Day 1
Nairobi-Nanyuki – Sirimon Gate 2650 m – Judimere Campsite 3300 m
You’ll depart Nairobi at 8:00 am by public tourist transfer to Nanyuki town for early lunch and final packing. Leave Nanyuki at 11:00 am and drive to Sirimon Gate where you will start your hiking to Judimere Campsite. The trek from Sirimon Gate to Judimere Campsite is a distance of 9km that takes about 3-4 hours. You’ll be passing through the forest of indigenous trees. Dinner and your overnight stay are in the tent at Judimere Campsite 3300 m.
Day 2
Judimere Campsite-Shiptons Camp 4200 m 6-7hrs, 14 km, 900 m ascent
Your wake-up call will be at 6:30 am and you will be served breakfast as well as hot coffee and tea depending on your preference. After breakfast, we’ll ascend the Sirimon Track to Likii North Valley, in this beautiful little valley below the subsidiary peaks of Teleki and Sendeyo, two ancient parasitic vents of the main peaks 3990 m. Climb out of the North Valley and into the Mackinders Valley one of the broadest valleys on the mountain. It has many giant groundswells with good views of the main peaks. Have a brief stopover for a picnic lunch along the valley on top of the cliff. After lunch, we will have 3 hours to ascend to Shipton Camp just below the main peak of Batian and Nelion. It normally takes 7-8 hours to Shipton Camp. On arrival, freshen up and you can have a short walk to acclimatize then descend to the camp as you wait for dinner to be served at Shipton Camp 4200 m. The weather at this camp may go below 10 degrees depending on the climate.
Day 3
Shipton Camp – Simba Tarn 4612 m
Your wake-up call will be at 7:30 am when you’ll have your breakfast and then pack. Leave at 9:00 am and ascend uphill to Simba Col which is about 4610 m. You’ll then proceed on a gradual trail along Samba Tarn. Proceed and reach Austrian Camp in time for lunch having done half circuit of the summit clockwise. The hike takes 3-4 hours. The rest of the afternoon will be spent in the camp relaxing as we await hitting the summit the following morning. Your lunch, dinner and overnight stay will be at Simba Tarn Campsite.
Day 4
Simba Tarn – Lenana Summit 4985 m-Chogoria Gate Campsite 2950 m
You’ll wake up very early in the morning at exactly 3:30 am to prepare yourself and take a pre-breakfast at 4:00 am. Leave Simba Tarn at 4:30 am to attempt the summit, a journey that takes 1 ½ hour. Point Lenana is the third highest peak in Mt Kenya and the only one that can be reached by trekking. On a clear sky day, you can see Mt Kilimanjaro on the southern side and the Indian Ocean shining as the sun is rising. After enjoying the summit, descend down back to Simba Tarn Camp for a full breakfast. You’ll then proceed further down to Chogoria Gate Campsite. This is where you will have lunch and spend your fourth night.
Day 5
Chogoria Gate – Chogoria Town – Nairobi
The day will be calm and breakfast will be served at around 7:00 am. After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll walk for about 10 km down through the forest to meet our driver who will drive you down the rest of the track and on to Chogoria town. Here we normally part ways with the other crew and head back to Nairobi. You’ll have hot lunch on the way back arriving late in the afternoon. You will be dropped off at your respective residential places.
