Two days on the mountain, one sunrise at 4,985 metres. Our latest group summited Point Lenana via the Sirimon Route — and came down the same way with the kind of photographs that don’t need a filter.
Why Sirimon
Sirimon is the driest approach on Mount Kenya and the kindest underfoot. It climbs the north-western side through forest and open moorland on gradual switchbacks rather than the steep, muddy pitches you meet elsewhere on the mountain. For trekkers who have never been at altitude, it is the route we recommend first.
Day one — forest, moorland and giant groundsels
From the gate the track climbs steadily out of the forest and into open moorland. By afternoon you are walking among giant groundsels — the strange, tree-sized plants found nowhere but the high slopes of East Africa’s mountains — with the jagged summits of Batian and Nelion filling the skyline ahead.
Day two — the summit push
The alarm goes at 2am. You climb by head-torch on frozen scree, and the reward is timed to the minute: the summit sign at Point Lenana, 4,985 metres, as the sun comes up over a floor of cloud with the Aberdares and, on a clear morning, Kilimanjaro on the horizon.
Point Lenana is the third highest peak on Mount Kenya and the highest you can reach on foot — Batian and Nelion above it are technical rock climbs. No ropes, no climbing experience, no previous altitude required. Reasonable fitness and warm layers will get you there.
Is two days right for you?
The two-day trek suits people who already live at altitude — Nairobi, Nyeri, Nanyuki — and returning trekkers who know how their body handles height. It is a fast ascent profile, and going high quickly is the single biggest cause of altitude sickness on this mountain. If this is your first time above 4,000 metres, take the four-day Sirimon route instead. The extra night on the mountain makes the summit far more likely and the whole trip a great deal more comfortable. Read our guide to altitude on Mount Kenya before you decide.
What’s included
- Licensed local guides and porters from the communities around the mountain
- Mount Kenya National Park entry and camping fees
- Tents, sleeping mats and all camp equipment
- All meals and drinking water on the mountain
- Transfers from Nanyuki to the Sirimon gate and back
Book your trek
We run the two-day Sirimon trek in small groups throughout the year, with the clearest weather from January to February and July to October. Get in touch with your dates and we will put a group together.