Hike better and camp smarter on Mt Kenya National Park via one of the epic off-trail routes. This tour takes you up the less travelled Burguret trail situated in between Naromoru and Nanyuki towns directly opposite Nanyuki airstrip. Most parts of the trail follows elephant and buffalo footprints meandering through the indigenous and exotic cider forests and bamboo thickets. As the trail is little exploited, lead guides sometimes use machetes to clear the path.
This route is harder to non experienced hikers but rewarding to determined and those looking for an unusual degree of solitude and adventurous. No mountain huts and paved roads compared to the other routes on this mountain. Below is 6 days itinerary starting from Nairobi hotel up the mountain and down the Chogoria route and back to Nairobi.
Highlights;
What included in the cost;
Excludes in the costs;
PRICES PER PERSON SHARING
|
Number of persons |
Kenya Citizens/Residents |
Non Residents |
|
2 pax |
Ksh 65,000 |
$ 1,015 |
|
3-4 pax |
Ksh 62,000 |
$ 950 |
|
5 + pax |
Ksh 58,000 |
$ 925 |
On an early morning, our representative driver will meet you in your hotel and make a short introduction about the tour. Then board on his vehicle driving towards the Central parts of Kenya passing rich farming highlands reaching Gathiuru junction in 4 hours. From here meet the rest of your climbing crew, change vehicles to a 4×4 jeep again driving you inside the forest till road head.
From road head, picnic lunch will be served by our cook, sort out your big bags between porters and start your hiking. Along the trail you will experience real wilderness with sightings of many bird species as well as buffalo and elephants are also residents here. The trail zigzags through the thickets reaching camp in 3 hours. Dinner and overnight at camp.
Hiking Distance; 9km
Altitude Gain; 805m
After an early breakfast and packing, leave the camp along a single trail with rush bamboo foliage crossing a small stream uphill. After a 2-3 hours walk you will reach above tree line and open moorlands with great views of Laikipia plateau. Have your picnic lunch and continue hiking reaching Highland Castle campsite around 3 pm.
Hiking Distance; 9km.
Altitude gain; 1,100m.
On this day, it helps in acclimatization with altitude as you will climb high and sleep low at Shiptons camp. After breakfast, leave the camp following the trail passing some interesting rock castles with different volcanic formations and giant senecio lobelia plants. After walking for a while, you will be rewarded by the shimmering Mt Kenya peaks and glaciers continuing to oblong tarns reaching Hausberg col at 4,600m in 5 hours. From this point, Shiptons camp is visible down Mackinders valley and in a few minutes you will be at camp. Lunch will have been packed for you. Dinner and overnight at the camp.
Hiking Distance; 12km.
Altitude gain; 500m.
Altitude drop; 400m.
On this day, wake up at around 0200 hours, have a simple breakfast and leave camp in the dark. The start of the trail follows the river source then to a zigzag sequence with both steep and gentle grades up the scree. After 2 hour walk, you will reach Haris tarn and junction to Chogoria route. Continue ascending to some rocky surfaces approaching the summit in another hour. Congratulations, you are now on Lenana peak 4,985m above sea level. While on the summit, enjoy beautiful sunrise and a 360 degrees view of Mt Kenya. Batian and Nelion peaks are as close to your nose, Mt Kilimanjaro is also visible on a clear day. After taking the photos, descend following Chogoria trail down via gorges valley with scenic views of the Temple and lake Michaelson.
Breakfast served at Mintos campsite, rest a bit and continue descending to Lake Ellis for overnight reaching in 3-4 hours.
Hiking distance from Shiptons to Summit; 2.5km
Hiking distance from Summit to Lake Ellis; 12km.
Altitude gain; 785m
Altitude drop; 1,535m
After breakfast and packing, Continue trekking down passing via road head for the look out of the magnificent Nithi waterfalls. Continue following the road with high chances of spotting elephants and buffaloes. Reach Mt Kenya Chogoria gate in 3 hours.
Meal plan; Breakfast
Hiking distance; 11km
Altitude drop; 1,650m.
END OF THE TRIP.
