Climbing Mount Kenya

Distance: 97 km | Difficulty: Moderate

5-Day climb (staying in huts)

Mount Kenya is an extinct volcano, and the local people call it Kirinyaga, or “place of light”. It has a trio of summits: Batian 5199m, Nelion 5188m and Point Lenana 4985m. Of the three peaks, only Point Lenana is suitable for hikers. If you're thinking of going on a Mount Kenya climbing expedition, the other two peaks are perfect since they require technical climbing skills. The Sirimon/Chogoria route joins two of the most scenic routes up Mount Kenya, producing a remarkably diverse and spectacular trek. Sirimon, coming off the west of Mount Kenya, passes through the dry side of the mountain with its giant trees and rocky terrain. The descent onto the Chogoria path is precisely different with its lush bamboo, lakes and highland forests. 

Mount Kenya National Park is an ancient extinct volcano and Africa's second-highest mountain. With its cloud-forested middle slopes, it is one of the most impressive of the East African landscapes - arguably more spectacular than the higher Mount Kilimanjaro. Spectacular scenery is an important aspect of the park, with lovely lakes, pools, glaciers, peaks and natural mineral springs in the area. The vegetation naturally varies according to the height. Dry upland forests are found in the lower slopes, which change to the montane forest from 2,000m upwards. This forest generally consists of cedar and podo. The vegetation changes to a thick bamboo forest at about 2,500m, which in turn changes to the upper forest of smaller trees and high altitude moss. Visitors can observe a variety of plants and animals, including the black and white Colobus monkeys, Sykes monkeys, bushbucks, buffaloes and elephants. At lower altitudes, animals like the olive baboon, waterbuck, black rhino, black-fronted duiker, leopard, giant forest hog, genet cat, bush pig and hyena are found. A rare sighting to aim for is the elusive bongo, a forest antelope. Other endangered species found in the forests include the Sunni buck, Mount Kenya mole shrew, skins (lizard), and different types of owls. The forests give way to high altitude heath and shrubs between 3,000m and 3,500m. Above 3,500m there is open moorland, where animals like the high altitude zebra and eland are found.