Fitness for Mt Kenya

Those who have made the trek to its summit, however, know that Mt Kenya Climb and Trekking it is one of the most beautiful climbs in East Africa.

Better than Kilimanjaro, experience an unforgettable trek to the 'roof' of Kenya. Mt. Kenya towers over the northeastern side of the Great Rift Valley. Rainforest, bamboo, tarns, alpine meadows, exotic high-altitude vegetation, sunbirds, hyrax and soaring eagles make a trek on this volcano one of the most unique mountaineering experiences in the world. Expert guides lead our group up less-traveled routes, allowing adequate time for acclimatizing and simply taking in the view of the peaks!

To climb to Point Lenana on Mount Kenya you don't need to be a super-fit athlete nor and experienced mountaineer. The trek is accessible to anyone with good basic fitness and an ethusiasm for the outdoors. It will be an advantage to have good previous hill-walking experience and therefore be familiar with walking in the countryside for many hours at a time.

You will enjoy the trip all the more if you do have good fitness and experience. Therefore we do advise that on the lead up to the trip you do spend time checking and working on the kind of fitness that you need for the trek. The ideal preparation is spending a good number of hours walking on rolling terrain with a small pack of say 5kg on your back. Other forms of cardio-vascular exercise such as running, cycling and swimming will also of course help with the right kinds of fitness, though especially if they focus mainly on the legs.

Type of Terrain
The paths vary as we ascend but they go from a vehicle track lower down, to a less defined path through tussocks and bog, to a footpath over gravel and mud and then sandy and dusty scree higher up. On summit day there are a couple of sections along the ridge where we use hands aswell as feet but they are very easy and the guides will help you if you need it. There is also a steel cable along most of teh final ridge which although not by any means necessar, is available for additional support. The descents from Hut Tarn and Point Lenana are over scree which can be dusty and loose. We will take our time but a trekking pole or two can be invaulable for maintaining your balance. If you have any problems with ankles, knees or hips then poles are strongly reccommended as well as a well-fitted support bandage.
Travel, Terrain, Etc...

TERRAIN/ROUTE CHOICES: Mt. Kenya routes involve hiking 3-6 hours a day over rough terrain. No technical climbing is necessary to reach Pt. Lenana, Mt. Kenya's 16,355 foot summit.

TYPE OF TRAVEL/DISTANCE: We will use vehicles to transfer to and from the mountain gate to Nanyuki or naromoru and 4x4 on chogoria route. You will hike throughout the trip covering 3-6 miles a day.

WEATHER: Mt. Kenya's climate is similar to other mountain ranges across the globe. Although unpredictable, there is typically warm weather during the day (55-75ºF) with clear skies in the morning and clouds building up by afternoon. Temperatures can fall to 20º F at night, especially at the higher elevations. Rain or snow is always a possibility.

EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING: All you need to provide is personal gear, such as clothing, sleeping bag, and boots. A detailed equipment list.

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Previous mountain climbing experience is not necessary to climb Mt. Kenya, however this is one of our most strenuous trips. We do recommend that you do some fitness training before this trip--the more fit you are the more you will enjoy the hike. Summiting Pt. Lenana is strenuous. Approximately 70% of the people who do this trip actually summit. The decision to summit is solely the responsibility of our guides. You will not summit if our guide decides it would be unsafe to do so.

HEALTH: It is important that you make an appointment at least 4-6 weeks before your trip and inform your doctor that you are traveling to Kenya. This allows for adequate time to get new immunizations, if required, and ensure that others are up-to-date. Due to the elevation, there is no risk of contact with mosquitos and you will not need anti-malarial medication for this trip unless you will also be going on a safari. Please talk to your doctor about the risks of exercise at high altitude as well. We also encourage you to check the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website for the most up-to-date recommendations.

ACCOMMODATIONS: Before and after your trek you will stay in one of the nice lodges or hotels in Nairobi and/or the surrounding area. Most rooms are double occupancy with two beds. Participants will be paired by gender or requests to room together. On the mountain, you will camp out in tents or stay in one of the very basic huts found on the mountain.

Some participants choose to arrive one or two days ahead of the start of the trip to allow time for rest and adjustment to the time change. Let us know if you would like suggestions for early-arrival lodging. If you arrive on your own, taxi fare between the airport and city hotels should be around 1800 Kenya shillings or 20$ .

MEALS: We will allow you bring own food. You'll indulge in a mix of Kenyan cuisine and typical hiking food like pasta and rice dishes. We will use water from abundant streams–it is very fresh but typically we treat it just to be safe. The purchase of alcoholic beverages is not included in the trip fees.

PASSPORT/VISA: U.S. citizens need a passport to enter Kenya, and it must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your planned departure. Two blank passport pages (excluding the Amendments pages) are typically required for entry stamp and visa. U.S. citizens must obtain an entry visa, which can be obtained at the Nairobi airport for a fee of approximately $50 USD or before traveling. We encourage you to check the State Department website for the most up-to-date entry requirements: http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/kenya.html
You can get Visa on Nairobi airport easy for 10-20 mins

Any questions:Email: info@mtkenyaguide.com