As seen on
Hiking Mount Kenya
Kenya
From
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Esential info
- Packing list
Grade:
Challenging
Type:
Activity
Transfers
Duration:
5 Nights
4 - 12
Group size
Leaders
Tour Highlights
- Spectacular Lake Michaelson
- Try your hand at a spot of fly-fishing in Lake Ellis
- Enjoy views of the summit of Kilimanjaro
- Stunning scenery
- Unique endemic flora
Chogoria 6 Day Trek
The Chogoria Route has an almost mystical charm. Less frequented than other routes, and passing through awe-inspiring scenery, this magnificent trek gives one a feeling of solitude and peace. It is also offers a good chance of seeing wildlife at higher altitudes than expected. Zebra, eland and duiker are often seen, and signs of leopard are everywhere; keep your eyes peeled! All in all, the experience involves 5 days on the mountain, with campsites set up by a team of trained local porters and guides, who will accompany you throughout your expedition.
Coming Soon!
Add unforgettable pre-tour Laikipia safari.
Day 1: NANYUKI/NAIROBI TO CHOGORIA BANDAS (2530m)
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Camping
You are able to be met and driven to the start of the route either at Nairobi Airport or Nanyuki airstrip.
The first day’s trek takes you up through majestic old-growth rain forest and dense stands of bamboo. After finally rising above the forest belt, you enter a natural parkland, where groves of ancient cedars and African rosewood trees stand interspersed with grassy glades. After passing the KWS Bandas, a short walk will bring you to our ‘forest campsite,’ which is nestled in a grove of giant trees. The afternoon is a good opportunity to wander around the area and acclimatise.
Trekking time: 1 hour
Day 2: CHOGORIA BANDAS TO LAKE ELLIS (3,460 m)
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Camping
The walk starts with spectacular views of the rolling hills ahead and perhaps even a glimpse of the snow- capped peaks of Batian (5,199m) and Nelion (5,188m) high above.
This is a relatively short trek, and you will arrive in camp earlier than the previous day. Arriving early gives you the chance to sit back and relax after lunch, and simply enjoy the views around Lake Ellis.
If interested, you can ask us to arrange for you to try your hand at fly-fishing for trout in the lake. In order to promote better acclimatisation, we go by the general rule of thumb, which is “climb high and sleep low.”
An evening walk up nearby Mugi Hill is a wonderful way to end the day, and will hopefully make your ascent easier too.
Trekking time: 5 hours.
Day 3: LAKE ELLIS TO LAKE MICHAELSON (4,100m)
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Camping
This is a beautiful trek, taking you from one lake to another, and passing unforgettable scenery en route. After an initial down-up on relatively steep terrain, you gain the ridge, and the gradient soon eases up.
It is very pleasant trekking along the ridgeline past giant, lichen-covered boulders, with the Gorges valley dropping away to your left. You may have glimpses of the main peaks, and later in the day Lake Michaelson comes into view like a spherical jewel.
Lunch is enjoyed whilst perched above the lake, with awesome views both up and down the mountain. A gentle traverse and a final descent bring you to Lake Michaelson campsite.
The afternoon is for resting, and perhaps taking a stroll around the lake. There is also good fishing at Michaelson.
Trekking time: 5 hours
Distance: 7.8km
Altitude Gain: 926m
Altitude Lost: 421m
Day 4: ACCLIMATISATION REST DAY AT LAKE MICHAELSON (4100M)
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Camping
You wake up with a slightly stiff body after the previous day's trek, unzip your tent and look outside. The sky is turning pink behind a rocky silhouette. It is a wonderful feeling to hold a mug of something warm, and watch as the lake water reflects the fiery dawn sky, without any rush to pack up and leave.
No need to wake up for dawn - have a lie-in if you like. Michaelson is the ideal spot for a rest day. Rarely used by other groups you're likely to have the place to yourself. The altitude is also ideal for good acclimatisation. If anyone is feeling energetic then exploring the area, and going up to slightly higher altitude, will not only reveal gorgeous scenery, but also go towards aiding acclimatisation.
Fishing on the lake is another pleasant way to pass the day. Or simply chill out, read, eat, admire the views from the comfort of your camp chair, and have a lazy day.
Day 5: LAKE MICHAELSON TO SIMBA COL (4,500m)
Breakfast
Packed Lunch
Dinner
Camping
You will depart at around 9 am for another splendid trek.
Following the course of a lively stream brings you up through a tumble of boulders, and beneath the red cliffs of ‘the Temple,’ where alpine swifts frolic, and occasionally roar past like jets.
Once in the upper part of the Gorges valley you trek along on easy terrain, beneath the splintered heights of Macmillan and Delamere peaks. The vegetation changes as you gain altitude, and there is more bare rock and scree.
You will arrive at Simba Col in time for lunch.
Trekking time: 5 hours
Distance: 3.4km
Altitude Gain: 639m
Altitude Lost: 40m
Day 6: SIMBA COL - POINT LENANA (4,985m) - OLD MOSES (3200m)
Breakfast
Lunch
Camping
An early departure at 5.30am for a sunrise summit is the best way to experience this climb, and enjoy the expansive views whilst sipping a nice warm drink. On a clear day the valleys light up golden-green, little tarns reflect the sun and even the summit of Kilimanjaro can be seen way off in the distance.
The descent takes you down the southern side along the Sirimon route. You will enjoy a well-deserved brunch in the Mackinder Valley. Having refueled, you'll continue with the final trek down to Old Moses for collection.
Trekking time: 8-10 hours
Distance: 17km
Altitude Gain: 643m
Altitude Lost: 1848m
Adventure Optional Extras
Plant an additional 15 trees for your adventure
Carbon Compensation is not the perfect solution, and it is important to first reduce our carbon emissions as much as we can, yet trees remain an excellent natural technology to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to slow global warming.
For every client and guide who attends a YellowWood Adventure, we donate £30 to our partner charity WeForest to plant 15 trees to (over) compensate for the carbon footprint of the tour.
We also invite our clients to match this with an optional additional £30 for another 15 trees to be planted to help compensate for the carbon footprint of their international flights.
WeForest run many tree planting and tree maintenance projects such as this seedling nursery in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil and many other projects in other countries including Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania & India.
Click Here to find out more about their amazing projects around the world.
Not Included
Contents
Food & Drink
Purified drinking water is provided in all camps.
3 meals a day are provided (apart from departure/arrivals days).
Examples of the food you can expect:
Breakfast: Oatmeal and Granola, Fruit, eggs(either fried, boiled or made into an omelette) with some toast or Pancakes
Lunch: This is ether a sandwich/ wrap or if you are in camp for mid day you will probably get a hot lunch which could be a Pasta dish, bean salad or a thick soup with some bread.
Dinner: Soup to start followed by some fish, chicken beef or lamb stewed curried or fried with some carbohydrates and vegetables.
Note: If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know in advance and we can send you a list of what we have on offer.
Travel
Your YellowWood adventure starts at the airport in Nairobi or Nanyuki on the start day of the trip. We understand that arriving into an unfamiliar airport can be very daunting, so we aim to give you as much information here as possible to help you prepare.
Finding flights
Flights are not included in the cost of your holiday, and whilst we are happy to help advise you, responsibility for booking the correct flights rests with you. We recommend that you use a comparison tool such as www.momondo.co.uk or www.skyscanner.net when searching for flights. We will send you a Flight Information Sheet with further pointers on which flights to book for your adventure.
Flights will be into Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO).
Insurance
Holiday insurance is essential for all Yellow Wood Adventures. Unfortunately, anyone without insurance is not able to take part in the holiday, so please make sure you arrange cover. We recommend arranging your insurance cover when you book so that if you have problems during the run up to your holiday, and need to cancel, you are covered.
YellowWood partners with battleface as a travel insurance provider. Click here for a quote.
battleface insurance is provided in the UK by battleface Insurance Services Limited, a UK insurance intermediary authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details provided on this webpage are for information only. Terms, conditions, exclusions, and limitations apply. Always read the description of cover contained within your policy to ensure it is suitable for your needs.
Prior to the holiday, we will ask you to send us details of your insurer, policy number, 24 hour emergency assistance contact details and the name, address, and telephone numbers of your NOK or persons to be notified in the event of an emergency.
You must ensure the travel insurance you purchase provides you with suitable cover for the entirety of your trip. Your travel insurance must include cover in the event that you have to cancel for a reason outside your control prior to departure, for any medical expenses you may incur whilst away (including repatriation in the case of medical need) and for the activities which you may participate in during your trip.
Health
For general information on health issues in Kenya, please see the general information on Kenya, however, for this specific adventure, the following points are worth separate consideration.
Malaria & Vaccinations
Malaria is a potentially serious parasitic infection transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. In humans the disease is caused by five different species of the Plasmodium parasite. Malaria is widely distributed throughout tropical regions of the world including in parts of Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Oceania. Malaria is preventable and curable if diagnosed and treated promptly.
There is currently low risk in the city of Nairobi and in the highlands above 2,500m.
Please make an appointment with your health professional to discuss antimalarial recommendations and any vaccinations you may need, as this advice can change.
For more information please see here: Malaria - Kenya
Vaccine recommendations for Kenya can be found here.
Passport & Entry Requirements
Entry Requirements
This advice reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.
The authorities in Kenya set and enforce entry rules. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Kenya High Commission in the UK.
To enter Kenya, your passport must have:
- an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive
- at least 2 blank pages
E Visa
To check which type of visa you will need please visit the Kenyan Department of Immigration.
For most passport holders, visas are required to enter Kenya. You must have a visa to visit Kenya if you are aged 16 and over. You must get a Kenyan e-visa by applying online here.
***On 12 December 2023 the President of Kenya announced that Kenya will be visa-free from January 2024. The Kenyan government is currently in the process of developing an electronic travel authorisation system which will replace visas for visitors to Kenya. However, the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority confirmed on 2 January 2024 that visitors should continue to apply for visas until further notice.
You should closely follow the websites of the Kenyan High Commission in London, the Kenyan Department of Immigration and Kenyan eVisas for updates on the latest requirements.***
Foreign Travel Advice
All of the above information is correct to the best of our knowledge. For the latest travel advice from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office including security and local laws, plus passport and visa information, check www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. As the situation in our destination countries can change, please do ensure you check regularly before your adventure. We also receive notifications direct from the FCDO so we are always aware of the ‘status’ in our destination countries.
Compulsory
Need a little help?
All adventures can be tailored as private bespoke trips.
Please contact us for more information:
+44 207 846 0197
Related Adventures
Booking Process
Select dates: Choose the dates for your adventure and consider adding any extra adventures or add-ons to enhance your experience.
Check the box to agree to our Terms & Conditions.
Make Booking: Click on "Make Booking." If you're booking more than 56 days before your adventure, you'll be redirected to secure WorldPay to make your deposit. If it's 56 days or less before your adventure, you'll need to make full payment. Rest assured, your money is held securely by the Travel Trust Association.
Your booking will show as 'pending' in your YellowWood online account.
Confirmation: We'll be in touch as soon as possible to confirm your booking or discuss any availability limitations. Please refrain from booking transport or flights until we've emailed you to confirm your booking. (Note: Receipt of your booking form is not confirmation.)
Making payment: Once your booking is confirmed, we'll change the status of your final invoice from 'Pending Approval' to 'Outstanding,' indicating that it's ready for payment online.
You will receive a reminder email for your final payment 56 days before the departure date.
Feel free to contact us with any questions about your adventure or booking, we're here to help!
Grading
To help you choose the right adventure for you, we have given each itinerary a grading that relates to the level of Walking / Trekking you will experience during the trip. This grading can be found on the Yellow map on the adventure page of the website.
All of our trips involve a level of general activity so are designed for people who are in good health, enjoy the outdoors, and have a taste for adventure and some level of fitness. As will be clear from our destinations, the climate (and altitude) may be different to that which you are used to, so please take this into consideration when choosing the most suitable holiday.
Please read our Adventure Itinerary & Essential Information for more information and don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to chat through whether you have found a suitable adventure for you.
Grade 1-3: Entry Level
You need to be in good physical health to enjoy your active holiday, but you don’t need to be an experienced hiker. These itineraries offer a mix of sightseeing and easier walking for around 2-4hrs a day, with the emphasis on sights and cultural experiences.
Walks will be well marked or on defined pathways, and often around sites of interest. The expected amount of descent/ascent will depend on the landscapes of the destination, but will not exceed 400m/day, and will often be much less. Walks are at low altitude (below 3000m).
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack with water and essentials. Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have a pair of comfortable and worn in walking shoes/boots.
Grades 4-6: Intermediate
You need to have a good level of fitness and be a regular walker for these adventures, with ideally some trekking experience. You can expect to be walking for 3-6 hours per day, not including rest stops, normally on good trail paths but with some uneven surfaces at times.
You will not be required to carry more than a day sack. You may be walking in more challenging temperatures. You will generally be walking at low altitude (below 3000m) but may walk at altitudes up to 4000m. The amount of ascent could be up to 800m in a day but will frequently be less. You may walk on consecutive days.
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable clothing for this adventure.
Grades 7-9: Challenging
You need to have a good level of fitness with previous experience of trekking. Extra training before your trip will ensure that you get the most out of your adventure. Areas will be remote and terrain uneven.
Expect to walk for 5 – 8 hours a day, not including breaks, with some very steep ascents and descents. You will be walking at altitude (over 3000m but not higher than 5000m).
Ensure you are aware of the weather conditions likely in the destination you are visiting and have suitable equipment/clothing for this adventure (see the packing list for your adventure).
Please check individual itineraries for details of what you will need to be carrying with you.
Get in touch
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