Chogoria route, Mt Kenya: lakes, gorges and Point Lenana

Stop by stop

Itineraries run from four to seven days. These are the main stops in order on the way up:

• Chogoria to the park gate: about 32 km of rough road through forest from the forest gate to the park gate, usually driven but possible on foot. Monkeys and safari ant columns are common, and elephant, buffalo and leopard live here. Bamboo starts near the park gate, where there is a campsite and, about 500 m away, the cabins of Meru Mt Kenya Lodge at about 3,017 m.
• Lake Ellis: a short walk through rosewood forest and glades to Lake Ellis at about 3,400 m. An afternoon walk up Mugi Hill, at about 3,650 m, helps with acclimatisation.
• Lake Michaelson: about six hours across moorland, then down to camp at the head of the Gorges Valley at about 4,000 m, below the cliffs known as The Temple.
• Hall Tarns and Minto's Hut: the main path follows a ridge above the Gorges Valley to Hall Tarns, which sit right on the path above a 200 m cliff over Lake Michaelson. Minto's Hut, at 4,290 m, is for porters only, with a campsite nearby.
• Simba Col and the summit: the path crosses the flat head of the Nithi River, steepens and splits towards Simba Col and Square Tarn on the Peak Circuit Path. From a high camp, the walk to Point Lenana at dawn takes about an hour and a half on rough ground that can be under snow.

Terrain and how hard it is

The lower part is a rough forest road, then forest paths, moorland and lake-side camps, then rocky alpine ground and scree near the top. Chogoria is not technical, and itineraries with nights and acclimatisation walks around Lake Ellis and Lake Michaelson give your body time to adjust.

The main difficulty is getting there: the drive to the trailhead is long and the road is poor. Many groups go up Sirimon and come down Chogoria to see both sides of the mountain.

On our map the Chogoria line covers about 19.0 km with roughly 2,253 m of climbing.

Best time of year

Mt Kenya has two dry seasons and two wet seasons. The driest time runs from about December to mid-March. A second, slightly wetter dry season follows the long rains and lasts until September.

The long rains fall from mid-March to June and bring about half of the year's rain. The short rains fall from October to December. In the dry season, mornings are usually clear and the mountain is often in cloud by midday, which is another reason to start early.

What to bring

• Warm layers, a warm hat and gloves: summit morning is below freezing, with frozen scree underfoot.
• A waterproof jacket and trousers for rain and wet moorland.
• Hiking boots with good grip.
• A head torch with spare batteries for the early summit start.
• A warm sleeping bag: most huts on the mountain have no heating.
• Sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent.
• A water filter or purification tablets: the tarns near Minto's Hut have no outflow, so the water must be filtered or boiled.
• Drinking water, snacks and a small first aid kit.
• No single-use plastic: Kenya's national parks are plastic-free.

Getting there, entry and fees

KWS lists Chogoria Gate on the Embu–Meru road side of the mountain, about 210 km north of Nairobi. From Chogoria town, the last 32 km to the park gate is a rough forest road that needs careful driving. KWS says park gates open at 6:00 am and close at 6:00 pm, unless you are staying overnight.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) lists these entry rates for Mt Kenya National Park: East African citizens KES 800 per adult and KES 400 per child; Kenya residents KES 1,100 per adult and KES 550 per child; African citizens USD 30 per adult and USD 15 per child; non-residents USD 70 per adult and USD 35 per child. Meru Mt Kenya Lodge is privately run, so cabins there are booked separately from park entry.

The KWS park page does not say a guide is compulsory, but we strongly recommend a park-certified guide. Sirimon, Naro Moru and Chogoria are the routes with staffed gates; other routes need special permission from KWS. Official page: kws.go.ke/park/mt-kenya-national-park

Checked on 8 November 2026 against the official park website; confirm current fees before you go.

Keep the climb

We print the route on the real terrain, so the mountain rises off the wall in 3D with your line raised in colour. Add your names and summit date and it becomes the record of the climb. Chogoria's lakes and the deep Gorges Valley show up clearly in relief.