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Mount Kenya
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Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya, and the second highest in Africa (after Mount Kilimanjaro).
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Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya, and the second highest in Africa (after Mount Kilimanjaro). The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (5,199 m - 17,058 ft), Nelion (5,188 m - 17,022 ft) and Lenana (4,985 m - 16,355 ft). Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around 150 km (95 miles) north-northeast of Nairobi.
The area around the mountain is protected in the Mount Kenya National Park, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. The National Park is around 620 km² (240 square miles), and receives up to 15,000 visitors every year.
History
The mountain is an extinct volcano standing alone, which last erupted between 2.6 and 3.1 million years ago. Its slopes include several different biomes; the lowest parts are dry upland forest, changing to montane forest of juniper and podocarpus at about , with a belt of bamboo at 2,500 m (about 8,000 ft) that changes to an upper forest of smaller trees covered with moss and "goat's beard" lichen. Above a distinct timberline at about 3,500 m (11,500 ft), there is an afroalpine zone, with its characteristic giant rosette plants. Twelve small glaciers may be found scattered among the complex of peaks, of which Batian and Nelion are the highest.
The missionary Johann Ludwig Krapf was the first European to report a sighting of Mount Kenya, in 1849. The first recorded ascent of Mount Kenya was made by Halford John Mackinder, Cesar Ollier and Josef Brocherel on 13 September 1899. The highest point (Batian) is a technical climb; the classic Diamond Couloir climbing route is a Grade IV of about 20 pitches, up to YDS 5.9 in difficulty. Nelion was first climbed by Eric Shipton in 1929, and Shipton and Bill Tilman completed the traverse of the ridge between the two highest peaks. Point Lenana, at 4,985 m (16,355 ft), can be reached by a hiking trail. Mount Kenya is best climbed in January or February on the south side and August or September on the north side.
Mount Kenya is home to one of the Global Atmosphere Watch's atmospheric monitoring stations.
On July 19 2003, a South African registered aircraft, carrying 12 passengers and two crew, crashed into Mount Kenya at Point Lenana: nobody survived. This was not the first aircraft lost on the mountain; there is also the wreckage of at least one helicopter that crashed before 1972.
Exploration
European discovery
Mount Kenya was the second of the three highest peaks in Africa to be seen for the first time by European explorers. The first European to see it was Dr Johann Ludwig Krapf, a German missionary, from Kitui,
a town 160 km (100 miles) away from the mountain. The discovery was made on 3 December 1849,
a year after the discovery of Kilimanjaro.
Dr Krapf was told by people of the Embu tribe that lived around the mountain that they did not ascend high on the mountain because of the intense cold and the white matter that rolled down the mountains with a loud noise. This led him to infer that glaciers existed on the mountain. The Kikuyu confirmed these happenings.
Dr Krapf also noted that the rivers flowing from Mt Kenya, and other mountains in the area, were continuously flowing. This was very different from the other rivers in the area, which swelled up in the wet season and completely dried up after the rainy season had ended. As the streams flowed even in the driest seasons he concluded that there must be a source of water up on the mountain, in the form of glaciers. He believed the mountain to be the source of the White Nile.
In 1851 Krapf returned to Kitui. He travelled 40 miles closer to the mountain, but did not see it again. In 1877 Hildebrandt was in the Kitui area and heard stories about the mountain, but also did not see it. Since there were no confirmations to back up Krapf's claim people began to be suspicious.
Eventually, in 1883, Joseph Thomson passed close by the west side of the mountain and confirmed Krapf's claim. He diverted his expedition and reached 2743 m (9,000 ft) up the slopes of the mountain but had to retreat because of trouble with local people. However, the first true European exploration of the mountain was achieved in 1887 by Count Samuel Teleki and Ludwig von Höhnel. He managed to reach 4350 m (14,270 ft) on the south western slopes.
On this expedition they believed they had found the crater of a volcano.
In 1892, Teleki and von Höhnel returned to the eastern side, but were unable to get through the forest.
Finally, in 1893, an expedition managed to ascend Mount Kenya as far as the glaciers. This expedition was travelling from the coast to Lake Baringo in the Rift Valley, and was led by Dr John W Gregory, a British geologist. They managed to ascend the mountain to around 4730 m (15,520 ft), and spent several hours on the Lewis Glacier with their guide. On his return to Britain, Gregory published papers and a narrative account of his achievements.
George Kolb, a German physician, made expeditions in 1894 and 1896 and was the first to reach the moorlands on the east side of the mountain. However, far more exploration was achieved after 1899 when the railway was completed as far as the site of Nairobi. Access to the mountain was far easier from here than from Mombasa on the coast.
Mackinder's Expedition
On 28 July 1899, Sir Halford John Mackinder set out from the site of Nairobi on an expedition to Mt Kenya. The members of the expedition consisted of 6 Europeans, 66 Swahilis, 2 tall Maasai guides and 96 Kikuyu (Gikuyu). The Europeans were Campbell B. Hausberg, second in command and photographer, Douglas Saunders, botanist, C F Camburn, taxidermist, Cesar Ollier, guide, and Josef Brocherel, guide and porter.
The expedition made it as far as the mountain, but encountered many difficulties on the way. The country they passed through was full of plague and famine. Many Kikuyu porters tried to desert with women from the villages, others stole from the villages which made the chiefs very hostile towards the expedition. When they reached the base camp on 18 August, they couldn't find any food, had two of their party killed by the local people, and eventually had to send Saunders to Naivasha to get help from Captain Gorges, the Government Officer there.
Mackinder pushed on up the mountain, and established a camp at 3142 m (10,310 ft) in the Höhnel Valley. He made his first attempt on the summit on 30 August with Ollier and Brocherel up the south east face, but they had to retreat when they were within 100 m (yds) of the summit of Nelion due to nightfall.
On 5 September, Hausberg, Ollier and Brocherel made a circuit of the main peaks looking for an easier route to the summit. They could not find one. On 11 September Ollier and Brocherel made an ascent of the Darwin Glacier, but were forced to retreat due to a blizzard.
When Saunders returned from Naivasha with the relief party, Mackinder had another attempt at the summit with Ollier and Brocherel. They traversed the Lewis Glacier and climbed the south east face of Nelion. They spent the night near the gendarme, and traversed the snowfield at the head of the Darwin Glacier at dawn before cutting steps up the Diamond Glacier. They reached the summit of Batian at noon on 13th September, and descended by the same route.
1900-1930
After the first ascent of Mt Kenya there were fewer expeditions there for a while. The majority of the exploration until after the First World War was by settlers in Kenya, who were not on scientific expeditions. A Church of Scotland mission was set up in Chogoria, and several Scottish missionaries ascended to the peaks, including Rev Dr J W Arthur, G Dennis and A R Barlow. There were other ascents, but none succeeded in summitting Batian or Nelion.
New approach routes were cleared through the forest, which made access to the peaks area far easier. In 1920, Arthur and Sir Fowell Buxton tried to cut a route in from the south, and other routes came in from Nanyuki in the north, but the most commonly used was the route from the Chogoria mission in the east, built by Ernest Carr. Carr is also credited with building Urumandi and Top Huts.
On 6 January 1929 the first ascent of Nelion was made by Percy Wyn-Harris and Eric Shipton. They climbed the Normal Route, then descended to the Gate of Mists before ascending Batian. On the 8 January they reascended, this time with G A Sommerfelt, and in December Shipton made another ascent with R E G Russell. They also made the first ascent of Point John. During this year the Mountain Club of East Africa was formed.
At the end of July 1930, Shipton and Bill Tilman made the first traverse of the peaks. They ascended by the West Ridge of Batian, traversed the Gate of Mists to Nelion, and descended the Normal Route. During this trip, Shipton and Tilman made first ascents of several other peaks, including Point Peter, Point Dutton, Midget Peak, Point Pigott and either Terere or Sendeyo.
1931 to Present Day
In the early 1930s there were several visits to the moorlands around Mt Kenya, with fewer as far as the peaks. Raymond Hook and Humphrey Slade ascended to map the mountain, and stocked several of the streams with trout. By 1938 there had been several more ascents of Nelion. In February Miss C Carol and Mtu Muthara became the first woman and African respectively to ascend Nelion, in an expedition with Noel Symington, author of The Night Climbers of Cambridge, and on 5 March Miss Una Cameron became the first woman to ascent Batian.
During the Second World War there was another drop in ascents of the mountain. Perhaps the most notable of this period is that of three Italian Prisoners of War, who were being held in Nanyuki, and escaped to climb the mountain before returning to the camp and "escaping" back in. No Picnic on Mount Kenya tells the story of the prisoners' exploit.
In 1949 the Mountain Club of Kenya split from the Mountain Club of East Africa, and the area above 3,400 m (11,150 ft) was designated a National Park. A road was built from Naro Moru to the moorlands allowing easier access.
Many new routes were climbed on Batian and Nelion in the next three decades, and in October 1959 the Mountain Club of Kenya produced their first guide to Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro. In the early 1970s the Mount Kenya National Park Mountain Rescue Team was formed, and by the end of the 1970s all major routes on the peaks had been climbed.
In 1997 Mount Kenya was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Local Culture
The main tribes living around Mount Kenya are Gikuyu, Meru, Embu and Maasai. They all see the mountain as an important aspect of their cultures.
Gikuyu
The Gikuyu live on the southern and western sides of the mountain. They are agriculturalists, and make use of the highly fertile volcanic soil on the lower slopes. The Gikuyu people believe that their God, Ngai lived on Mount Kenya when he came down from the sky. They believe that the mountain is Ngai's throne on earth. It is the place where Gikuyu, the father of the tribe, used to meet with their God, Ngai.
They used to build their houses with the doors facing the mountain. The Gikuyu name for Mount Kenya is 'Kiri Nyaga' (Kirinyaga), which literally translates to 'the shining mountain'. God's name in Kikuyu is also 'Mwene Nyaga' meaning 'owner of the ostriches'.
It can also be construed to mean ' possessor of light/brightness' in reference to the light reflected from the white glaciers on the mountain.
Embu
The Embu people believe that Mount Kenya is the home of their God, Ngai. The mountain is sacred, and they build their houses with the doors facing towards it. The Embu name for Mount Kenya is Kirenia, which means mountain of whiteness.
The Embu people are closely related to the Mbeere people. They are more of like the same. They are the settlers of the windward side of the Mountain. This is a rocky semi dry area.
Maasai
The Maasai are semi-nomadic people, who use the land to the north of the mountain to graze their cattle. They believe that their ancestors came down from the mountain at the beginning of time. The Maasai name for Mount Kenya is Ol Donyo Keri, which means 'mountain of stripes or many colours' depicting the snow, forest and other shades as observed from the surrounding plains. At least one Maasai prayer refers to Mount Kenya:
Ameru
The Ameru occupy the East and North of the Mountain. They are generally agricultural and also keep livestock and occupy what is among the most fertile land in Kenya. The Meru name for Mt. Kenya is Kirimara (That which has white stuff or snow). Some Meru songs refer to 'Kirimara no makengi' (The mountain is all speckles.) Other poem like songs imply that the mountain belongs to various sub-groups of the community. The Meru God murungu was from the skies.
Other Tribes
The first Europeans to visit Mount Kenya often brought members of other tribes as guides and porters. Many of these people had never experienced the cold, or seen snow and ice before. Their reactions were often fearful and suspicious.
Mackinder's expedition of 1899 met some men from the Wadorobo tribe. They were at about 3,600 m (12,000 ft), and are an example of a tribe that use the mountain for normal purposes.
Main Peaks of Mount Kenya
- Batian (5199 m - 17,058 ft)
- Nelion (5188 m - 17,022 ft)
- Pt Lenana (4985 m - 16,355 ft)
- Coryndon Peak (4960 m - 16,273 ft)
- Pt Pigott (4957 m - 16,266 ft)
- Pt Thompson (4955 m - 15,466 ft)
- Pt Dutton (4885 m - 16,027 ft)
- Pt John (4883 m - 16,016 ft)
- Pt Melhuish (4880 m - 16,010 ft)
- Pt John Minor (4875 m - 15,990 ft)
- Krapf Rognon (4800 m - 15,740 ft)
- Pt Peter (4757 m - 15,607 ft)
- Pt Slade (4750 m - 15,580 ft)
- Terere (4714 m - 15,462 ft)
- Sendeyo (4704 m - 15,433 ft)
- Midget Peak (4700 m - 15,420 ft)
- The Hat (4639 m - 15,220 ft)
- Delamere Peak
- Macmillan Peak
Glaciers on Mount Kenya
The glaciers on Mount Kenya are retreating rapidly. The Mountain Club of Kenya in Nairobi has photographs showing the mountain when it was first climbed in 1899, and again more recently, and the retreat of the glaciers is very evident. Descriptions of ascents of several of the peaks advise on the use of crampons, but now there is no ice to be found. There is no new snow to be found, even on the Lewis Glacier (the largest of them) in winter, so no new ice will be formed. It is predicted to be less than 30 years before there will no longer be ice on Mount Kenya.
The glacier names are (clockwise from the north):
- Northey, Krapf, Gregory, Lewis, Diamond, Darwin, Forel, Heim, Tyndall, Cesar, Josef.
The area of glaciers on the mountain was measured in the 1980s, and recorded as about 0.7 km² (0.25 square miles). This is far smaller than the first observations, made in the 1890s.
Water streams starting around Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the main water catchment area for two large rivers in Kenya; the Tana River, the largest river in Kenya, and the Ewaso Ng'iro North. The Mount Kenya ecosystem provides water directly for over 2 million people.
The streams that start on Mount Kenya are:
- the Sirimon
- the Liki
- the Nanyuki
- Mutonga
- Kithino
- the Nazita
- Thingithu
- the Nitmi
- the Thuchi
- Kathita
- the Nyamindi
- the Sagana
- Nairobi River
- the Naro Moru
- Maara
- the Burguret
Ecology of Mount Kenya
The flora and fauna of Mount Kenya is very diverse, due to the differences in altitude, rainfall, aspect and temperature. The mountain slopes are often split up into zones, with each zone having different dominant plant species. Most plants on Mount Kenya do not have common English names.
Wet weather on the mountain comes from the Indian Ocean, to the east and south-east. Consequently these slopes are wettest.
Lowlands surrounding the mountain
The area surrounding the mountain is around 1000 m (3,250 ft) in height. It is very hot and dry, and mainly covered with grasslands and thorny scrub.
Cultivated zone
The lower slopes of the mountain have a huge potential for cultivation. The soils are moist and very fertile due to volcanic activity. The slopes below 1,800 m (5,900 ft) are intensively farmed, producing tea, coffee, beans, maize, bananas, potatoes and vegetables. A few large scale farms have been set up, where wheat and barley are grown. Livestock are also kept in less productive areas, particularly cows for their milk.
The crops grown around the mountain differ, as the amount of rainfall between the northern and southern slopes is very different. The southern slopes are much wetter, so are ideal for growing tea and coffee, whereas the northern slopes are too dry for these crops. A system of irrigation has been developed which has increased productivity. However, as so many people in Kenya are dependent on the rainfall on the mountain, this is reducing the amount of water that gets to more distant areas and causing drought there.
Between 1,800 and 2,500 m (5,900-8,200 ft) there is sub-montane forest, which is exploited by the local people. There are many forest based industries, such as sawmills, furniture and construction, based around these slopes.
Montane forest
The lower limit of the forest is between 2,000 and 2,500 m (6,550-8,200 ft).
Here again, there are differences in the vegetation on different aspects of the mountain. On the south-east slopes the dominant species is Ocotea usambarensis, which can grow up to 45 m (150 ft). Mosses, lichens and ferns also grow here.
On the northern slopes the dominant species is the East African juniper Juniperus procera. This can be over 30 m (100 ft) tall and is used as softwood timber. Also used as timber is Podo, Podocarpus milanjianus, which can grow to 45 m (150 ft).
The African Olive Olea africana is common in drier forest and at lower elevations. Schefflera is similar to strangler figs, where it starts as an epiphyte and kills the host tree.
Common shrubs are elderberry Sambucus africanus, and raspberry.
Herbs are common in the forest. Most common are clover (Trifolium), Shamrock pea (Parochetus communis), sunflecks (Guizotia reptans), balsams (Impatiens spp.), mints (Leonotis spp.and Plectranthus spp.) and stinging nettles (Urtica massaica).
Many species of animals live in the montane forest. Some are residents, and others visit from the surrounding land. Various species of monkeys, several antelopes, tree hyrax and some larger animals such as elephant and buffalo all live in the forest. Zebra are only found on the northern slopes, where the forest belt is narrowest. Some rare species, such as the giant forest hog, suni, and mountain bongo are found here. Predators include hyena and leopard, and occasionally lion. Many bird species are also found here, including turacos, francolins and hornbills. Various types of sunbirds, parrots, swallows and mountain buzzards are common. At the Met Station, on the Naro Moru route, the Green ibis (Mesembrinibis cayennensis) and Abyssinian ground-thrush are found, both of which are rare. Also on the Naro Moru route buffalo have been observed digging the soil with their horns and eating it. This is probably because of the iron in the soil, which is necessary for adaptation to altitude.
Bamboo zone
The bamboo zone is found in the middle of the forest zone. It is entirely natural, and not the result of deforestation. Bamboo is very dependent on rainfall. For this reason it is very sparse in the north, and in some places absent entirely. In the west the bamboo can grow up to 9 m (30 ft), and in the wetter south-eastern slopes it can grow as high as 15 m (50 ft). Bamboo suppresses other vegetation, but there are scattered trees in this zone, including juniper, podocarpus, and witch-hazel, plus varieties of flowers, ferns and mosses.
As bamboo is not palatable to most animals, there is very little resident fauna here. However, there are many tracks through the bamboo made by large animals such as buffalo and elephant on their way between the forests and the moorland higher up the mountain.
Timberline forest
The timberline forest is usually found between 3,000 and 3,500 m (9,850-11,500 ft), although it extends to lower altitudes on the drier slopes.
Smaller trees dominate in the timberline forest, and the characteristic trees are African rosewood (Hagenia abyssinica) and Giant St John's Wort (Hypericum). The common flowers are red-hot poker (Kniphofia thomsonii), giant forest lobelia (Lobelia bambuseti) and violets (Viola spp.).
Heathland and chaparral
Heathland and chaparral are found between 3,200 and 3,800 m (10,500-12,500 ft). Heathland is found in the wetter areas, and chaparral is found in the drier ones. Most of the plants in these areas are shrubs with small leaves. The dominant plants in the heathland areas are Erica, which can grow to over 10 m tall. In chaparral the plants are often shrubbier and more aromatic, such as African sage (Artemisia afra) and sugarbush (Protea kilimanjaro).
Herbs found in the heathland and chaparral zone are gentians (Swertia spp.) and sedges (Carex spp.), with alpine species living higher up in the zone.
Animals in this zone are a mixture of forest and alpine species. There are few resident large animals in this zone, but rats, mice and voles live at this altitude, and their predators, the eagles, buzzards and kites, are present. Herds of eland are sometimes found, and occasional lions, but there are no longer rhino on Mount Kenya.
Afro-alpine zone
The Afro-alpine zone starts at about 3,800 m (12,500 ft). It is characterised by thin dry air and a huge temperature fluctuation.
Plants are subject to solifluction, where needle-ice is produced every night. This ice uproots seedlings and can damage roots. Some plants have evolved to live without roots, such as lichens and moss-balls. Giant groundsel (Senecio keniodendron) and Lobelia keniensis have spongy areas between the cells in their leaves where water can freeze every night without damaging the plants.
When these plants are subjected to temperatures above 15°C (59°F), photosynthesis is considerably reduced.
Vegetation becomes more sparse at this altitude, with small and giant heathers being dominant. Some, the Philippias, can grow as high as 10 m (33 ft). The dominant plant in the Afro-alpine zone on Mount Kenya is the tussock grass Festuca pilgeri
There are three kinds of giant rosette plants; Carduus, Senecio and Lobelia. Carduus keniensis, the giant thistle, is endemic to Mount Kenya and the Aberdares.
Giant groundsels, Senecio spp. (or "Dendrosenecio"), are only found on East African mountains. They have leaves up to 1 m (3 ft) long, and some species have arborescent (treelike) stems.
Senecio keniodendron is endemic to Mount Kenya. It is a giant rosette plant, and can grow up to 6 m (20 ft) tall. It tends to grow in dense groups of even-sized plants, and flowers every 5-20 years, often in synchrony across the population.
Two species, Senecio keniodendron and Senecio keniensis are separated by altitude and topography. S. keniodendron occurs more frequently with increasing elevation above 3,900 m (12,800 ft) and up to 4,500 m (14,750 ft), whereas S. keniensis occurs mainly below 4,000 m (13,000 ft) and very rarely above 4,200 m (13,750 ft). At intermediate elevations, S. brassica occurs mainly on the wetter valley bottoms, and S. keniodendron mostly on the drier slopes. Where the two species come in close proximity, hybrids are not uncommon.
Also present are Carex monostachya, Agrostis trachyphylla, Carduus platyplyllus, Arabis alpina, Senecio keniophytum and Lobelia telekii.
There are giant grass tussocks - Festuca pilgeri in wetter areas and Pentaschistis minor in drier areas.
Senecio keniensis, Lobelia keniensis and tussock grasses are dominant in the wetter areas. The Alchemilla species A. cyclophylla, A. argyrophylla and A. johnstonii are dominant in the drier areas.
There are over 100 species of wildflowers in the Afro-alpine zone including everlastings (Helichrysum spp.), buttercups (Ranunculus orephytes), sunburst (Haplocarpha rupellii) and African gladiola (Gladiolus thomsoni). Because of variation in flowering times, some species are in flower at all times of year.
On the alpine slopes there are plenty of birds. Many species of sunbirds live here, as well as alpine chats, starlings, wagtails and birds of prey such as auger buzzard, lammergeier, Mackinders's eagle owl, and Verreaux's eagle (which specializes on hunting rock hyrax). Birds pollinate Lobelia species.
There are also butterflies, but there are not bees, wasps, fleas or mosquitoes.
Trout have been introduced to the streams and tarns and are now found all around the mountain.
Smaller mammal species live in the Afro-alpine zone, including the groove-toothed rat, giant mole-rats, various African dormice and rock hyrax. Few large mammals are found at this altitude. Eland and zebra are found in dry areas, and common duiker are found throughout the alpine zone. Buffalo, elephant and hyena are also visitors.
The only common large mammalian carnivore in the Afro-alpine zone is the leopard, although leopard, lion and hyena have all been seen on Point Lenana.
The Nival zone
The nival zone is the area above most vegetation. On Mount Kenya this area is usually above 4,500 m (14,750 ft). There are still scattered giant groundsels, Helichrysum and Lobelia, as well as a few other plant species.
Buffalo, elephant, leopard and hyena have all been seen in this zone, although very infrequently.
Walking Routes up Mount Kenya
There are eight walking routes up to the main peaks. Starting clockwise from the north these are the: Meru, Chogoria, Kamweti, Naro Moru, Burguret, Sirimon and Timau Routes.
Of these Chogoria, Naro Moru and Sirimon and used most frequently and therefore have staffed gates. The other routes require special permission from the Kenya Wildlife Service to use.
Meru Route
This route leads from Katheri, south of Meru, to Lake Rotundu following the Kathita Munyi river. It does not lead to the peaks, but up onto the alpine moorland on the slopes of the mountain.
Chogoria Route
This route leads from Chogoria town up to the peaks circuit. The 32 km (20 miles) from the forest gate to the park gate are often done by vehicle, but it is also possible to walk. There is much wildlife in the forest, with safari ant columns crossing the track, monkeys in the trees, and the potential for seeing elephant, buffalo and leopard. The road is not in good condition, and requires careful driving and walking. Near the park gate the bamboo zone starts, with grasses growing to 12 m high (40 ft).
Once in the park the track passes through rosewood forests, with lichens hanging from the branches. At one point the path splits, with the smaller track leading to a path up the nearby Mugi Hill and across to Lake Ellis.
Near the trackhead a small bridge crosses the Nithi stream. Following the stream downriver a few hundred metres (yards) leads to The Gates Waterfall. The path heads up a ridge above the Gorges Valley, with views to the peaks, Lake Michaelson, The Temple, and across the valley to Delamere and Macmillan Peaks. Hall Tarns are situated right on the path and above a 200 m (700 ft) cliff directly above Lake Michaelson.
As the path carries on it crosses the flat head of the Nithi River and then the slope steepens. The path splits, heading west to Simba Col, and south west to Square Tarn. These are both on the Peak Circuit Route.
Kamweti Route
This route follows the Nyamindi West River. The route is restricted, if it still exists. It is not mentioned in the official guidebook published by the Kenya Wildlife Service, so it may no longer be passable.
Naro Moru Route
This route is taken by many of the trekkers who try to reach Point Lenana. It can be ascended in only 3 days and has bunkhouses at each camp so a tent is not necessary. The terrain is usually good, although one section is called the Vertical Bog.
The track starts in Naro Moru town and heads past the Park Headquarters up the ridge between the Northern and Southern Naro Moru Rivers. At the roadhead is the Meteorological Station, to which it is possible to drive in the dry season. The route drops down into the Northern Naro Moru Valley to Mackinder's Camp on the Peak Circuit Path.
Burguret Route
This route has restricted access. It starts in Gathiuru, and mainly follows the North Burguret River, then continues up to Hut Tarn on the Peak Circuit Path.
Sirimon Route
This route starts 15 km (9 miles) east around the Mount Kenya Ring Road from Nanyuki. The gate is 10 km (6 miles) further along the track, which can be walked or driven by two-wheel drives.
The track climbs up through the forest. On the north side of the mountain there is no bamboo zone, so the forest gradually turns into moorland covered with giant heather. The track ends at Old Moses Hut and becomes a path. This continues up the hill before splitting into two routes. To the left, the least used path goes around the side of the Barrow, to Liki North Hut. The vegetation becomes more sparse, with giant lobelia and groundsels dotted around. The path climbs over a ridge, before rejoining the main path ascending the Mackinder Valley. Shipton's Cave can be found in the rock wall to the left of the steep path just before reaching Shipton's Camp.
From Shipton's Camp, it is possible to ascend the ridge directly in front of the camp to the site of Kami Hut, which no longer exists, or follow the river up to Lower Simba Tarn and eventually to Simba Col. These are both on the Peak Circuit Path.
Timau Route
This is a restricted route. It starts very close to the Sirimon Route, at Timau Village, and skirts around the edge of the forest for a considerable distance. It used to lead to the highest point on the mountain to which is was possible to drive, but has not been used for many years. From the trackhead it is possible to reach Halls Tarns in a few hours, then follow the Chogoria Route to the Peak Circuit Path
Peak Circuit Path
This is a path around the main peaks, with a distance of about 10 km (6 miles) a height gain and loss of over 2000 m (6,600 ft). It can be walked in one day, but more commonly takes two or three. It can also be used to join different ascent and descent routes. The route does not require technical climbing.
Climbing Routes
Most of the peaks on Mount Kenya have been summited. The majority of these involve rock climbing as the easiest route. The grades given are UIAA alpine climbing grades.
| Peak | Altitude | Route Name | Grade | Climbing Season* | First Ascent | | Batian
| 5,199 m (17,058 ft)
| North Face Standard Route
| IV+
| Summer
| A.H. Firmin and P. Hicks, 31 July 1944 | |
|
| South-West Ridge Route
| IV
| Winter
| A.H. Firmin and J.W. Howard, 8 January 1946 | | Nelion
| 5,188 m (17,022 ft)
| Normal Route
| IV-
| Summer/Winter
| E.E. Shipton and P.W. Harris 6 January 1929 | | Batian/Nelion
|
| Ice Window Route
| V-
| Summer
| P. Snyder, Y. Laulan and B. LeDain 20 August 1974 | | Batian/Nelion
|
| Diamond Couloir
| VI
| Summer
| P. Snyder and T. Mathenge 4-5 October 1973 | | Pt Pigott
| 4957 m (16,266 ft)
| South Ridge
| III+
| Summer/Winter
| W.M. and R.J.H. Chambers February 1959 | | Thomson's Flake
|
| Thomson's Flake
| VI
|
| L. Herncarek, W. Welsch and B. Cliff 9 September 1962 | | Pt Dutton
| 4885 m (16,027 ft)
| North-East Face and Ridge
| IV
|
| S. Barusso and R.D. Metcalf 4 August 1966 | | Pt John
| 4883 m (16,016 ft)
| South-East Gully
| III
| Summer
| E.E. Shipton and R.E.G. Russel 18 December 1929 | | Pt Melhuish
| 4880 m (16,010 ft)
| South-East Face
| IV+
|
| R.M.Kamke and W.M. Boyes December 1960 | | Pt Peter
| 4757 m (15,607 ft)
| North-East Gully and Ridge
| III
|
| E.E. Shipton and H.W. Tilman July 1960 | |
|
| Window Ridge
| VI, A1
|
| F.A. Wedgewood and H.G. Nicol 8 August 1963 | | Midget Peak
| 4700 m (15,420 ft)
| South Gully
| IV
|
| E.E. Shipton and H.W. Tilman August 1930 | |
* Climbing Season refers to northern hemisphere summers and winters.
Huts on Mount Kenya
Caretakers are present at most huts, but not all. The huts range from very basic (Liki North) with little more than a roof, to luxurious with log fires and running water (Meru Mt Kenya Lodge). Most huts have no heat or light, but spacious with dormitories and communal areas. They also offer separate accommodation for porters and guides. The communal areas of the huts can be used by campers wishing to retreat from the weather or to store food away from the hyaena and hyraxes.
Around the Peak Circuit Path
- Austrian Hut/Top Hut (4790 m - 15,715 ft)
Austrian Hut is the highest hut on Mount Kenya, with the exception of Howell Hut on Nelion. It is a good base for the ascent of Lenana, or for exploring the surrounding area. Peaks that can be ascended with Austrian Hut as a base camp include Point Thompson, Point Melhuish and Point John. It is also the starting point for the Normal Route up Nelion, as well as other routes up to the summits.
The ridge from Austrian Hut has many lava formations. There is little flora here, as the ridge is covered in scree which freezes every night and bakes every day, but there are still small flowers. There are no mammals or birds at this altitude.
- Two Tarn Hut (4490 m - 14,731 ft)
- Kami Hut (site of) (4439 m - 14,564 ft)
Huts on Chogoria Route
- Meru Mt Kenya Lodge (3017 m - 9,898 ft)
This is a privately owned lodge on the edge of the national park. Park fees have to be paid. The lodge is about 500 m from the park gate, and consists of several log cabins, each with a bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and living area with log fireplace. There is hot running water in the cabins, which sleep 3-4 people. The campsite is located at the park gate, and has running water.
- Urumandi Hut (site of) (3063 m - 10,050 ft)
This hut was built in 1923 and is no longer used.
- Minto's Hut (porters only) (4290 m- 14,075 ft)
Minto's Hut sleeps 8 porters, and is situated near Hall Tarns. There is a campsite nearby. Water is taken directly from the tarns. The tarns have no outflow and so the stagnant water needs to be filtered or boiled before use.
Huts on Naro Moru Route
- The Warden's Cottage (2400 m - 7,900 ft)
This was home to the park's senior wardens until 1998. There are two bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen and a living area with veranda and log fire. There is running hot water. The cottage is inside the national park, so park fees must be paid.
- Meteorological Station (3050 m - 10,000 ft)
The Met Station is administered by Naro Moru Lodge. There are several bunkhouses here as well as a campsite.
- Mackinder's Camp (4200 m -13,778 ft)
Mackinder's Camp is also administered by Naro Moru Lodge. There is a large bunkhouse and plenty of space for camping.
Huts on Sirimon Route
- Sirimon Bandas (2650 m - 8,690 ft)
Sirimon Bandas are located at Sirimon Gate, just inside Mt Kenya National Park. The bandas each have two bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a bathroom and a veranda. There is hot running water. The surrounding area contains much wildlife, including hyaena, zebra, many antelope, baboons and lots of species of birds. Park fees have to be paid, although the bandas are situated just outside the gates.
There is a campsite next to the bandas, with running water and long drops.
- Old Moses Camp (3400 m - 11,150 ft)
Old Moses Camp is administered by Mountain Rock Bantu Lodge. It has dormitories and a large campsite, as well as accommodation for guides and porters.
- Liki North Hut (3993 m - 13,095 ft)
Liki North Hut is little more than a shed to keep the weather off. There is space to camp and a river nearby for water. The hut can sleep 8 people. It is on the lesser used path between Old Moses and Shipton's Camps and can by used as a base for climbing Terere and Sendeyo or to stop off on the way to Shipton's Camp.
- Shipton's Camp (4236 m - 13,894 ft)
Shipton's Camp is administered by Mountain Rock Bantu Lodge. It is home to many rock hyrax, as well as striped mice, many types of sunbirds and Alpine Chats. Mountain Buzzards fly overhead. The vegetation is dominated by giant groundsel, but there are many flowers and lobelia as well. On the skyline is a view of Points Peter and Dutton, with Batian overshadowing them. Also in view are Thompson's Flake and Point Thompson, with Point Lenana on the other side of the Gregory Glacier. In front of the main peaks is the Krapf Rognon, with the Krapf Glacier behind.
Huts on Nelion
- Howell Hut (5188 m - 17,023 ft)
This hut, on top of Nelion, was built by Ian Howell in February 1970. The corrugated iron for the hut was dropped onto the Lewis Glacier by helicopter and Howell carried it to the summit in thirteen solo ascents and built the hut.
Other huts around the mountain
- Mountain Rock Bantu Lodge
The lodge is situated north of Naro Moru and offers rooms, tented accommodation and a campsite. It administers the Old Moses and Shipton's Camps on the Sirimon Route.
This lodge is situated near Naro Moru, and offers facilities from bird watching to equipment hire and guided climbs of the mountain. It also administers the bunkhouses at the Met Station and Mackinder's Camp on the Naro Moru Route.
- The Serena Mountain Lodge
This luxury hotel is found on the western slopes of the mountain, at around 2,200 m (6,600 ft). It has its own waterhole and offers guided walks, trout fishing and luxury climbs up the mountain, as well as conference facilities.
The youth hostel is situated between Naro Moru and Naro Moru Gate, and is a renovated farmhouse. It has dormitories and a campsite, with hot water, a kitchen and equipment hire.
This lodge was built by the British in the late 1920s as a retreat for royalty. It is on the southern slopes of the mountain in the forest at about 2,100 m (6,900 ft).
This luxury lodge is on the northern slopes of the mountain at about 3,100 m (10,200 ft).
Names on Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya received its current name by Krapf who sighted it in 1849 although the spelling has changed from Kenia to Kenya. It is unclear what native word of which tribe Krapf recorded. Various tribes have different names for the mountain. The Kikuyu call it Kirinyaga, which means white or bright mountain. The Embu call it Kirenia, or mountain of whiteness. The Maasai call it Ol Donyo Eibor or Ol Donyo Egere, which mean the White mountain or the speckled mountain respectively.
The Wakamba call it Kiinyaa, or the mountain of the ostrich. The male ostrich has speckled tail feathers, which look similar to the speckled rock and ice on the mountain.
Krapf was staying in a Wakamba village when he first saw the mountain.
Krapf however recorded the name as both Kenia and Kegnia. According to some sources, this is a corruption of the Wakamba Kiinyaa.
Others however say that this was on the contrary a very precise notation of a native word pronounced .
Nevertheless, the name was usually in English.
It is important to note that at the time this referred to the mountain without having to include mountain in the name. The current name Mount Kenya was used by some as early as 1894, but this was not a regular occurrence until 1920 when Kenya Colony was established. Before 1920 the area now known as Kenya was known as the British East Africa Protectorate and so there was no need to mention mount when referring to the mountain. Mount Kenya was not the only English name for the mountain as shown in Dutton's 1929 book Kenya Mountain. By the 1930s Kenya was becoming the dominant spelling, but Kenia was occasionally used.
At this time both were still pronounced in English.
Kenya achieved independence in 1963, and Jomo Kenyatta was elected as the first president.
He had previously assumed this name to reflect his commitment to freeing his country and his pronunciation of his name resulted in the pronunciation of Kenya in English changing back to an approximation of the original native pronunciation, the current . So the country was named after the colony, which in turn was named after the mountain as it is a very significant landmark. To distinguish easily between the country and the mountain, the mountain became known as Mount Kenya with the current pronunciation .
Names of peaks
The peaks of Mount Kenya have been given names from three different sources. Firstly, several Maasai chieftains have been commemorated, with names such as Batian, Nelion and Lenana. These names were suggested by Mackinder, on the suggestion of Hinde, who was the resident officer in Maasailand at the time of Mackinder's expedition. They commemorate Mbatian, a Maasai Laibon (Medicine Man), Nelieng, his brother, and Lenana and Sendeyo, his sons. Terere is named after another Maasai headman.
The second type of names that were given to peaks are after climbers and explorers. Some examples of this are Shipton, Sommerfelt, Tilman, Dutton and Arthur. Shipton made the first ascent of Nelion, and Sommerfelt accompanied Shipton on the second ascent. Tilman made many first ascents of peaks with Shipton in 1930. Dutton and Arthur explored the mountain between 1910 and 1930. Arthur Firmin, who made many first ascents, has been remembered in Firmin's Col. Humphrey Slade, of Pt Slade, explored the moorland areas of the mountain in the 1930s, and possibly made the first ascent of Sendeyo.
The remaining names are after well-known Kenyan personalities, with the exception of John and Peter, which were named by the missionary Arthur after two disciples. Pigott was the Acting Administrator of Imperial British East Africa at the time of Gregory's expedition, and there is a group of four peaks to the east of the main peaks named after governors of Kenya and early settlers; Coryndon, Grigg, Delamere and McMillan.
The majority of the names were given by Melhuish and Dutton, with the exception of the Maasai names and Peter and John. Interestingly Pt Thomson is not named after Joseph Thomson, who confirmed the mountain's existence, but after another J Thomson who was an official Royal Geographical Society photographer.
Mount Kenya in literature
- Kirinyaga is also the title of a book by Mike Resnick.
- Facing Mount Kenya is the title of a book by Jomo Kenyatta about the Kikuyu.
- Speak to the earth. Wanderings and Reflections among Elephants and Mountains (New York: Harrison Smith and Robert Haas, 1935, Part II) by Vivienne de Watteville is a book relating the author's sojourn in a small hut in the region of the Ellis Lake.
- No Picnic on Mount Kenya is a story of three Prisoners of War who escaped from their prison camp, ascended the mountain in 1943, and then returned to their prison camp, written by Felice Benuzzi.
- Kenya Mountain is the account by E A T Dutton of his expedition to Mount Kenya in 1926.
See also
External links
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