Up The Mountain We Went

Hiking Trails in Kenya: A Complete Guide

Mountains are, without a doubt, nature’s most astonishing wonders that fill us with marvel. Muted cathedrals and idols of unspeakable beauty. Their extreme terrain has always beckoned and repelled, enthralling us with mystery and awe. Mountains have invariably stood as places to be revered, either as the home of the holy or the hostile. A century ago, climbing mountains was unspeakable if not unimaginable, yet, in hiking them they have become icons of dreams and desires.

In Kenya, and across the world, the silence of summits has always drawn man in both spirit and adventure. The mountains we climb are mountains of the mind. Mountaineering, walking, trekking, rambling, strolling and bushwalking, all variants of hiking, are today’s nature-based tourism. Up the mountain we went, to seek out these primitive upland paradises. Our enchantment with mountains and the challenge of hiking them gives us the grand magic to venture upwards, and to yield upon the human imagination the dreams of conquering the highest summits. Chasing angels and peace or fleeing demons off we went to seek great hike trails.

As the challenge to summit mountains got bigger adventure replaced reverence. Earliest explorers took to them in earnest to name these uncharted worlds. As the mountains of Europe became popular and great numbers assembled at the Alps each season, many hikers began looking for challenges in other continents, where there are high peaks, which were not so popular. East Africa began experiencing this migration, and it is not surprising as there are five mountains of over 14,000 ft.

Of the five mountains, three are permanently snow-capped – Kilimanjaro (19,340 ft.); Kenya (17.058 ft.); and the Ruwenzoris (16,763 ft.). They were first climbed in that order – Kilimanjaro being first in 1889; Kenya second in 1889, and the summit of Ruwenzoris, Margherita, in 1906. To make up the five, Mount Elgon (14,178 ft.) and Mount Meru (14,978 ft.) cannot be neglected, as they both support alpine flora and scenery that could be termed unique. Both are often covered in frost, and were decades ago gone occasionally covered in snow, albeit not in permanence.

Hiking in Kenya offers a diverse range of landscapes and trails, from lush forests to arid deserts, and from high-altitude mountains to scenic coastal paths. The apex hiking trail in Kenya is Mount Kenya, Africa’s second-highest peak. There are eight hiking routes about it, the most popular of these being Sirimon and Chogoria.

Index of Hiking Trails Around Kenya

Elgeyo Marakwet - Kessup Falls , Torok Falls , Embu County - Kirimiri Forest & Nthenge Njeru Falls , Irangi Trail (Mount Kenya) , Homa Bay County - Homa Hills, Mount Kwitutu, Kajiado County - Ngong Hills, Mount Olorgesailie, Mount Suswa, Nguruman-Entasopia Falls, Ol Doinyo Orok, Mount Kilimanjaro, Kakamega County - Kambiri Hill , Kiambu County - Gatamaiyu Camp, Kirinyaga County - Kamuruana Hill, Kamweti Route , Kisii County - Sameta Hill , Machakos County - Ol Donyo Sabuk, Kanzalu Range , Lukenya Hills , Kiima Kimwe , Makueni County - Nzaui Range , Mbooni Hills , The Kenze Gorges , Meru County - Kaithandu Hill, Sirimon Route , Chogoria Route , Themwe Route , Marania Route , Nairobi County - Ololua Forest Trail, Karura Forest, Nakuru County - Mount Longonot, Eburru, Table Mountain, The Sleeping Warrior, Nandi County - Ngabunat Cave, Nyandarua County - Kijabe Hills, Ragia Forest Trail , Elephant Hill , Rurimeria Hill Trail , Satima Trail Aberdare Range , The Table Mountain , Kinangop Hill, Nyeri County - Njigari Forest Trail, Samburu County - Mount Ololokwe, Mount Poi, Taita Taveta County - Vuria Hill , Trans Nzoia County - Wagagai Peak , Koitoboss Peak - Mount Elgon Park

Planning Your Hike

Whether a day or overnight itinerary, hiking into the hillsides and mountains of Kenya offers the intrepid new perspectives and a chance to experience unique viewpoints. Knowledge, preparation and planning are your keys to success. Foremost, be honest about your health and fitness, know your limits and avoid spontaneity. Hikers should be suitably clothed and equipped. Warm clothing and a change of it, dark glasses, deep-threaded sturdy boots (or shoes), large woolen scarf, mittens, sun-proof hat, at least one good blankets (sleeping bag preferably), a first-aid kit, and vaseline for protection of the skin and underfoot, are necessary.

On the morning of the hike remember to pack and carry enough refreshments! Eat double your normal intake of carbohydrates and salty foods. Calories are vital in regulating body temperature, and hiking suppresses your appetite. If you’re aiming for Mount Kenya, there are two major seasons; late December to mid-March, and July to early October during the dryer months. Depending on your destination and target, clothing for various locations will vary, but for Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon and Aberdare Range is almost self-same as that needed on Kilimanjaro, but the serious climber wishing to tackle hard routes will know what extra gear to take.

All parties hiking the big mountains of Kenya are required to get in touch with Kenya Wildlife Service and Mountain Club of Kenya to get useful and the latest information on the state of huts, trails and conditions of the mountain. Last but least, know how to rescue yourself in case of danger or alarm. If you start to feel nauseated, dizzy or disoriented during a hike, rest, eat and drink until you feel better; taking as long as needed. Always check the weather forecast beforehand.

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