MT. KENYA COUNTRY: KENYA ALTITUDE: 5,199m PRICE: 1,850 DURATION: 8 DAYS Climb Kenya s highest peak, a less busy and unexpectedly beautiful mountain in east Africa Trek through bamboo jungle, moorland and alpine vegetation Scramble to the base of a 150ft waterfall Admire stunning views across eastern Africa Training course is included Experience Kenya s Great Rift Valley, one of the most spectacular manifestations of tectonics on earth Approach the the icy summit on the Chogoria Trail, the best introduction to the mountain s vegetation, wildlife and geology Benefit from the support of porters and cooks throughout the trip GoPro footage
INTRODUCTION Mount Kenya sits in the centre of what is referred to as Central Highlands, an environment of bizarre plants, rich wildlife and ever-changing landscapes of bamboo forests, moorland and permanent glaciers. The steep eroded twin-peaks of the ancient volcano are alluring in their alpine character, and separated by the Gate of Mists, a deep notch, difficult to cross. From the plains of fertile open meadows through which the Chogoria Trail approaches, the spires, cliffs, and complex ridges provide an imposing background.
ITINERARY DAY 1 International travel to Nairobi, and meeting your guides. We transfer to the start of the trail, Chogoria, where we stay overnight in a remote village, accessed by dirt roads. DAY 2 A short transfer takes us to the start of the trek. After completion of park entry formalities we enter through the Chogoria gate and begin our trek through grasslands and small woods with animals grazing and small rivers to be crossed. A 100m scramble descent leads to the base of a hidden waterfall. The forest gradually drops away as we enter a high moorland zone and arrive at Lake Ellis (3,500m), where we set up camp. This is a peaceful spot with good views of the surrounding peaks. DAY 3 In the mornings we ascend nearby Mugi Hill (3,600m) before returning to camp for a late breakfast. Our trek ascends gentle moorland to gain a ridge which joins the Chogoia route at its best viewpoint. We continue our route up to Minto s camp, where we set up camp within the old crater of a smaller volcano. Here, rock Hyraxes are a common sight, scurrying around the crater and foraging for food.
ITINERARY DAY 4 We head up to the Austrian hut, which is the highest hut at 4,700m. The trek now enters the Alpine Zone as we cross small rivers and scramble up a large gully system. We pitch our tents next to the Austrian hut, which is set within an endless cluster of rock, just below the Lewis glacier. DAY 5 Today is our big summit day. After a short scramble near the top and a final section of ladder we reach the summit, from where it is often possible to see Kilimanjaro, 320km away and the nearby climbing peaks of Mt Kenya. In the afternoon, we have a look at the Lewis glacier, the largest on Mt Kenya. We descend back down again to our base camp. DAY 6 We descend down the valley with steep inspiring views of the north face of Batian and Nelion, the climbing summits of Mt Kenya. We then walk past the most famous ice climbing route in Kenya, Diamond colour. Following the Naro Moru route, we head down the Teleki valley to our camp at the met station. DAY 7 We make our way through dense woodland to the park gate, where we have lunch before making our way back to Nairobi for our flight home the next day. DAY 8 Flight home from Nairobi airport.
Experience The Chogoria Trail is by far the most gentle route and the best route for acclimatisation. Although technically straightforward, the trek involves parts of moderate scrambling, and a good basic fitness is required for those. Generally, you should be comfortable spending multiple days out on the hill, carrying a 10kg bag. Prior to the trip, we will run a Training Course, where you will head out into the hills to experience similar terrain. What s Included What s not included All meals and accommodation (2 nights hotel, 5 nights tent, 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners) All camping equipment, including high quality mountain tents (apart from roll mats) All in-country permit fees Park fees as appropriate Medical safety equipment and supplies All in-country transfers Expedition team leader and in-country guides Access to our RMS team of doctors (please see website information for more details) Travel to and from UK airport International flights and taxes Personal equipment Travel insurance Drinks, snacks and personal spending Tips for local staff Visa entry for Kenya (50$ upon landing) Any extra costs if we summit a day early and decide to descend sooner
Accommodation For the most part of this trek, we will sleep in wild camps in the mountains. The hotels for the first and last nights are high quality, three star accommodations, where you will be lodged in twin or triple rooms. Meals We will have a substantial breakfast to start the day. Lunches consist of individual ration packs with picnic style foods and high energy foods. Evening meals during the trekking phase will consist of expedition food, which each of us will prepare on their JetBoil stove. If you have food allergies or intolerances, please inform us in your Booking Form. We will aim to cater to your needs, but it is advisable to also bring your own supplies from home. What to carry The trek is fully supported by a team of porters. You will only need to carry a light daypack with essential items such as water bottle, extra layers, waterproofs, snacks, camera etc.
GENERAL INFORMATION Altitude and Health Common health problems in the mountains are headaches, dehydration, stomach bugs, diarrhoea, sun burn and altitude sickness. Keep hydrated at all times, drink only boiled or treated water, cover up in the sun and eat every meal for energy. All our UK leaders hold first aid certificates and carry a fully equipped first aid kit for emergencies. Acclimatisation is a process which allows the body to adapt to an environment with reduced oxygen. The best way to acclimatise is to ascend slowly or to ascend to a higher level for a while, then to descend. An ideal scenario will combine these two techniques. All our trips are designed with a focus on safe and sensible acclimatisation. Nevertheless the speed at which a body adapts varies from individual to individual. Expect changes to your body and habits to occur, including your muscles feeling tired more quickly, a change in your sleeping habits, increased gasping for breath, loss of appetite and generally requiring more energy to do basic things. Our guides are very experienced in identifying symptoms of altitude sickness and will always have alternative plans to aid further acclimatisation in the event that this may be required. Safety and Rescue The guides will always carry several pieces of safety equipment, such as an emergency shelter and an emergency short rope to help people down if necessary. Passport and Visa Visas are easily obtained upon arrival. The process is simple all you need is a black pen to fill out the form and 50 USD in cash. Your picture will be taken and visa placed in your passport. Your passport must have two blank pages and be valid for six months from your date of entry.
GENERAL INFORMATION Insurance We advise you to take out your insurance as soon as you book your trip. This will cover you for any potential events which may cause you to cancel your trip. You need to ensure that you have a policy which covers trekking to 5000m, mountain rescue, medical expenses and helicopter rescue, but it does not need to cover technical climbing. We require a copy of your insurance prior to departure. It is also worth bringing a copy of your passport and keep it separate to your own documents in case you lose your passport. The BMC offers insurance for Mount Kenya. If using other companies please make sure they see the current advice from the Foreign Commonwealth Office. Vaccinations Contact your GP around eight weeks before your trip to check whether you need any vaccinations or other preventive measures. Country specific information and advice is published by the National Travel Health Network and Centre, and useful information about healthcare abroad, including a country- by-country guide of reciprocal health care agreements with the UK, is available from NHS Choices. Money You can obtain Kenya shilling (KES) or USD prior to travelling and this is probably the best option. There are ATMs and change bureaux in the arrivals halls, which takes Visa and Mastercard. It is a good idea to carry a small amount of KES in low denominations for refreshments. Flights Flights are not included in the price of this trip. You need to arrive into Nairobi airport on the morning of the advertised start date. All clients will be met in the arrivals hall at Nairobi Airport by the guides. If you need any assistance with booking your flights, please contact us.
TRAINING COURSE The pre-expedition training course is designed to provide you with all the skills and information necessary to make sure you are in the best shape physically and mentally to succeed on your trip and enjoy the experience of highaltitude mountaineering. The training course will take you out into the mountains of the Lake District, where you will get used to carrying a weighted pack and have the opportunity to get to know your equipment. The course includes: You will learn about: Time out in the mountains to experience similar terrain Itinerary and question and answer sessions Time to meet and get to know your guides and team members Kit advice session Appropriate clothing Safety on challenging terrain Altitude issues Hazards in the mountain environment
The key to dressing in the mountains is to use the removable layer principle; a base layer of wicking material, a mid layer of synthetic or down and outer waterproof shell. Being suitably equipped is the most important ingredient contributing towards your safety and comfort. Main bag KIT LIST Rucksack or holdall, weighing no more than 15 kg when full, must be a soft bag. Take a sturdy kit bag in which to store your spare clothing, sleeping bag and all personal kit required not required during the day. Make sure everything is wrapped in waterproof liners. This will be carried by Porters.( A padlock to add a small amout of security is recommend) Day bag 20-30 litre rucksack should be sufficient for you to carry your provisions for the day, spare clothing, water, sunglasses, camera, gore-tex jacket etc. Make sure your rucksack has a waterproof liner, or you can use heavy-weight shopping bags. Lightweight bags / bin bags not recommended. Sleeping gear Sleeping bag, a good 3-4 season bag. (-18 to -20 needs to be its within its rating) Sleeping bag liner (for extra warmth if required) Silk are the lighetest and warmest. Footwear Good pair of trekking boots well worn-in Sandals or training shoes for comfortable wear in the evenings
KIT LIST Personal equipment Camera, lots of film/spare memory card and a spare batteries Wash bag and toiletries, antibacterial hand wash, toilet paper, a packet of travel fresh wipes/ baby wipes, soap, toothbrush & tooth paste, sanitary towels and a small towel. Don t forget to take ear plugs in case your hut partner snores! Walking poles, especially useful on descents, when the poles take much of the shock rather than the knees! Water bottles or Platypus/Camelback - min 2 litre capacity (Make sure you have at least one water bottle that boiling water can be poured into.) Electrolytes dissolvable tablets, these are great to restore lost minerals through sweating. Head torch plus spare batteries (the summit day will start in the dark make sure your torch is good enough for you to have a good field of vision.) Sun screen - minimum factor 30 Insect repellent Small waterproof bag containing; passport, insurance certificate / policy, airline ticket, credit cards and money Lip salve with sun block Nappy bags or sandwich bags for personal waste (toilet paper during the day to take back to camp with you) Toilet paper Personal First aid kit, please bring any medication you are on plus Paracetamol, Ibuprofen and some small blister plasters/compeed etc if you feel your feet may suffer, antiseptic cream, selection of plasters and a bandage / support bandage. Book or reading material. Sweets and snacks. Swimming costume (pool at hostel) Cash - The Kenyan Shilling is the currency of Kenya. The rankings show that the most popular Kenyan Shilling exchange rate is the KES to USD rate. Colour Photocopy of your passport.
KIT LIST Clothing Base layers preferably a synthetic wicking layer. (one of which should have long sleeves) As well as long john style leggings. Windproof fleece / Softshell jacket. Warm fleece, synthetic or down jacket (for chilly evenings) Waterproof jacket and trousers (lightweight, breathable) Warm hat and gloves.(buff or balaclava are also recommended for adverse weather.) Heavy-weight warm trousers for the summit day and chilly evening. Light-weight trekking trousers quick dry material recommended, shorts are good although they don t provide as much protection from the sun or ruff rocks etc. Underwear, preferably synthetic as they dry quicker. Avoid cotton underwear as they get wet with sweat and chaff. Socks (specialist trekking socks are Essential) Sun hat with wide brim Sun Glasses, these are vital (They must have strong uva/uvb protection) Set of comfortable clothing for wearing before and after the trek phase.
WHY CHOOSE EXPED ADVENTURE Experienced and qualified guides Small group size Perfect safety record access to remote medical support and director is trained as Wilderness Medical Technician Personal, tailored journey from enquiry to stepping out on the mountain, to the next adventure Itineraries have an emphasis on skills and personal development one of our main aims is to help people gain confidence in themselves and their abilities for further mountain adventures Well-researched, carefully selected route and itinerary Our trip allows for good acclimatisation and a choice of three summit options We provide a free training course and lots of advice and support prior to your trip Flexible and personalised approach we re always free for a coffee and a chat and go the extra mile to exceed your expectations