During the 16th and 17th centuries, the foothills of Mt. Kenya became inhabited by various Bantu tribes including the Kikuyu, the Meru and the Embu, where the fertile soils and high rainfall suited their practice of intensive agriculture. By the 18th century the Kikuyu were the dominant tribe.
Mt. Kenya was considered sacred to these tribes. To the Kikuyu, who called the mountain, Kirinyaga (meaning White Mountain), it was the home of their god, Ngai. Only tribal elders were allowed onto the mountain and the dead were buried facing the summit. The Kamba called the mountain Kee Nyaa (meaning Place of the Ostrich), from which the English name of the mountain (and the country) were probably derived. It was also sacred to the Maasai because they believe this is where the first Maasai couple descended with their cattle.
The first sighting of the mountain by a European was in 1849 by the German missionary, Ludwig Krapf, but his description of snow-capped peaks on the equator was largely dismissed until in 1883 the Scottish explorer, Joseph Thomson, confirmed Krapf's story. A few years later, Count Samuel Teleki cut his way through the forest and reached a point above the moorland on the south-west side of the mountain.
Mt. Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian at 5,199 metres (17,057 ft), Nelion at 5,188 metres (17,021 ft) and Point Lenana at 4,985 metres (16,355 ft). Mt. Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator and 150 kilometres from Nairobi.
Batian was climbed in 1899 by the British mountaineer, Halford Mackinder, the first man known to have been there. Mackinder named the three peaks after Maasai leaders. Nelion, the second highest peak but a much harder climb, was not ascended until 1929 by Eric Shipton.
The glistening peaks, stunning scenery, and cheerful superhuman porters, the sweat and tears that go into a successful trek to the summit is part of the extraordinary and outstanding sense of achievement one experiences from standing on the summit and watching the sun rise over Africa.
Our formula for success is the use of professional guides, well paid porters and crew, going slower, giving enough rest between stages and acclimatization time which also plays a crucial role in mountain climbing overall success. What you eat and where you sleep is also very important. This is well taken care of by Amazing Usambara Trekking.
We provide you with some thrilling opportunities to experience the best of African adventure within a challenging but safe environment. We are professionals in assessing risk and implementing systems to reduce any recognized danger to a minimum.
You can discover a great deal about yourself through this adventure, but only if the experience is of extremely high quality and professionally organized. As such we do what we know we are good at, the results superb. You don't need to be super human. Average fitness and determination is all it takes.
There are several routes up Mt. Kenya. A team of guides, porters and cooks will make the ascent up Mount Kiliminjaro with you, allowing you to enjoy the experience free from the burden of carrying heavy gear, gathering water, finding your way up the mountain and making meals.
Itineraries can be tailored to suit ones requirements starting from a short 5 days 4 nights trekking to the summits with camping or banda accommodation options.
Departure from Nairobi at 0700 hrs from your hotel and transfer to Nanyuki arriving after 3 hours. Later transfer to Sirimon gate and hike to Old Moses camp for overnight (3300m), 3 to 4 hrs hikes (9kms).
After breakfast Hike to Shipton’s camp (4200m) through Liki and Mackinder’s valley for overnight (6 to 8 hrs hikes) 17
Leave at 3am up a steep stony quarry that cuts through a cliff clearing visible part towards lower Hall Tarns arriving point Lenana at 6:30am, taking about 3hrs. After the sunrise, descend down to Shipton’s Camp, 2hrs, for breakfast and further, 4hrs, down to Old Moses Camp for dinner and overnight, B,L,D
After early morning breakfast, descend for 3 hours walk, 9Kms to the Sirimon Park gate to catch a vehicle for transfer to Nairobi arriving late afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast
Pick up in Nairobi, drive to Nanyuki town, The Sirimon Park gate (2650m). From the gate, we trek up through magnificent montane forest, bamboo and giant heather zone before reaching the high altitude moorland and our first hut (Old Moses camp 3,300m) for dinner and overnight. This is a gentle trek that takes 3 – 4 hrs gaining an elevation of 680m.
After breakfast, follow the track uphill, forking right at the junction crossing Liki North River and continue uphill to Mackinders Valley and to Shipton’s camp, 14kms 5 hrs walk
You will be woken up at 230pm, The climb takes 3 -4 hrs and to add to the exhilaration, Mt. Kilimanjaro is also visible from the horizon. Enjoy Picture Moments and Descend to Minto’s hut for full breakfast. After a short rest descend further to Mt Kenya bandas 8hrs walk
After breakfast, descend on a broad track through bamboo and virgin rain forest to meet vehicle for transfer to Chogoria town and further to Nairobi arriving by 17:00hrs.
After breakfast Hike to Shipton’s camp (4200m) through Liki and Mackinder’s valley for overnight (6 to 8 hrs hikes) 17.
Meals: L.
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