Climbing Mt. Kenya via the Chogoria Route

Longer Route has Volcanic Landscapes, Wildlife, Dramatic Vegetation

May 27, 2009 Karen Berger

Mt. Kenya's lesser known Chogoria Route boasts fantastic Afro-Alpine scenery. This longer but spectacularly scenic route up Mt. Kenya is one of Africa's finest hikes.

Mt. Kenya’s Chogoria Route is not the mountain’s most popular route – that honor goes to the shorter and reputedly easier Naro Moru Route. But it is arguably the most beautiful. Figure a minimum of four days to do the Chogoria Route; most people will be happier with five or even six.

Advantages of the Chogoria Route

First, because the Chogoria Route is longer, it forces hikers to take more time. This decreases the chances of altitude sickness.

Second, the Chogoria Route is spectacularly scenic. Rising from bamboo forest to moorland heath to the Arctic-Alpine zone, the Chogoria Route showcases Mt. Kenya’s unique variety of natural and geological features. From the lovely Vivienne Falls near the start of the hike to the dramatically sculpted Mintos Tarn and the precipitous Gorges Valley, the Chogoria Route reveals one natural marvel after the next.

Starting the Chogoria Route

Public transport runs daily from Nairobi to Chogoria, a tiny town on the eastern side of Mt. Kenya, where the Chogoria Transit Motel offers basic lodging and food. Guides, porters, and four-wheel drive transport to the park gate can be hired here.

Getting from Chogoria to the park gate involves 20 miles on a jeep road passable only by foot or four-wheel-drive vehicle. The long uphill trek winds through lowland rainforest, past small family farms, into higher, cooler bamboo forests and (finally) to the ranger station (9.807 feet). Given the opportunity, most hikers quickly jump into a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Note that hikers who walk are at less risk of altitude sickness. Also, rides up the mountain are expensive. If possible, round up a group of other interested hikers, and be prepared to bargain hard. Another option is to ride only partway up, which helps hikers acclimate, protects budgets, but lessens the sting of a 20-mile uphill trek.

The park gate offers a good place to camp (most hikers arrive there tired.) From the gate, it's about five miles (and 1,700 uphill feet) to the end of the road at Vivienne Falls (11,500 feet). This is another good place to camp and to enjoy a lazy afternoon of swimming. The next day, figure four to five hours to reach Mintos Tarn (14,300 feet). Camping at all three sites is a slow pace, but minimizes the risk of altitude sickness.

Note: It is possible to walk from the park gate to Mintos Tarn in one day. The hike takes seven to eight hours and includes 4,500 feet of elevation gain. It is thus suitable only for very fit hikers who have a good (and recent) history of quick acclimatization to high elevations.

Mintos Hut and Mt. Kenya’s High Elevations

The walk to Mintos Hut is spectacular. Overlooking the Gorges Vallley, rising into the Afro-Alpine zone, winding through mazes of house-sized rocks, it offers one photo op after another. The campsites are as gorgeous as the walk. Mintos Tarn is a deep blue alpine lake surrounded by giant groundsel and lobelia, framed by peaks and pinnacles.

Unfortunately, overuse of this fragile alpine zone has polluted the tarn, which means that hikers must purify all drinking water. The run-down hut is not a tempting shelter, except, perhaps, in a violent storm. But there are plenty of lovely campsites around the tarn. Don’t leave food bags unattended; the mountain hyraxes (which look like marmots) will move in for a snack.

The next day’s hike leads to Austria Hut (15,600 feet). From Austria Hut, Point Lenana is a short but steep half-hour scramble. Most trekkers start just before sunrise, in order to enjoy the more stable morning weather and the red-tinted light on the volcanic formations.

The descent to the park gate can be done in one very long day, but is better broken into two. Hikers who don’t want to walk the 20-mile forest road should arrange in advance for a vehicle.

The Chogoria Route up Mount Kenya, taken at the right pace, is one of Africa's great hikes.

ResourcesFor more information on climbing Mt. Kenya, including routes and gear, see: Resources for Travel in East Africa.

The copyright of the article Climbing Mt. Kenya via the Chogoria Route in Volunteer & Eco Adventures is owned by Karen Berger. Permission to republish Climbing Mt. Kenya via the Chogoria Route in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Gorges Valley on Chogoria Route, Mt Kenya

Mintos Tarn on Chogoria Route, Mt. Kenya