The climb from Siriman Gate up to the camp called Old Moses is a consistent ascent, climbing a gentle grade along a two track dirt road beat up by four-wheel-drive Land Cruisers and safari cars - fortunately I never saw any vehicles. In the early morning Colubus Monkeys could be heard shrieking from the shaded trees. I was keeping an eye and ear out for elephants crossing through the forest, no such luck though. In the cool breezy morning air, sun shining down from a nearly cloudless sky, myself and four others - one tourist, two porters and a guide - were walking from the gate at 8340’ up to Old Moses which is situated at 10,000’. Two and a half hours is what it took to reach the first camp, which we had planned to spend our first night. Our arrival at 10:30 gave us a chance to reconsider wasting the entire day sitting at Old Moses. So after a brief discussion with our guide, Fredrick - who made his first journey to Mt. Kenya nearly 30 years ago - a plan was made to continue on the trail up to the Shipton Camp. But first we had to have some breakfast.
A knowelgeable and experienced guide can be a wonderful addition to your backcountry experience, offering discussional information about the history, vegetation, wildlife, geology, and lore of Mt. Kenya. Porters are also available to carry non-essential daypack items such as sleeping bags and mattresses, extra water, solid and frozen foods, and cooking equipment. The porters you hire will lug whatever you ask of them, and most are trained to prepare your meals in the evenings and mornings.
For those who wish to take a more individualist approach, the guide and porters are not mandatory. The most popular routes up the mountain are well worn and easy to follow and fresh, spring water is plentiful. Make sure to plan your routes before setting out, however, especially if you expect to sleep in the camps, which can be separated by great distances.
From the camp at Old Moses the path became a mountain walking trail instead of a rough road. We were happy to traverse the hillsides covered by blooming plants, green mountain grasses, cedar shrubs, and occasional freshwater streams and rivers clean and clear enough to drink straight out of. The view outward to the plains below extended all the way to the Aberdare Ridge to the west. We could also see clouds beginning to form up valley around Mt. Kenya’s three highest peaks - Pt. Lenana 16355’, Nelion 17022’, Batian 17058’.
The route we chose made a crossing from the Liki North drainage into Mackinder Valley, a deep U shaped canyon leading up to Shipton Cave and Camp. The trail took us downhill into the drainage and up again to cross over the next ridge into Mackinder. The hill climb is where we used up our calories from breakfast, and most of the strength in our legs. The elevation gain started setting in as well, causing us to take more breaks to catch fleeting breaths. We met a few groups of people coming down from Shipton that day. Some of them gave us looks like we were crazy. One group thought there was no way we could make it. The midday sun overhead, we still felt we had plenty of time to get there.
Mt. Kenya National Park offers a number of unique routes and environments for the adventurous outdoor explorer. A trek can be designed to suit your time schedule, from two night stays that reach Pt. Lenana - the highest peak accessible without technical climbing - to five or six night stays for those who wish to explore the scenery seldom visited by most tourists - including harnessed climbing to Battion, Mt. Kenya’s highest peak. Waterfalls, pristine cirques, moorland meadows, and Afro Alpine vegetation are some of the features waiting to be uncovered.
Along the route through Mackinder Valley we saw the hyrax, an animal that lives among rocks and boulders. Its body the size of a large rabbit, it is actually the closest genetic relative to the elephant! Along the river banks sunbirds, starlings, and other birds sat in the tops of the cactus like trees.
The route became less steep but the long day started to wear us down. We stopped for a few breaks, eating chocolate in hopes of getting some new energy; and to rest our tired legs. With the peaks in sight we slogged on enjoying the wonderful light of evening, making our way into Shipton Camp at 5:30, about 45 minutes before dark.
Accomodations on the mountain are extremely basic. Each camp houses a number of bunk beds with mattresses indented into the concave form of a human body. What is lacking in comfort is made up in necessity: a mess hall area for cooking, protected from the wind, and spring water to rehydrate after a climb.
We awoke at 3:00 am the next morning. Still tired but motivated enough to set out, we made a quick breakfast and got on to the trail, flashlights to see the way. The trail to Pt. Lenanna is steep, and slick, the result of an area formerly covered by glaciers now exposed to the elements of wind and water.
Climbing to an elevation higher than I had ever reached both thrilled me and caused some anxiety. Sickness caused by rapid elevation gain can be fatal to humans and we had made a big gain no less than 12 hours earlier. I had no headache - the first sign of altitude sickness - and I was in no rush to get to the top. The air became noticeably thinner as we reached 14,000’ and my heart rate would rise rapidly if I didn’t give myself a rest.
The eastern horizon became saturated with orange color as the sun made its way into view. I could still see stars to the west and the flat edges of the earth in all directions. Some other folks had already reached the summit when the first ray of light hit the peak. We stopped to witness the break of the new day. A few minutes later we made the summit, congratulating each other and snapping a quick photo for evidence. We took a few minutes to identify Kilimanjaro poking out above the clouds in Tanzania to the south, then turned to head back down, chased out by the wind and bitter chill nearly 5000 meters above sea level.
Reaching the peak is only making the halfway point of any climb, and sometimes the way down is more difficult than the ascent. The route was quite slippery in spots and maintaining focus and concentration was necessary to avoid a fall. Fortunately everyone made it down without incident.
Returning safely to the trailhead at the Siriman gate the next day the sense of accomplishment boasted our spirits. We had some sore muscles from the weight of our packs. Thankfully everyone made the return on their own power. We were informed that we were the first group to climb from the trailhead to Shipton Camp in one day. To commemorate our ambitious journey we took a photo that is now displayed in the Kenya Wildlife Service office at the Siriman Gate.
If you are interested in trekking in the Mt. Kenya Wilderness please feel free to contact Tony Anderson at Rhino Watch Safaris. A tour can be designed for your schedule, budget, and specific travel interests.
