Best time to climb Mount Kenya

Best time to climb Mount Kenya : When is the best time to visit Mount Kenya National Park? Mount Kenya is Africa’s second-highest peak, with the highest summit rising about 5,199 meters above sea level. In addition, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the home of Ngai, the mythological Kikuyu deity. The name Kirinyaga comes from the ancient Kikuyu people, who erected their traditional dwellings towards this revered mountain because they thought it was a source of light. Mount Kenya National Park experiences colder temperatures than the majority of the nation. It has a temperate or subtropical climate. It is rainy and overcast throughout the rainy season, which lasts from March to May and October to December. Rainfall is heavier further up and mild on the lower slopes. December through March are the sunniest months.

The sunniest months and possibly the best times to go are December through March. A few gloomy spells, rain from March to May, and drizzle from October to early December can make it difficult to see well. Mount Kenya National Park, however, is open year-round. The weather and climate of Mount Kenya change with elevation due to its mountainous terrain. The weather is windy, foggy, and frigid at high elevations. Moorland, bamboo woods, tundra, and alpine and sub-alpine plants make up the majority of the vegetation. Ascending causes a noticeable change in vegetation due to temperature fluctuations.

A mountaineering expertise is advised if you want to reach the summit safely, even if climbing Mount Kenya is far less technically demanding than climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The third-highest peak, Point Lenana (4985m), is accessible to hikers and is typically the destination for most mortals, although the highest summits of Batian (5199m) and Nelion (5188m) are only accessible by mountaineers with technical expertise. There are truly breathtaking views when the clouds part. To arrange the greatest hiking safari to climb Mount Kenya, get in contact with Kenya Wildlife Safaris.

Mountaineering Mount Kenya

A thrilling Kenya safari tour activity on Mount Kenya is mountaineering. The second-highest peak in Africa may also be its most stunning. The ancient Kikuyu high god Ngai’s throne is carved out by glaciers just minutes from the equator. Some people still visit the lower slopes of the sacred mountain to pray, and the tribe continues to keep its doors open to the mountain’s face. In addition to being revered by the Kikuyu, Mount Kenya and Mount Kenya National Park hold the unique distinction of being a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The majority of Mount Kenya’s summits have been reached. The simplest route for most of these is rock climbing, however some just call for a hike or a scramble. With a height of 4,985 meters (16,355 feet), Point Lenana is the highest point that can be reached without climbing. This summit is climbed by most of the 15,000 annual visitors to the national park. On the other hand, some 200 individuals ascend Nelion, and 50 ascend Batian, the two highest peaks.

Mount Kenya is only 10 miles from the equator, making its climbing seasons unique. While the ice routes on the peak’s south side are in excellent shape, the rock routes on the peak’s north side are in superb summer condition during the northern summer. The summer months in the south are the opposite. Climbing conditions are typically poor throughout the several months of the rainy season that precede and follow the two seasons. Only technically skilled mountaineers can reach the highest peaks of Batian (5199m) and Nelion (5188m), but hikers can reach Point Lenana (4985m), the third-highest peak and the typical destination for most mortals. When the clouds break, the scenery is breathtaking.

Batian and Nelion peaks of Mount Kenya

The difficult peaks of Batian and Nelion are the highest points of Mount Kenya, with Point Lenana coming in third. A sizable notch known as the gate of the Mists divides these summits, which are all a part of the same massive body of rock. The two primary “standard” routes to the technical summits are as follows. The sun is on the North faces during the UK summer and the South faces during the UK winter because the peak is virtually on the equator. However, keep in mind that there aren’t actually summer and winter on the equator—only exceptionally dry and wet seasons. As a result, you climb the sunlit routes to break up the ice and prevent your hands and feet from becoming numb from the shade of the icy rock. Thus, in general, you would travel to Batian via the north face in the summer and the south side in the winter. In order to reach Batian, one must traverse Nelion (as well as the gate of the mists) along the south-east face of the mountain.

Compared to Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya is a more difficult but rewarding trip. Mount Kenya is more peaceful, and it’s wonderful to see animals on the lower slopes, which is something that Mount Kilimanjaro clearly lacks. Although climbing Mount Kenya is not as technically difficult as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, mountaineering experience is advised if you want to reach the top without incident. Usually completed in three to five days, depending on your physical condition and availability. Acclimatisation days are advised by the standards to prevent altitude sickness, particularly if you’re not used to such routes.

Shipton’s Caves

At a height of 4367 meters, Shipton’s Caves is a cave on Mount Kenya. Perhaps the most beautiful mountain in Africa is the second-highest one. The ancient high god of the Kikuyu, Ngai, has his throne carved out by glaciers just minutes from the equator. Even now, the tribe maintains its doors open to the face of the holy mountain, and some people continue to visit its lower reaches to pray. Mount Kenya and Mount Kenya National Park has the unique distinction of being both a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in addition to being revered by the Kikuyu.

Polish Man’s Tarn is not far from Shipton’s Cave. Just before you reach Shipton’s Camp, you’ll find Shipton’s Cave in the rock wall to the left of the steep route. Shipton’s Caves are located on the Sirimon Route, right before Shipton’s Camp. The Sirimon route begins in Nanyuki, 15 km (9.3 mi) to the east, around the Mount Kenya Ring Road. A further 10 km (6.2 mi) down the track, which is accessible by foot or four-wheel drive, is the gate.

Ask your guide to let you explore the caves, which are named for Eric Shipton, the first person to climb Nelion Peak in 1929, as you’ll probably need to spend a night here to get used to the surroundings. He is most famous, though, for having Tenzing Norgay, a young sherpa, get his first job as a porter on Mount Everest in 1935.