Tour Guide, Nairobi, Kenya
| 5 mins read
Weather and When to Go Hiking?
Mount Kenya is a snow-capped Mountain temperature does vary with the season.
Well first things first, although Mount Kenya is on the equator, at an altitude of 4,000m above sea level, it gets freezing at night! You need to be prepared for overnight temperatures well below freezing (a good three or four season sleeping bag is a must). Minus 10 or even minus 20 degrees C are not unheard of at Point Lenana. Otherwise expect plenty of hot overhead sun and rain if you are trekking during the short or long rains.
Kenya has two rainy seasons, the long rains from mid-March to mid-June and the short rains from September to October. Mount Kenya remains trekkable throughout the year, but during the long rains especially, you will need to be prepared for some heavy rainfalls and muddy tracks. The good news is that even in the depth of the long rains, there is usually reliable sunshine for a good portion of the day in the mid-morning and afternoon (10 am – 3 pm). Outside the rainy season, you can expect plenty of sunshine.
How to get to Mount Kenya.
From Nairobi to Mount Kenya is around a three and half hours’ drive. There are well- tarmacked roads all the way to the towns of Naromoru and Nanyuki or Chogoria to the east all at the foot of the mountain, but the last stretch of the road up to the park gates is a rough dirt road that can get almost impassable in the rainy season when a 4wd is essential.
How to organize a trekking trip to Climbing Mount Kenya.
It is best to make your trekking expedition a great experience through YHA Kenya travel with a team of expert experienced guides with extensive high altitude experience. Each year trekkers die on Mount Kenya attempting to get to Point Lenana; it is easy to get lost in the cloud cover! If you do want to attempt the trek independently you’ll need to get yourself to the park gates by Matatu and taxis. The park authorities do not allow trekkers to enter the park alone, so there will need to be two or more. You’ll need to be prepared to bring all your own gear and provisions. Also, climbing gear is available for hire.
The biggest challenge you will find is navigation on the mountain. Paths are not clearly marked and cloud cover is common. If you don’t want to hire camping equipment, then there are huts all the way on the Sirimon route. Organize your trek with a reputable safari organization.
Book a trekking package; if you are short on time, this is the best option. YHA-Kenya Travel pre-arranges trekking trips for climbing Mount Kenya and this includes transport to and from Nairobi. At the cheaper end, this will involve your guide meeting you in Nairobi and travel with you on a public minibus (matatu) to the mountain. This saves a lot of money, but be prepared for delays and extra costs once you get to the mountain if it is raining as you’ll be forced to sort out a 4wd to get to the park gates. If you pay a little more than your trek will include the transfer in a private vehicle from Nairobi. Your trek crew and equipment will be ready and wait for you at the mountain and you can head straight up.
Pair Mount Kenya climbing with a Wildlife Safari.
It would not go well to visit Kenya to climb Mount Kenya and not explore the country a little bit. Most people will want to combine the trek with a Kenya budget wildlife safari. The nearest parks to Mount Kenya are to the North, These parks are the Meru and Samburu. Both are fantastic parks with arid scenery reminiscent of the Lion.
There is budget safari camping options as well as the usual luxury safari lodges on offer. You can get to Samburu in a couple of hours from Mount Kenya, and if you are short of time three days is sufficient to get a good taste of Samburu and then get back to Nairobi for your next adventure travel activity. If you have more time then you can journey on by road from Mount Kenya to Masai Mara via the Rift Valley great Lakes. Allow around 6 or more days for this adventure extension.
Mount Kenya Trekking, Kilimanjaro Climbing, Hiking & Expeditions.
YHA-Kenya Travel offers you the opportunity to sample some of the most exciting climbing mount Kenya adventure activities while in Kenya. Some of which are a very excellent range of short-term budget travelers tour package for travelers looking at trekking mount Kenya, climbing Kilimanjaro in Tanzania or walking in and around Mount Kenya.
These Climbing Mount Kenya adventure safari itineraries are a guide that may change based on travel group choices, weather, road or political conditions and changes.
All Mount Kenya Climbing safari prices and local payments are subject to change.
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