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Mount Kenya Climbing Adventure: 5-day Scenic Journey via Chogoria Route
5.0
26 Ratings
Chogoria route is most scenic ;it is like having a safari-hiking experience on your way to Point Lenana.Our certified guides are not only friendly but qualified enough to take care of you in case of altitude sickness
Duration:
5 days
Cancellation:
3 days
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Highlights
Nairobi- Mt Kenya Bandas (2,900m) 3hrs, 10km
Mount Kenya - A drive from Nairobi to Chogoria town for lunch after which we take a 4*4 vehicle to drive up where we start our hike via the bamboo forest. We walk for 3 hours to the Mt Kenya Bandas for dinner and an overnight gaining a 680m ascent.
Mt Kenya Bandas – Lake Ellis Campsite (3,600m), 9km, 700m ascent
Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy - The journey up the mountain begins after breakfast. We have an option of using the route via Lake Ellis though we walk a little longer, the sight of the Mugi hill, Ithanguni and they are worth every extra mile. On the other hand we follow the path near the river, all is not lost there is plenty of vegetation and wildlife to enjoy. We stop for lunch and rest then continue to left of the hill where we have dinner and pitch tent for the night.
Lake Ellis – Minto’s Camp. (4,200m) 12km, 600m ascent.
Mount Kenya National Park - After breakfast we continue our journey up joining the normal Chogoria route.it is about a 4 hour hike to our next camp. The Gorges Valley offers the best views of the peaks and when you turn behind the Mugi hills and the Giants Billiards Table are amazing. Close by the Minto’s camp is the temple with a spectacular view of Lake Michaelson beneath it. Dinner and overnight
Minto’s – Pt. Lenana (4,985m) – Old Moses camp. 785 ascent, 1,685 descent, 24km
Mount Kenya National Park - This busy day starts at 3.00 am in order to enjoy sunrise at the peak of point Lenana .after that rewarding experience, we descend to the Shimpton’s camp for breakfast and continue further to old Moses where we spend the night. Descending via Sirimon route is gradual and exciting as you enjoy the Flora and Fauna through the Mackinder’s valley.
Old Moses camp – Nairobi- 2 hrs
Mount Kenya - After the much needed rest and breakfast in the morning, descend to the Sirimon Park gate for about 2-3 hours to catch a vehicle for a drive back to Nairobi arriving late afternoon.
What's Included
- Breakfast included
- Dinner included
- All meals provided
- All fees and taxes included
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel at least 4 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(26 Ratings)
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Jays1420
Apr 6, 2024
Stunning scenery - great tour. - Beautiful trek up through stunning scenery. Duncan and Patrick were great guides, and the rest of the team were also brilliant. Food was great, team friendly. I had to come down earlier due to altitude sickness and Duncan helped me get all the way back to Nairobi! Would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gusallen
Apr 1, 2024
An unforgettable climb - I can wholeheartedly recommend the Mount Kenya climb with Equatorial Star. A friend and I did the 5 day climb in February and had an amazing time. We organised everything over WhatsApp in advance with Duncan, who replied quickly to all our questions and provided us with a comprehensive list of equipment that we needed.
The actual climb itself went very smoothly, Patrick was an excellent guide and the rest of the team were very friendly and helpful. We were well looked after and the food was both good and plentiful, thanks to Juma. The actual climb was amazing. I would recommend the up Chogoria and down Sirimon route that Patrick took us on. The scenery was breathtaking. Patrick got the pacing spot on, making sure we avoided altitude sickness, but then making sure that we were the first people to the top on summit day, meaning we had the peak to ourselves before any other climbers arrived. An unforgettable experience.
Thank you to Patrick, Juma, Benson, Sam, Paul and Julius!
We hope to be back to climb Kilimanjaro with Equitorial Star at some point in the future.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
648zakariac
Mar 31, 2024
Amazing adventure - Climbing Mount Kenya with Duncan, Jumaa, and their team was incredible. They knew so much about the mountain and made me feel safe. Duncan led well, and Jumaa was always friendly, making the tough parts easier.
Their team was great, setting up camp and making food, so I could enjoy the climb. They cared about me and helped me reach the top.
I loved climbing with them and would recommend them to anyone. They made my trip special and fun.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G7682xtpeterf
Feb 16, 2024
Amazing experience! - Equitorial Star adventure & safaris.
Just finished a 5 day hike to the summit of Mount Kenya in Kenya.
It was organized by Equitorial Star adventure & safaris, a Nairobi based company. Its owner Mr. Duncan has been truly amazing in organizing this hike. From first quick response to always communicating in a timely manner to picking me up at the airport and organizing the 4 person crew accommodation me up to the summit safely. Mr. Duncan and his company has been nothing but inspiring and helpful.
The hike itself was conducted in a safe and considered way where head guide Juma always looked out for his crew and I.
Safety first.
Sam the cook dished up some delicious local meals, Paul and Ben always was helpful and eager to help out when needed like setting up tent and bring hot tea.
Overall I can highly recommend booking any kind of tours with Equitorial Star adventure & safaris.
10 out off 10.
Thank you for an awesome trip.
February 2024
Peter from Denmark 🇩🇰
Review provided by Tripadvisor
555ivarn
Jan 14, 2024
An experience for life - This hike was amazing. The friendly crew, amazing food, and the gorgeous nature made this the absolute highlight of our 18 day trip to Kenya and Tanzania.
It is hard to mention everything that made this an extraordinary experience, but I’ll try to highlight what differentiated EquitorialStar from the other groups that were doing the hike:
- We were one of four groups who made it to the summit before sunrise. We left camp last, but our very experienced guide, Patric, knew exactly what pace we were capable of and when to leave. If you arrive too early, you get cold, if you arrive too late you miss the sunrise. If you walk too fast you get altitude sickness. With EquitorialStar you’ll hit the sweet spot, just like we did.
- We had the largest tent. By far. Which meant we had a place to stay during rain showers and a large space to change and relax while at camp. Do not underestimate this.
- The food, oh my God… The dishes cook Juma made for us were divine. I am really hoping he will publish a cook book. I was never hungry, and the dishes were as healthy as they were delicious.
- Duncan organized not only the trip, but he helped us with our entire travel plan and everything else both before and after our hike. He truly is a great person that helps out a lot when meeting this wonderful but very different country for the first time.
- On the ride from Nairobi to Mount Kenya (and back), we felt safe. And that is saying a lot. Traffic in Kenya is crazy scary, so having a driver you can trust should be something to look for.
Thank you so much, Duncan, Patric, Juma, and all the other crew for this amazing trip. I cannot recommend it enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V1086lokatherinec
Sep 15, 2023
Incredible team for a once in a lifetime experience - This was my first multi-day trek and first time hiking at altitude and I couldn't have asked for a better team to guide me! I did the 5 day up Sirimon, down Chogoria route, which I highly recommend. Duncan quickly responded to all my pre-trip questions, arranged for my equipment rentals, and set me up with a great team. Patrick, the guide, was incredibly patient and motivating, advising me when to take it slow and when to power through. He also answered my many questions about all of the sights. Juma, the cook, provided delicious meals that kept me going through rain and snow, and the porters Julius and Samuel were always ready to lend a hand. Together, they made a difficult hike much more doable than I could have imagined.
In short—I highly recommend Equitorial Star! They took care of everything top to bottom for this once in a lifetime experience.
A few tips:
- I really liked going up Sirimon and down Chogoria. Summit day is long (10+ hours), however the perk of going down Chogoria is you get more scenic views and end the day with a hot shower and a private room. (Sirimon is all shared cabins with other hikers).
- If you have time, go for the 5 day routes which include an acclimatization day. Duncan recommended 5 days instead of 4 and it was worth it! I had a break after a long day 2 and was ready to go on summit day 4.
- If you have time, stay in Nairobi for a few days before hiking. I spent a week in Nairobi for work and I think it made a big difference in acclimatizing.
- Don't forget rain gear and multiple pairs of socks! We got rain and snow, but I was able to manage it all with the right gear.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Grannyfromyorkshire
Sep 10, 2023
Up Chogoria, down Sirimon - absolutely the best route. The views are stunning - Taking longer up (4th day to summit rather than 3rd) really paid off. We got to see so much more. The views were amazing, the food was really good, they made sure we drank enough and the list of things we had to take was spot on.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
949lillyr
Jul 7, 2023
Experienced team who will go above and beyond for your comfort - This was an great adventure carried out by an amazing and experienced team! Our guide was Patrick, and he and the team went beyond what was required to make our trip as comfortable as it could be! We had fresh, abundant and varied meals everyday, usually three courses, plus tea in the afternoon, cooked by Juma and his team. Everything is perfectly organised, they carry a first aid kid and take precautions for you not to get altitude sickness. I 100% recommend this company and their tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicolambamford
Jun 29, 2023
Splendid Chogoria Route Hike with Duncan at Equitorial Star - Duncan and his team provided us with a fabulous and successful hike to Lenana peak, Mount Kenya. We highly recommend his company.
Starting our hike in Chogoria gave us 2.5 days of beautiful views with side hikes to the waterfall, lake and caves to aid our acclimatisation which helps significantly. Most people seem to hike from Sirimon Gate but we highly appreciated starting from Chogoria.
Duncan was attentive and tailored the trip to our needs. for example, we didn't want to hike in the dark so started for the summit at 6:30 am allowing us to catch all the views. As the trip progressed the team were great at assessing our hiking times to the various camp. The food was fresh and tasty.
Make sure you take warm clothes for the evening!
Duncan started off as porter many years ago and has built his company from scratch. We enjoyed his insights, knowledge and humour. It's good to know that all the cost flows directly back into the local economy.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
298grego
Jun 26, 2023
Chogoria Route - way to go!! - My luck continued (after my success reaching Uhuru Peak on Mt Kilimanjaro on 21 May, 2023) when Duncan from Equitorial Star Adventure & Safaris picked me up from Best Western Meridian, Nairobi, and I commenced by journey to Mt Kenya on 29 May, 2023. I immediately felt at ease with Duncan who was friendly and welcoming and was very conscientious to reassure me that all preparations were in place for a successful trek. The crew comprised Duncan (my guide) Moses (cook) and Juma and Julius (porters) - all terrific guys - very experienced and dedicated to making my experience on Mt Kenya a success - which it was! I was really pleased with the Chogoria Route and Duncan's `pole pole' approach to accimitization (something I never take shortcuts with). After the first night, Duncan and I did an accimitization walk to Lake Ellis and then saw the delightful Nithi Falls (not to be missed!) Duncan's guidance was impeccable - he was patient, knowledgeable and vigilant regarding my safety and comfort. After a successful summit on Point Lenana, Duncan was able to easily arrange transport from the park at the end of Day 4 which replaced camping that night with a stay at the very nice Sportman's Arms Hotel in Nanyuki Town, a variation to the itinerary that others may wish to consider. Thank you, Duncan and crew, such an enjoyable and memorable experience!! I have no hesitation in recommending your professional trekking services to other adventurers!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
