4 Days Mt Kenya Hike via Narumoro Route

Mount Kenya is Kenya’s highest mountain and Africa’s second highest after Kilimanjaro. The mountain has three peaks, of which Point Lenana is the highest peak accessible to trekkers at 4,985 metres. The Naro Moru Route is the classic route and the fastest to Point Lenana. It approaches from the west side of the mountain and is also one of the steepest routes. This trek ascends and descends via the same route.

Mount Kenya is Kenya’s highest mountain and Africa’s second highest after Kilimanjaro. The mountain has three peaks, of which Point Lenana is the highest peak accessible to trekkers at 4,985 metres. The Naro Moru Route is the classic route and the fastest to Point Lenana. It approaches from the west side of the mountain and is also one of the steepest routes. This trek ascends and descends via the same route.

Itinerary

Day 1: Nairobi – Naromoru (Met Station )

Pass By: Mount Kenya National Park Kenya
Starting in Naro Moru town, the first part of the route takes you along a gravel road through farmlands for some 13km (all the junctions are signposted) to the start of the forest. Another 5km brings you to the park entry gate (2400m), from where it’s 8km to the roadhead and the Met Station Hut (3000m), where you stay for the night and acclimatise.

Meals included:
• Lunch: Light picnic lunch before the hike begins
Accommodation included: Overnight at Met Station Bandas

Day 2: Met Station – Mackinder’s Camp

Pass By: Mount Kenya National Park Kenya
On the second day, set off through the forest (at about 3200m) and Teleki Valley to the moorland around so-called Vertical Bog; expect the going here to be, well, boggy. At a ridge the route divides into two. You can either take the higher path, which gives better views but is often wet, or the lower, which crosses the Naro Moru River and continues gently up to Mackinder’s Camp (4200m). This part of the trek should take about 4½ hours. Here you can stay in the dormitories or camp.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Mackinder’s camp bandas

Day 3: Summit Day (Mackinder’s camp – Lenana and back to Met Station).

Pass By: Mount Kenya National Park Kenya
On the third day you can either rest at Mackinder’s Camp to acclimatise or aim for Point Lenana (4985m). This stretch takes three to six hours, so it is common to leave around 2am to reach the summit in time for sunrise. From the bunk-house, continue past the ranger station to a fork. Keep right and go across a swampy area, followed by a moraine, and then up a long scree slope – this is a long, hard slog. The KWS Austrian Hut (4790m) is three to four hours from Mackinder’s and about one hour below the summit of Lenana, so it’s a good place to rest before the final push.

The section of the trek from Austrian Hut up to Point Lenana takes you up a narrow rocky path that traverses the southwest ridge parallel to the Lewis Glacier, which has shrunk more than 100m since the 1960s. Be careful, as the shrinkage has created serious danger of slippage along the path. A final climb or scramble brings you up onto the peak. You will then descend back to to Mackinders for breakfast and proceed to Met Station. Lunch will be en route

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Met Station.

Day 4: Met Station – Narumoro – Nairobi

Pass By: Mount Kenya National Park Kenya
Descend through the rain forest after breakfast to arrive at the gate where you will be met by our driver who will then transfer you to Nairobi.

End of the Hiking Tour with Africa Vacation Safaris

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.