Mount Kenya Sirimon Trek

Early in the morning, you are collected from your accommodation in Nairobi and driven to Nanyuki, where you meet your guide, cook and porters. You then continue to Sirimon Gate, check in and begin hiking through the rainforest to Old Moses Camp at 3,300 metres, a distance of 9 kilometres that takes around 3 hours. A picnic lunch is served along the way, and with luck you may spot large game such as buffalo, elephants and waterbuck.

On reaching camp at 4 pm, you have the option of a short one-hour walk to help you acclimatise. Dinner and an overnight stay follow at camp.

After breakfast, you set off on a relatively easy hike through moorland, following the track across the Ontulilli River before turning right to contour through the moorland and cross the Liki North River. You then climb to Mackinder’s Valley, with panoramic views up the valleys, and walk through the scenic Sirimon and Mackinder’s valleys to reach Shipton’s Camp at 4,200 metres. Lunch is served en route.

It is a long day, covering 16 kilometres from Old Moses Camp in around 6 hours. Shipton’s Camp sits in a surreal setting beneath towering peaks and glaciers, with views of the mountain’s northern side. Dinner and an overnight stay follow at camp.

Breakfast is served at 8 am, and at 9 am you begin the peak circuit. From Shipton’s Camp, the trail leads to Kami Camp below the north face of Batian. Continuing south-west, it climbs to a ridge at 4,600 metres, crosses scree to Hausberg Col at 4,590 metres, then descends into the upper Hausberg Valley, where you rest at the aptly named Oblong and Hausberg tarns.

You then climb to the crest of a ridge known as Arthur’s Seat, where the trail winds along a series of rock ledges with views of Mackinder’s camp at Teleki Valley, Two Tarn, Nanyuki Tarn and American Camp. You continue to Austrian Camp, where you see Point Peter, Dutton and other fine scenery. A picnic lunch is served on the way.

This is the highlight of the trek. At 4:30 am, you wake for tea and biscuits, then begin your summit attempt on Point Lenana (4,985 metres), photographing the African sunrise. In clear weather, especially at dawn, you may see the Kibo and Mawenzi peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro from the summit, and the views are spectacular.

You descend to Mintos Hut for a full breakfast, then continue down to your camp, passing views of Lake Ellis, the Mugi Hills, Vivien Falls and the Giant Billiards Table in the distance. A picnic lunch is served at the roadhead, and you arrive early in the evening for a well-earned hot shower, dinner and an overnight stay.

After breakfast we descend on a 10 km walk through the bamboo forest, where private transport collects us for the short transfer to Chogoria. From Chogoria we bid farewell to the porters and drive to Nairobi through fertile agricultural country, aiming to reach the city around 15:00. Drop off at your Nairobi hotel or residence.