Mount Kenya: Climbing Mt. Kenya, hiking, trekking and mountaineering

Mount Kenya: Climbing Mt. Kenya

Mount Kenya stands tall in the central highlands of Kenya and Africa. Mount Kenya was at one time an outstanding volcano, almost 22,000 feet tall but what remains is a quite steep, eroded core, which is just over 17,000 feet high. The mountain’s nearby neighbor Mt. Kilimanjaro which is a couple thousand feet higher and best known all over the world as the roof of Africa, does not offer nearly the same climbing challenge and alpine character of Mount Kenya.

When most groups talk of trekking Mount Kenya, they can only manage to hike all the way to Point Lenana which is a much easier satellite peak to conquer. The “real” Mount Kenya climb is a long and serious climb, involving many pitches of grade Five rock climbing to reach The main peak at Batian via Nelion Peak.

Mt. Kenya climb has two main peaks, with the highest being Batian at an altitude of 5199 meters and Nelion at 5188 meters. These two peaks are notably separated by a deep notch that is quite difficult to cross, “Gate of the Mists”.

Because of Mt. Kenya’s proximity to the equator cutting across Kenya, the best season for climbing Mt Kenya depends primarily on which side of the peak one would like to do. Commonly, Batian Peak is climbed via the “North Face Standard Route” and the best  season for climbing on this to route is July through to the end of September each year. On the other hand, Nelion Peak is best done through the Naromoru Route, aka Mackinders Route with Top Hut aka Kami Hut being the base camp. The climb is South East Facing and is best done from December to the end of February. The popular routes of the Diamond Couloir and Ice Window are South Facing, and the best season is June to October.

In Mount Kenya climbing, there are a myriad of possible choice of itineraries. In choosing the route, the main questions are would you want to climb in the north-side season (July through to September) or the south-side season (from December through February), and second, the number of days you available.

Rock climbing Mt. Kenya to the main peaks of Batian and Nelion

The trip length
The shortest possible trek itinerary to Point Lenana is 4 days and to Batian is6 days. Such a short climb involves little or no acclimatization and gives the climber one possible summit day without leeway for weather. It is best recommended to spare at least 8  days, so the climber can have a bit more acclimatization time to accommodation possible summit as well as options for second or third summit days to have room for weather, which keeps varying.

Batian, 5199 meters (17,053′)
The North Face Standard Route is climbed via Shipton’s Camp with Kami Hut as the base camp. This is a long climb considered to be more serious and difficult than the Mackinders route on Nelion. Shipton’s Camp at 4200m can be reached easily via Sirimon Route and Old Moses Camp in 2 days from Nairobi. However, we strongly recommend allowing more time acclimatising, perhaps by first including a hike up Point Lenana, or preferably a three-day circumnavigation of Mt Kenya trekking, taking in Point Lenana summit hike on the way prior to going to Batian Peak.

Often we climb the lower section of the route in comfortable approach shoes or lightweight mountaineering boots. For Batian and Nelion Peaks, rock shoes are useful for the more difficult upper pitches.

The North Face Standard Route to Batian is a serious Mt. Kenya climb for experienced rock climbers and experienced Alpinists. The summit day is well over 12 hours long whilst most of the climbing is on mid-5th class rock grade and there is one 5.9 pitch and several pitches at 5.8 standard. On top of this, the challenge of technical rock climbing at 5199 meters / 17,000 feet above sea level, and the alpine nature of the route, this makes it a very demanding route. Climbers considering the ascent via this route need to be solid 5.9 followers with proven experience on long technical routes of at least 10 pitches in length. In addition, they need be adept at moving quickly over rough terrain, and scrambling on steep and exposed class IV~V rock, both in ascent and descent. Overall, excellent physical condition is a must.

Nelion, 5188 meters (17,017′)
This is the most preferred route to Nelion via the Mackinders route. It is a  class V rock route with a maximum difficulty of about 5.7. There are laid-back sections where climbers can move together, it is typically about 15 plus pitches belayed. Descent is by the same route, with a few of the rappels taking more direct lines down cleaner rock. It is a fun route, on generally good rock, very sunny. Rock shoes are appropriate while taking in this route. Approach boots can be left behind at the base of the route. Even though the route is still long, it is considered to be easy going as compared to the North Face Standard Route to Batian. With better rock, and a sunnier position, it is also more fun.

The Shipton’s Camp
It is possible to continue on to Batian from the summit of Nelion by crossing the remarkable “Gate of the Mists”. Crossing the ‘Mists’ is much more difficult. It involves crossing steep snow slopes, rappels, and also the possibility to fix a rope for the return out of the “Gate”. Before, it was possible to spend a night in a bivy at Ian Howell Hut, but this is no longer permitted as the bivouac is at over 5000 meters. For the most experienced climbers, it is possible to cross the ‘Mists’. This makes climbing to this point much more challenging to the technical climbers, likewise to the more experienced.

Mount Kenya: Climbing Mt. Kenya

Climbing to 5,199 meters on Mount Kenya is the tallest mountain in Kenya and second in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The sceneries surrounding this labeled World Heritage Site is stunning. It is a pristine wilderness with tarns, lakes glaciers, mineral springs, dense forest, and a selection of endangered and rare species of animals, unique high altitude adapted plains game, alpine and montane vegetation. Visitors to this park can enjoy mountain climbing for rock climbers and mountaineers alike and hiking for hikers enthusiasts, wild camping and caving. The mountain’s jagged glacier-clad main peaks providing a seamless backdrop.

Exposed traverse near the top of Nelion Peak.