mt kenya sirimon chogoria route

The Chogoria route which approaches Mount Kenya on the eastern side, is excellent for acclimatization over a 5-day trek. During your mountain hike via Mt Kenya Sirimon Chogoria route, you can enjoy mind-blowing scenery along with getting the feeling of solitude and peace. The trek passes two iconic lakes of Mount Kenya: Lake Ellis and Lake Michaelson. In this case, you should know that Lake Michaelson is considered one of the most beautiful locations on this mountain.

Sirimon Route

It is the least used route. As Sirimon is located on the dry side of the mountain, you can find beautiful forest here. Whereas in the lower sections, above Park Gate, you can get to see Cedar and Podocarpus trees. On the other hand, near the top of the track, airplane flowers and tussock grass can be seen.

Chogoria route

If you want to enjoy the wildlife and bird life on Mount Kenya, then you can trek through the Chogoria route following a 7-day itinerary with campsites setup and the guidance of Ice Rock Trekking company’s trained local porters and guides.

mt kenya sirimon chogoria

Mt Kenya Sirimon Chogoria Route Itinerary

● Nairobi to Old Moses Camp

You need to leave Nairobi by 8 am. Then, you have to proceed to Sirimon gate of Mt Kenya which will take about 4 hours. Then, you need to follow the track uphill for 10 km from Sirimon Gate forking left at the junction so that you can reach Old Moses Camp.

● Old Moses Camp to Shipton Camp
After having your breakfast, you need to start your journey at 8 am. Then, you have to follow the directions for the direct route until you reach there. This track will swing right and South around the head of a valley. Then, you need to cross several small streams so that you can reach the crest of the ridge between the Otulili and Liki North valleys. Then, what you need to do is ascend the West side of the valley over a bridge. Then, go down into the Mackinders Valley. To reach Shipton Camp, it will take about 6 hours.

● Shipton camp to point Lenana down to Mintos Hut
After having your tea, you need to leave the camp at 3 am and go to the Lenana site to watch the sunrise. You need to walk across a tough scree until you reach Harris Tarn. After enjoying the stunning views, you need to descend down to Mintos Hut.

● Mintos Hut to Meru Mount Kenya Bandas

After having your breakfast, you need to descend to the Gorges Valley via Lake Michaelson and Vivan talks. Within 5 hours, you will reach the Bandas.

● Meru Mount Kenya Bandas to Nairobi

After having your breakfast, you need to walk down through bamboo and forest until you reach Bairunyi. Here, you will get transport to go back to Nairobi.

End note

If you want to have a tour of Mount Kenya via the Mt Kenya Sirimon Chogoria route, you can contact Ice Rock Trekking. The best thing about this company is they can customize the tours as per their requirements and assure that you will have a safe and enjoyable trip.

mt kenya

Every year thousands of tourists arrive in Kenya for visiting or trekking Mt. Kenya. It is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Mt. Kenya National Park was declared a national park in 1949. The principal motto of declaring it a national park was to preserve its biodiversity. Several routes are open to reaching the peaks of Mt. Kenya but the Mt. Kenya Sirimon Chogoria route is the most famous one. These are actually two routes – the Sirimon route and the Chogoria route. In 1997, UNESCO has announced Mt. Kenya National Park as a world heritage site.

Key features of Mt. Kenya National Park

Mt. Kenya is the second tallest mountain in Africa. It’s breathtaking scenery and pristine wilderness attract tourists and trekkers from all over the world. Lakes, tarns, forests, glaciers, mineral springs, and wildlife makes the national park appealing to international tourists.

  • Wildlife

Tourists visiting the national park can spot varieties of wildlife such as wild-tailed mongoose, black-fronted duiker, mole rats, bushbucks, elephants, buffalos, and elands. You can find some of the rarest wildlife species here such as giant forest hogs, lions, bongos, and leopards.

  • Plant life

The plant life in this part of Africa is another prime attraction that tourists look out for while visiting Mt. Kenya National Park. This is the place of 11 species of endemic plants such as giant lobelia, Helichrysum citrispinum, Silene kilimandscharica, Senecio keniodendron, and Alchemilla johnstonii.

  • Birds

Over 130 species of birds are found in Mt. Kenya National Park. Some of the most beautiful birds spotted here are violet-back sterling, olive pigeon, African green pigeon, black-and-white manikin, Jackson’s francolin, red-fronted parrot, and hunter’s cisticola.

  • Kenya

Mt. Kenya itself is an attraction to the global heritage. Every year many mountain trekkers come to this national park to climb the peaks. About 5,199 meters (17,057 feet) tall, Mt. Kenya is the second-highest mountain in Africa after Mt. Kilimanjaro. It is also the highest mountain in Kenya and the highest water tower in the country. The glaciers and snowfalls of this mountain are the chief sources of water in the country.

Mountain trekking

Trekking is the most common and popular activity in Mt. Kenya National Park. There are about seven different routes to this mountain but the Mt. Kenya Sirimon Chogoria route is the most popular one. It is very rewarding for the trekkers who make it to the top.

  • The Chogoria route starts from the Eastern side of the via Chogoria town. The route is comparatively longer but the sloping is gradual which helps trekkers to climb comfortably. Ice Rock Trekking arranges trekking from this route regularly. You get full technical support from them.
  • Sirimon is the best when you prefer forests and wildlife. This route is calmer and more comfortable than the other routes. You will spot some of the rarest species of plants, birds, and animals while traveling through this route.

It is always feasible to contact expert tour organizers such as Ice Rock Trekking to get the best of Mt. Kenya Sirimon Chogoria route.