5 Days Mt. Kenya Hike Through Chogoria

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Route

Chogoria Route

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Duration

4 Night 5 Days

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Price Guide

Starts from $1,495 Per Person Sharing

Safari Overview

Overview: The Most Scenic Way to Summit Mt Kenya

Of all the routes up Africa’s second-highest mountain, the Chogoria–Sirimon traverse is widely regarded as the most rewarding. It isn’t just a trek to a summit — it’s a complete crossing of Mount Kenya, ascending from the quieter, greener eastern slopes via the Chogoria Route and descending through the open moorland and montane forest of the Sirimon Route on the northwest. In five days, you move through nearly every ecological zone the mountain has to offer: dense bamboo forest, highland heather, glacial valleys, alpine tarns, and the stark beauty of the high peaks at 4,985 metres.

The Chogoria Route, which forms the ascent on this itinerary, is consistently cited as the most visually dramatic approach to Mount Kenya. It passes through the Gorges Valley, a deep, cliff-walled corridor where the sheer scale of the mountain becomes real, and skirts Lake Ellis and the area around Minto’s Camp, where a short walk takes you to the edge of the Temple, a sheer 150-metre cliff so named because every first-time visitor instinctively stops, steps back, and looks over the edge with something that resembles reverence. The eastern side of the mountain is also significantly quieter than the western routes, meaning you’ll have long stretches of moorland entirely to yourself.

Kwezi Safaris guides this traverse with the same attention we bring to every East Africa journey, small groups, experienced mountain guides, and full logistics handled from your Nairobi pickup to your final transfer home. Whether you’re combining this 5-day Mt Kenya trek with a Kenyan wildlife safari or making it a standalone adventure, this traverse is one of the finest mountain experiences in Africa, and one that very few trekkers who’ve done it ever stop talking about.

Tour Highlights

Complete a full traverse of Mount Kenya

ascending Chogoria, descending Sirimon, for a genuinely diverse mountain experience

Pass through five distinct ecological zones

bamboo forest, giant heather moorland, open alpine meadow, the Gorges Valley, and the high alpine zone

Visit the iconic Temple

a 150-metre vertical cliff above Minto's Camp where the mountain reveals its full dramatic scale

Witness the sunrise from Point Lenana

the trekking summit, with views stretching south to Mount Kilimanjaro on clear mornings

Camp alongside Lake Ellis

ne of the most beautiful and peaceful overnight stops on the mountain

Fully catered throughout

three meals a day on the mountain, prepared by a dedicated cook

Tour Map

Summary of the day-by-day Destinations
Start Point Chogoria Gate http://A%20kenyan%20flag. Kenya
Day Destination & Accommodation
Day 1 Nairobi → Mt Kenya Bandas (2,900m)A kenyan flag.
Day 2 Mt Kenya Bandas → Lake Ellis CampsiteA kenyan flag.
Day 3 Lake Ellis → Minto's Camp (4,200m)A kenyan flag.
Day 4 Minto's Camp → Point Lenana (4,985m) → Liki North Camp (3,900m)A kenyan flag.
Day 5 Liki North Camp → Old Moses Camp → NairobiA kenyan flag.
End Point Nairobi       http://A%20kenyan%20flag. Kenya

5-Day Chogoria to Sirimon Traverse, Day by Day

The Chogoria–Sirimon traverse crosses Mount Kenya from east to northwest, and the direction matters. Ascending via Chogoria gives you the most dramatic scenery on the way up — the Gorges Valley, the eastern moorlands, Lake Ellis, and the Temple — while the descent via Sirimon winds you down through Mackinder’s Valley and the northwest forest in a gentler, forest-softened finish. The five-day structure also builds in better acclimatisation than shorter itineraries, with two nights of ascent before the summit push on Day 4.

This itinerary covers approximately 53 kilometres total. Trekking days range from 3 to 6 hours on the lower sections, with the summit push on Day 4 beginning at 3 am and lasting approximately 3 hours to Point Lenana. The descent from the summit to Liki North Camp on the same day is long but gradual, following the beautiful open terrain of Mackinder’s Valley.

Gallery

Picture of Mount Kenya Snow-capped peaks
hikkers taking a rest climbing mt kenya
The landscape view of Mount Kenya

Day by Day

Detailed Day-by-Day Description
Start Destination Chogoria Gate       http://A%20kenyan%20flag.

Day Main Destination Main Activities Meal Plan
Day 1 A kenyan flag. Nairobi → Mt Kenya Bandas (2,900m)
  • Depart Nairobi at 08:00, driving through the agricultural highlands towards Chogoria town for lunch
  • After lunch, board a 4×4 vehicle for the drive up to the edge of the bamboo forest — the road ends here
  • Begin trekking through dense bamboo forest for approximately 10km to the Meru Mount Kenya Bandas
  • Trek duration: 3–4 hours through the forest | Elevation: 2,900m
  • Dinner and overnight at the Mt Kenya Bandas
  • This first day sets the tone — the bamboo forest is dense, ancient, and completely unlike anything you’ll walk through on the Sirimon route. Keep your eyes up: black-and-white colobus monkeys and a wide variety of highland birds move through the canopy overhead
 Lunch, Dinner
Day 2 A kenyan flag. Mt Kenya Bandas → Lake Ellis Campsite (3,450m)
  • After breakfast and sorting of porter loads, set off at a steady, easy pace
  • The route offers two distinct options: the scenic detour via Lake Ellis delivers views of the Giant’s Billiards Table, Ithanguni, and Mugi Hill — unusual volcanic formations found nowhere else on the mountain
  • Alternatively, follow the river from the road-head upstream for 3km through particularly beautiful foreground scenery and highland flora
  • Lunch on the banks of a moorland stream
  • After lunch, ascend the left-hand hillside to camp at approximately 3,450m
  • Dinner and overnight at Lake Ellis Campsite
  • Lake Ellis sits in one of the quieter corners of the mountain. It’s a good place to drink plenty of water, move slowly, and let your body settle into altitude
 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 A kenyan flag. Lake Ellis → Minto's Camp (4,200m)
  • Similar early start; the route today leaves the beaten track to follow a ridge uphill for approximately 3 hours
  • At around 4,100m, rejoin the main Chogoria tourist track — the views back over the Gorges Valley and towards Ithanguni and the Northern Moorlands open up here
  • Lunch at a small stream crossing on the main track
  • Continue for a further hour to Minto’s Camp at 4,200m
  • Trek duration: 4–5 hours | Elevation gain: 750m
  • Afternoon at leisure — a 10-minute walk to the Temple is strongly recommended: a 150-metre vertical cliff at the head of the Gorges Valley, where the scale of the mountain becomes visceral
  • Early dinner and early night — summit attempt begins at 03:00
  • The Temple earns its name. Most people who walk to the edge find themselves instinctively stepping back, then leaning forward again. It’s that kind of place
 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 A kenyan flag. Minto's Camp → Point Lenana (4,985m) → Liki North Camp (3,900m)
  • Depart Minto’s Camp at 03:00 for the pre-dawn summit push
  • Ascend for approximately 3 hours to Point Lenana (4,985m), arriving at first light for the African sunrise
  • On a clear morning, Mount Kilimanjaro is visible to the south, 340km away
  • Descend to Shipton Camp for breakfast, then begin a 3-hour descent via Mackinder’s Valley to Liki North Camp (3,900m)
  • The descent is gradual and scenic — the open moorland of the Sirimon side offers a striking contrast to the Chogoria ascent
  • Dinner and overnight at Liki North Camp
  • Day 4 is long and full. The summit push in the dark, the sunrise, the descent through Mackinder’s Valley — it’s the kind of day that stays with you. Eat well at Shipton, move at your own pace on the way down, and don’t skip the views
 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 A kenyan flag. Liki North Camp → Old Moses Camp → Nairobi
  • After early breakfast, descend for 2–3 hours through open moorland and montane forest to Old Moses Camp (3,300m)
  • Board your waiting vehicle at Old Moses for the transfer back to Nairobi
  • Arrive in Nairobi late afternoon
 Breakfast, Lunch
End Destination Nairobi       http://A%20kenyan%20flag. Kenya

Accommodation Options

Summary of Accommodation Options

Inclusions

  • Return transport — Nairobi to Chogoria entry point and Old Moses Camp (Sirimon) back to Nairobi
  • All Kenya Wildlife Service park and conservation fees
  • Mountain hut and campsite accommodation throughout
  • Full board on the mountain — 3 meals per day, prepared by your dedicated cook
  • Professional mountain guide, cook, and porter team

Exclusions

  • Personal trekking gear — sleeping bag, warm and waterproof layers, hiking boots
  • Guide and porter gratuities (appreciated and encouraged)
  • Travel insurance (mandatory — must include high-altitude cover)
  • Items of a personal nature

Summary of Optional Accommodations
Day Accommodation Additional Price

Summary of Additional Activities
Day Destination Optional Activities
Day Destination Optional Activities

Tour Features

5 Days Mt. Kenya Hike Through Chogoria

Pricing Section
Name & Description Rate (In USD)
Participant 1495

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