You spend the first night at Castle Forest Lodge at an altitude of 2010m, situated 3km into the rainforest on the southern slope of Mt. Kenya, for acclimatization.
DAY 1
At 0730 hrs, you start your hike with a trek of about two hours through the tropical rainforest, then for 4 hours through the bamboo-forest and the last two hours you cross some small streams, swamps interrupted by giant heather until you reach the beautiful Sagana River camp at approximately 3400m for overnight.
DAY 2
After about 4 hours of steep climbing you come to the moorlands with its giant lobelia’s and senecio’s. In the afternoon you cross the moorlands walking through an expanse of tussock grass and descend a little for overnight at the Thigo river camp at about 3900m.
DAY 3
From the camp you start traversing the river valley with more tree groundsel and lobelia, over a ridge and into the Hohnel valley. Lunch at Lake Hohnel and across another ridge and the peaks come into view majestically towering over the Teleki valley. You follow the upper slope of the Naro moro River all the way to Mackinder’s Camp (4200m) for overnight.
DAY 4
Today you stay at approximately the same altitude and walk the circuit around the high peaks to the other side of the mountain. A beautiful hike and very good for acclimatization to prepare yourself for the next day’s final ascend. You end the day at Shipton’s camp.
DAY 5
At 0030 hrs you begin your final ascend of Point Lenana at 4985m. There is a good chance of snow and this last climb can be quite a challenge. The view however is more than worth it and the sunrise over a rocky landscape with little lakes and valleys as far as the eye can see absolutely stunning.
After Point Lenana you start your descend on the Chogoria route, and breakfast is waiting at the Simba Tarn. It’s a long walk down but with a beautiful view of the Gorges valley and the Temple, a sheer cliff 300m high, and the Hall Tarns scattered on top. You spend the night at the beautiful Lake Michaelson.
DAY 6
You climb back on the Temple and follow the gorge and continue to Roadhead for overnight, another very pretty camp on the Urumandi river (3300m).
DAY 7
After breakfast you may have one last glance at the majestic peaks you have already conquered. From road head to Mt. Meru bandas is only a two hour walk. Here you leave the park and continue the road down through the rainforest to Chogoria town where the transport will be waiting to take you back to Castle Forest Lodge for a well deserved rest.