(The Story behind Mount Kenya with the Kikuyu people (Tribe) who surround and live within the parameters of the Mountain
Gĩkũyũ (also called Kikuyu ) or Agikuyu ~ Kikuyu people
Batian and Nelion in the background cropped. Several ethnic groups that live around Mount Kenya believe the mountain is sacred. They used to build their houses facing the mountain, with the doors on the side nearest to it.
The Gĩkũyũ people live on the southern and western sides of the mountain. They are agriculturalists and make use of the highly fertile volcanic soil on the lower slopes. The Gĩkũyũ people believe that God, ''Ngai'' or ''Mwene Nyaga'', lived on Mount Kenya when he came down from the sky.
They believe that the mountain is Ngai's throne on earth. It is the place where Gĩkũyũ, the father of the tribe, used to meet with God. Thus according to the Kikuyu records, Gĩkũyũ is the first person on Earth to ascend the mountain. 'Mwene Nyaga' in Gikuyu language can also translate as the "Owner of Snow", where 'Mwene' translates to 'owner', and 'Nyaga' to snow. 'Nyaga' can also translate to 'Ostrich'.
Kikuyus used to build their houses with doors facing the mountain. The Gĩkũyũ name for Mount Kenya is ''Kĩrĩ Nyaga'' (Kirinyaga), which translates to 'God's Resting Place' or 'Where God Lives' in this case referring to Mwene Nyaga.
A unique and rewarding activity
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How to organise a great Kenya Safari, adventure trekking, climbing and hiking holiday expedition to Mount Kenya
Trekking, Hiking, Climbing and Walking Adventures Kenya Safaris With YHA Travel Kenya Tours and Safaris on Mount Kenya Climbing Expeditions.
This adventure guide to Mount Kenya climbing is a useful resource for any adventure low budget trekker, hiker or climber planning to climb Mountain Kenya. For those looking to book an organised budget adventure, mount Kenya climbing expedition/ trek with experienced guides along with porters. Our full support and private transport from Nairobi where need be. YHA-Kenya Travel Tours and Safaris offers you expert advice on when to climb Mount Kenya, where to start, what you need to pack for the adventure hike, the best mount Kenya climbing scenic routes and recommended packages also the best pricing! We can arrange a climbing mount Kenya expedition/treks along all the possible routes as you please.
Guide to Climbing Mount Kenya Expeditions.
Explore and climb Mount Kenya with the expert guide service YHA-Kenya Travel Tours and Safaris in Kenya on your Mountain adventure hiking expeditions budget safari holiday while in Kenya. Our budget adventure climbing, camping safari packages are well planned and thought to fit your budget. Activities are very exciting and innovative. We ensure that after climbing Mount Kenya, you will have a real impact on your life memories.
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Climbing Mount Kenya Overview
Mount Kenya is Africa’s second-highest mountain after Kilimanjaro. This extinct volcano is estimated to be 2.5 million years old. Time has taken its toll on the former, reducing the peak from 6500m to 5199 m today, while nature’s untiring, eroding agents eroded the crater long ago.
Mount Kenya is located about 200km north of Nairobi within the Mount Kenya National park.
Mount Kenya Trekking, Climbing Mount Kenya, Hiking Mount Kenya, Mount Kenya Trekking Route, Climbing Kenya Mountain & Mount Kenya Expeditions.
It is very easy to get to Mount Kenya for an adventure hike activity by road in various travel options, namely public transport from Nairobi or other towns using minibuses, privately hired vehicles, Taxi or private means.
These options will lead you to towns and trekking routes close to the mountain and mostly on dirt roads. The route town options are Nanyuki town for the Sirimon route, Naro Moru town for the Narumoru route and Chogoria town in Meru for the Chogoria route.
The park protected an area of 3200m above sea level was established in 1949 and covered an area of 715 sq. km. The mountain comprises three main zones: - the rocky peak zone, the afro-alpine moorland with its scattering of giant vegetation and the extensive tower slope covered with mountain forest and bamboo. There are over 81 plant species. Any fit and a prepared person can reach point Lenana, the so-called trekker’s peak; the summit has the twin peaks of 5199m Batian and Nelion and is considered more technically challenging than the higher Mt Kilimanjaro at 5894m.
Mount Kenya National Park.
At an altitude of 5199 [17058ft], Mount Kenya is the country's highest mountain, has its higher slope permanently covered in snow and ice, even though it sits astride the equator.
The National park comprises the mountain above the 320m [10,500ft] contour plus two salient astride the Naro Moru and the Sirimon routes.
The mountain consists of three peaks the Batian [the highest], Nelion and Lenana. Of these peaks, the original hard center core is all that remains; the bulk of the volcano has been eroded with time.
Highlights of Climbing Mount Kenya Adventure Tour.
Guide to climbing Mount Kenya Adventures.
Summer is here. It's time to plan an adventure holiday! Maybe an escape to the beautiful places in Kenya like Mount Kenya, The Masai Mara, and the Great Rift Valley or even to the beautiful Kenya beaches? Whatever your desired destination, our expert team of tour advisors would love to book it for you!
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Fitness, Altitude and Safety on Climbing Mount Kenya.
Climbing Mount Kenya is very accessible, and therein lies the problem. With a decent fitness level, it is easy to gain altitude quickly and find yourself on the night before summiting with a throbbing headache and all the symptoms of acute mountain sickness. Trekking with a well-experienced guide, taking a sensible, easy pace and keeping hydrated makes all the difference. The best approach is always to allow extra time for your ascent. An extra day at Shipton’s Camp takes all the pressure of the itinerary and gives you time to enjoy the fabulous trekking around the peak. Generally speaking, it isn’t necessary to undergo a gruelling fitness regime before attempting Mount Kenya. Anyone who is trek fit and is comfortable walking 6-8 hour days should be fine.
Climbing Mount Kenya Guides, Porters, and Cooks.
The trekking crew will usually consist of a guide, cook, porter for the cooking gear, plus a personal porter per trekker. It has been said before, but a well-experienced guide is so important on Mount Kenya for two reasons. (1) they will regulate your pace, draw on their experience to diagnose altitude sickness symptoms and have the confidence to make critical decisions and (2) their knowledge of the wildlife and fauna on the mountain will bring the environment alive. All guides and porters must be registered with Kenya Wildlife Services and hold a mountain guide park from Mt Kenya National Park. It is fair to say that all the guides will have a good knowledge of the routes, but only the good guides will have wildlife knowledge and experience dealing with altitude sickness problems.
Climbing Mount Kenya, Mt Kenya Trekking Routes, Mount Kenya Route Options.
There are 5 main Climbing Mount Kenya Routes to the Peak.
Mount Kenya Climbing The Sirimon Route:
Sirimon route is the most popular ascent as the altitude gain is nice and steady, and it offers one of the most beautiful approaches to the peaks. Allow a minimum of 2 nights to peak when ascending, although we recommend spending an extra night at the last camp (Shipton’s) on the way up.
Mount Kenya Climbing The Burguret Route:
If you want to avoid crowds, then Burguret is the best route. You’ll be hacking through the pristine rainforest on this little-used route, overnighting at wilderness campsites. Going up this route is challenging. It is little more than a game track in places, often muddy and rough underfoot. Burguret is usually combined with a Chogoria or Sirimon route descent. Allow a minimum of 3 nights before peak when ascending.
Mount Kenya Climbing The Naro Moru Route:
Naro-Moru is the most popular descent route, fast and easy (at least on the way down!). Naro Moru passes through the notorious vertical bog section, which gets much waterlogged in the rainy seasons. The vegetation is at its most striking on this route. It can be descended in one very long day, usually done in two days and one night.
Climbing Mount Kenya The Chogoria Route:
If you have more time, then choose dramatic Chogoria over Naro Moru for the descent. The Chogoria route passes by turns, waterfalls, and an incredible gorge. Allow two or three days for your descent.
Mount Kenya Climbing Adventures, Mount Kenya Climbing Chogoria Route Itineraries.
5 Days Climbing Mount Kenya Chogoria out Chogoria Budget Adventure Safari.
5 Days Mount Kenya Trekking Tour up Sirimon down Chogoria Budget Adventure.
6 Days Mount Kenya Budget Adventure Climbing Chogoria Route down Out Chogoria Route.
6 Days Mount Kenya climbing Up Sirimon Out Chogoria Best Route to Climb Point Lenana Budget Adventure Safari.
Climbing Mount Kenya The Timau Route:
Time is little used nowadays there is the little forest on this side of the mountain and no facilities, just lots of wide-open country.
Weather and When to Go Hiking?
Mount Kenya is a snow-capped Mountain temperature does vary with the season.
Well, first things first, although Mount Kenya is on the equator, at an altitude of 4,000m above sea level, it gets freezing at night! It would help if you were prepared for overnight temperatures well below freezing (a good three or four season sleeping bag is a must). Minus 10 or even minus 20 degrees C are not unheard of at Point Lenana. Otherwise, expect plenty of hot overhead sun and rain if you are trekking during the short or long showers.
Kenya has two rainy seasons, the long rains from mid-March to mid-June and the short rains from September to October. Mount Kenya remains trekkable throughout the year, but during the long rains especially, you will need to be prepared for some heavy rainfalls and muddy tracks. The good news is that even in the depth of the long rains, there is usually reliable sunshine for a good portion of the day in the mid-morning and afternoon (10 am – 3 pm). Outside the rainy season, you can expect plenty of sunshine.
How to get to Mount Kenya
From Nairobi to Mount Kenya is around a three and half hours’ drive. There are well-tarmacked roads all the way to the towns of Naromoru and Nanyuki or Chogoria to the east, all at the foot of the mountain. Still, the last stretch of the road up to the park gates is a rough dirt road that can get almost impassable in the rainy season when a 4wd is essential.
How to organise a trekking trip to Climbing Mount Kenya
It is best to make your trekking expedition a great experience through YHA Kenya travel with a team of expert experienced guides with extensive high altitude experience. Each year trekkers die on Mount Kenya attempting to get to Point Lenana; it is easy to get lost in the cloud cover! If you do want to attempt the trek independently, you’ll need to get yourself to the park gates by Matatu and taxis. The park authorities do not allow trekkers to enter the park alone, so two or more will need to be there. You’ll need to be prepared to bring all your own gear and provisions. Also, climbing gear is available for hire.
The biggest challenge you will find is navigation on the mountain. Paths are not clearly marked, and cloud cover is common. If you don’t want to hire camping equipment, then there are huts all the way on the Sirimon route. Organise your trek with a reputable safari organisation.
Book a trekking package; if you are short on time, this is the best option. YHA-Kenya Travel pre-arranges trekking trips for climbing Mount Kenya, and this includes transport to and from Nairobi. At the cheaper end, this will involve your guide meeting you in Nairobi and travel with you on a public minibus (matatu) to the mountain. This saves a lot of money, but be prepared for delays and extra costs once you get to the mountain if it is raining, as you’ll be forced to sort out a 4wd to get to the park gates. If you pay a little more than your trek will include the transfer in a private vehicle from Nairobi. Your trek crew and equipment will be ready and waiting for you, and you at the mountain, and you can head straight up.
Pair Mount Kenya climbing with a Wildlife Safari.
It would not go well to visit Kenya to climb Mount Kenya and not explore the country a little bit. Most people will want to combine the trek with a Kenya budget wildlife safari. The nearest parks to Mount Kenya are to the North. These parks are the Meru and Samburu. Both are fantastic parks with arid scenery reminiscent of the Lion.
There is budget safari camping options as well as the usual luxury safari lodges on offer. You can get to Samburu in a couple of hours from Mount Kenya, and if you are short of time, three days is sufficient to get a good taste of Samburu and then get back to Nairobi for your next adventure travel activity. If you have more time, you can journey from Mount Kenya to Masai Mara via the Rift Valley Great Lakes. Allow around 6 or more days for this adventure extension.
Mount Kenya Trekking, Kilimanjaro Climbing, Hiking & Expeditions.
YHA-Kenya Travel offers you the opportunity to sample some of the most exciting climbing Mount Kenya adventure activities while in Kenya. Some of which is an excellent range of short-term budget travellers tour packages for travellers looking at trekking Mount Kenya, climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, or walking in and around Mount Kenya.
These Climbing Mount Kenya adventure safari itineraries are a guide that may change based on travel group choices, weather, road or political conditions and changes.
All Mount Kenya Climbing Safari prices and local payments are subject to change. Enjoy our unique and unforgettable climbing Mount Kenya adventure budget safari Experience.
Mount Kenya Climbing Itineraries
Climbing Mount Kenya in Kenya, Mt Kenya Trekking, Hiking Mount Kenya, Adventure Safari Tours Best Budget Packages!
4 Days Direct Safari to Mount Kenya climbing (Sirimon Route) Budget Adventure.
5 Days Climbing Mount Kenya Budget Trekking Safari Up Simon Out Naromoru Budget Adventure.
5 Days Climbing Mount Kenya Trekking Tour up Sirimon down Chogoria Budget Adventure.
5 Days Climbing Mount Kenya Chogoria out Chogoria Budget Adventure Safari.
6 Days Budget Adventure Tour Climbing Mount Kenya Chogoria Route down Naro Moru Route.
7 Days Climbing Mount Kenya Expedition up Sirimon out Naro Moru Route Budget Adventure Safari.