Mt. Kenya Hike: Chogoria Route to Point Lenana

Ask anyone who has climbed Mt. Kenya more than once which side they love most, and the answer is usually Chogoria. This eastern route is the mountain at its most beautiful: misty forest, waterfalls, glacial lakes in deep valleys and towering rock walls, all leading to the summit of Point Lenana at 4,985 m. The trek starts in tall Hagenia forest near Nithi Falls, then climbs onto open moorland to camp beside Lake Ellis. On day two you'll walk above Lake Michaelson, a deep turquoise lake held in a bowl of cliffs at the head of the Gorges Valley, one of the most photographed views on the whole mountain. That night is spent at Mintos Camp, beside a small alpine tarn below the main peaks. Summit day starts in the dark. With headlamps on, we climb the last 4 km to Point Lenana, the third-highest peak on Mt. Kenya, and arrive in time for sunrise. As the light spreads, Batian and Nelion glow orange beside you and the shadow of the mountain stretches far across the plains. It is one of the great mornings of any hiker's life. This is a serious high-altitude trek, and we run it that way. Your crew includes experienced mountain guides, porters, a cook and a mountain paramedic who carries oxygen, and ground rescue is on standby. Meals, tents, transport and park fees are all taken care of, so you can focus on walking, breathing and enjoying the mountain.