3 Nights: Tumaren Camp

The salt lick and the waterhole in front of camp offer the perfect contemplation for the Laikipia landscape at large as well as the most prominent geographic feature in the view, the mighty Mt Kenya thrust above the horizon by unimaginable seismic forces. The walks from Tumaren will be at a gentle pace and offer more background to ecology and natural history of this special part of East Africa.

Camels will accompany your walks but on some mornings or evenings you might choose instead for a gamedrive or a trip to a Masai homestead or Market Day. Rock climbing is also a popular activity for guests at Tumaren and the added fitness compounds our readiness to ascend the Mt Kenya.

Ol Pejeta and Soames, Nanyuki: 1 Night

From Tumaren we will drive south through beautiful wild country to the vast conservancy, Ol Pejeta. We will bring a picnic lunch but our main objective is Rhinos. Ol Pej is home to over 100 Black Rhinos as well as many White Rhinos, including the last remaining Northern White Rhinos on Earth. Besides the Rhinos you might also find opportunities to see some of the species that may have you missed at Tumaren. Only a short drive south is the lovely Soames hotel on the outskirts of Nanyuki. An excellent meal and grand view of the Mountain will build the resolve for the journey tomorrow.

Mt. Kenya: 3 Nights

TIMAU TO MARANIA CAMP (3,200 m). Trekking time: 4 hours.

We will start our trek up the Timau Route arriving at the trailhead early and eating a picnic lunch in the course of the hike. You will be transferred from Nanyuki Town to the road head of the Timau route north of Timau town at 2,700m above sea level. This hike starts off at the start of the moorland zone and takes you up through patches of bamboo and heather. We will stop for lunch on the rim of the crater, which offers a chance to see some of the rare mountain species such as eland, zebra, buffalo and even the occasional elephant. The view as you ascend is breathtaking, looking down across Kisima, Lewa Downs, Samburu and the great Northern Frontier beyond and up to the glaring peaks of Mount Kenya ahead. You will stop for a picnic lunch and continue on your way to Marania Camp on the edge of one of the mountain’s shoulders in heather moorland.

MARANIA CAMP TO MAJOR’S CAMP (3,800 m). Trekking time: 8 hours.

We will depart the camp after breakfast, and walk up through the moorland back towards the peaks ahead that make up the Mt Kenya Massif. Lunch will be at the Marania Spring, which is the source of the river that runs by Marania camp, this is a beautiful lunch spot and especially if there are some curious zebra around. We should arrive at Major’s Camp in the afternoon, which is set up at the base of the valley near some very dramatic rock faces. Good wildlife frequents this area, and previous guests have had sightings of the rare Serval cat.

MAJOR’S CAMP TO SIMBA TARN (4,650m). Trekking time: 8 hours

The hike up towards the Lower Simba Tarn starts off being fairly steep and eases off before the final climb up to Simba Tarn. This walk is definitely an experience that resembles no other, with an extremely unique lunar landscape coupled with very distinctive vegetation. This will be your first glimpse of the fabulous Giant groundsels particularly in the Hobley Valley below the massifs of Terere and Sendeyo. This vegetation is endemic to Mt Kenya with its unique adaptions to the vast day to day temperature changes. You will arrive at the Simba Tarn camp at the top of the Hobley Valley and aptly named Gorges Valley. The views from Simba Tarn camp are breathtaking

SIMBA TARN TO POINT LENANA (4,985 m) TO MET STATION Trekking time: 12 hours

An early departure at 5.30am for a sunrise summit is the best way to experience this climb, and enjoy the expansive views of the mountainside, valleys and country beyond - even the summit of Kilimanjaro if you are lucky.

The descent takes you down the southern side along the Naro Moru route where you will have brunch in the Teleki Valley. Then it’s a final walk down to the MET station for collection. You will be back in the Nanyuki area for around 3 pm.