.

(about 2.5 hours)
woods, You can call a private taxi in this section.

Naro Moru Gate (At.2438)
C; ?, lodge; ?

(4.6 km / earth)
If you don't want to walk anymore, you can call matatu to the gate. From the gate to Naro Moru town is ks1000.


matatu driver;
Stephen Kinyutu
0723659970

Kiambuthia Shopping Centre (simply a grocery) (At.2218)
This is the matatu terminal. From here to Naro Moru town is ks800.

(2.9 km / earth)

sign of Mt. Kenya Hostel & Camping (YH) (At.2144) 300m to the YH, though the sign says 200m
(4 km / earth)

Mt. KENYA Guides & Porters Safari Club (At.2088)
(refer to 'Organization)

(4.4 km / earth)

(Naro Moru town) (At.2002)
matatu;
to Nairobi (Ks350)
to Kiambuthia Shopping Centre (on the way to Naro Moru gate) (ks800)
to Naro Moru gate (by negotiation, ks1000)

in Chogoria Route

(hearsay) The trail is not steep. The scenery is the best. But the problem is transport between the gate and Chogoria town. It is 32 km 4WD road. Private taxi costs about $100 for this section.
hut fee; (camping)400, (lodge)1050

Organization ---------

KWS (Kenya Wildlife Service)
URL: www.kws.org / Email: kws@kws.org / tel: 602345, 600800 / fax: 603792 / P.O BOX 40241, Nairobi 00100
You should get the latest info from them at the beginning.


Mt. KENYA Guides & Porters Safari Club (refer to 'route')
guide fee; 750/day, porter fee 650/day
The agency ask like this clubs for the guides & porters. But you can ask them directly.

private taxi arranged by them;
from the club office;
to Sirimon Gate (ks7000)
to Naro Moru Gate (ks1500)

from Nairobi;
to Sirimon Gate (ks7000)
to Naro Moru Gate (ks10,000)
to the club office (ks3000)
because of the competition, the matatu fee is like such.

I recommend the following guide (He belongs to this club);
Mr. Paul Ndiritu (license No. 5558753)
tel. 62212 / 62302 / 0734-758606 / 0735-798521
He is friendly, kindly and has a good skill for mountaineering.


I don't recommend 'Robert' belonging to the same club. He has a mole under his left eye.

Mt. KENYA Hostel & Camp (YH) (refer to 'accommodation','route')'
guide fee; 865/day
hut fee (dorm); $15..20 (needless to say that's not the true price.)
rental goods; ?

private taxi arranged by YH;
to Naro Moru Gate (ks1500)
to Sirimon Gate (ks3500)
to Met Station (ks4500)
between Chogoria gate and Chogoria town (ks6000)
Be Careful! The YH manager will tell you a different price. In addition to that when you pay he tries to show you a different price bill.


(Agency in Nairobi)
$400..$650 / including transport, guide, food, entry fee and hut fee.

GPS (download)---------

  1. mtkenya.gdb (for GARMIN 'Map Source' file)
  2. mtkenya.rtf (GPS eXchange format file) You need to rename the file!
  3. plain text (html)
route & track;
  • Sirimon route
  • Naro Moru route
  • Nairobi-YH (Naro Moru)

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