Kinangop via Elephant Hill: a two-day Aberdares trek

Day by day

Most groups take two days, camping on the moorland between Elephant Hill and Kinangop:

• Day one, Njabini to camp: about six hours. From Njabini Forest Station at about 2,500 m, follow the Elephant Hill trail through plantation forest and bamboo to the Elephant Hill summit at about 3,600 m. Then drop steeply, about 200 m, onto the moorland, which is crossed by marshes and streams and covered in tussock grass and short giant heather. Camp here, near one of the small streams.
• Day two, to the summit: about two hours. Follow buffalo trails up a ridge that climbs gently towards Kinangop, which sits on the most prominent of the volcanic knolls. Stay on the ridge top, where the going is easier. The trails start marshy and become rocky, and in places you push through bushes and tall grass.
• The scramble: the grass gets steeper at the base of the peak, and the last 30 m or so is a scramble up steep rock, more like climbing a ladder. From the top you can see Mt Kenya in the distance and Elephant Hill to the south.
• The way back: return the same way over Elephant Hill to Njabini, six to seven hours.

Terrain and how hard it is

This is a hard trek, and probably the steepest trail on the Aberdares. You need to be fit, comfortable carrying a camping pack through deep bamboo mud, and able to find your way: beyond Elephant Hill the moorland is little visited and has no marked path.

The weather at this height can turn bad very quickly. Unless you are navigating by GPS, stop and wait if fog comes in.

On our map the line from Njabini Forest Station over Elephant Hill to the Kinangop summit covers about 14.1 km one way. The section beyond Elephant Hill follows animal trails that change, so treat our line as a guide, not a marked path.

Best time of year

The drier months, from June to September and from December to February, are the best for hiking in the Aberdares, and especially for camping on the moorland. The heaviest rain falls in April, May and October, at the peaks of the long and short rains, when the marshes are at their wettest.

What to bring

• A tent and full camping kit: there are no huts on the route.
• A warm sleeping bag: nights on the moorland are cold.
• Warm layers, a hat and gloves.
• A waterproof jacket and trousers.
• Waterproof boots with good grip, and gaiters for the mud and marshes.
• A stove, food for two days, and a way to treat water from the streams.
• A GPS or phone with the route loaded, plus a power bank.
• No single-use plastic: Kenya's national parks are plastic-free.

Getting there, entry and fees

From Nairobi, take the Nakuru road on the upper escarpment for about 60 km to the Flyover. Cross over, turn left at the next junction and drive about 24 km to Njabini town. Njabini Forest Station is 4 km further on. Njabini matatus leave from the Old Nation House roundabout in Nairobi.

Visitors must be accompanied by an armed escort from Njabini Forest Station, at the official KWS tariff. The rangers are escorts, not trained guides, so go with someone who knows the moorland or navigate by GPS, and contact the Senior Warden of Aberdare National Park in advance.

Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) lists these daily entry rates for Aberdare National Park, effective from 1 October 2025: East African citizens KES 800 per adult and KES 500 per child; Kenya residents KES 1,100 per adult and KES 675 per child; African citizens USD 40 per adult and USD 20 per child; non-residents USD 70 per adult and USD 40 per child. Rates are per day, so a two-day trek pays for two days. Njabini Forest Station is run by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS), which does not publish its fees for the station online. Official page: kws.go.ke/park/aberdare-national-park

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

Keep the climb

We print the route on the real terrain, so the southern Aberdares rise off the wall in 3D, with your line raised in colour over Elephant Hill and across the moorland to Kinangop. Add your names and the dates of the trek.