Mount Kenya Trekking with Safari in Samburu

The adventure

Mount Kenya is an extinct glacier-covered volcano straddling the equator. At 17,057 feet, it is the second-highest mountain in Africa behind Kilimanjaro. The Samburu National Reserve are located about 200 miles north of Nairobi on opposite sides of the Ewaso Nyiro River

Highlights

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day 1

    Drive from Nairobi to Naro Moru

   Pick up from Nairobi and depart heading north towards Mt. Kenya and the small town of Naromoru right at the western edge of the mountain. Our destination is Batians View Experiential Education Center and campsite which will be your base for climbing the mountain. It is situated in a beautiful wooded area next to the Naro Moru River on the lower slopes of Mount Kenya. All our climbs of Mount Kenya originate here. Here, you will meet your guide and porters and your gear will be checked to make sure you have everything you need to stay safe and comfortable while on the mountain.

2. Day 2

   Drive to Naro Moru park gate

   From Batians View, it is a short drive to the Naromoru gate which is the beginning of the Naromoru trail. This is the trail that will take you to the peaks. After processing your park entry, you will set off for the first campsite at Met station. It is located in a small clearing in the bamboo forest at an altitude of 10,000ft. Accommodation is in mountain huts.

3. Day 3

   Hike to Mackinders Camp

   Your hike will begin in the bamboo and Hagenia forest, ascending through areas of giant heath onto the alpine zone popularly known as the moorland. Here, you will encounter tussock grass, giant groundsels, and lobelia plants which are adapted to this unique environment. It has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Mackinders Camp is located at the upper edge of this zone. Accommodation is in mountain huts. You will attempt to summit Point Lenana from here.

4. Day 4

   Lenana Summit

   Point Lenana, at an altitude of 16,355 feet, is the destination of most visitors to the mountain. It is the third highest peak and can be done by anyone in good physical condition without any technical training or equipment. You can choose to do a dawn ascent in which case you leave very early to try and catch the sunrise at the summit or do a day summit. After the summit, you will hike back down to the Mackinders and spend the day relaxing and enjoying the beautiful sights the mountain has to offer.

5. Day 5

   Descend to Met station

   You will leave early after breakfast for the descent back to Met station where you will be picked up and driven to Batians View. After hot showers and a meal, you will be briefed on Samburu National Reserve, which is where you will be heading the following day.

6. Day 6

   Drive to Samburu National Reserve

   You will depart after breakfast heading north through the towns of Nanyuki and Isiolo to Archer's post on the banks of Ewaso Nyiro river. It is a three-hour drive, arriving there early afternoon just in time for a game drive. These reserves have an arid to semi-arid climate. Several large dry-country mammal species common to Kenya’s northern plains can be found here. These include gerenuks, Grevy’s zebras, oryx, and reticulated giraffes. Birdlife is abundant here with over 450 species having been identified. Among them are the African darter, white-headed vulture, martial eagle, yellow-billed

7. Day 7

   Full Day in Samburu National Reserve

   The climate of the area is arid to semi-arid and the days can be quite hot while the nights can be cool. The practice is to go on early morning and late afternoon game drives to catch the animals when they are at their most active. Several large dry-country mammal species common to Kenya’s northern plains can be found here. These include gerenuk, Grevy’s zebras, oryx, and reticulated giraffes. Birdlife is abundant here with over 450 species having been identified. The reserve is also home to elephants, buffalos, and all three of Africa’s large cats, lions, leopards, and cheetahs.

8. Day 8

   Drive to Nairobi and drop-off at JKIA

   You will depart after breakfast for Nairobi with a lunch stop in Nanyuki town. You'll be dropped off at JKIA.

What's included & excluded

Difficulty & fitness level

Moderate to Challenging

Challenging. You should be comfortable trekking 6–8 hours a day for several days at altitude. Train for 2–3 months beforehand.

Best season

January–March & July–October