Mt Kenya Timau Northern Route — 6 Days

The remote northern approach — crosses the mountain from Meru country to Sirimon.

Overview

The Timau Northern Route is Mt Kenya's best-kept secret — an arid, seldom-trodden approach that begins in the rain shadow of the mountain's northern flank and climbs through landscapes few trekkers ever witness. Starting from the remote Timau Gate on the Meru side, you ascend through open moorland studded with giant lobelias and groundsels, passing crystal-clear streams fed by glacial meltwater before the vegetation thins into the stark, high-altitude rock and scree of the upper mountain. With fewer than twenty trekkers per year using this approach, the sense of solitude here is extraordinary.

The traverse across the upper plateau to Simba Col is the route's defining moment — a high-altitude crossing that feels genuinely exploratory, with sweeping views over the Laikipia Plateau to the north and the jagged peaks of Batian and Nelion rising above. Wildlife is a constant companion on the lower slopes: buffalo, eland, and the occasional leopard track thread through the heather and tussock grass, while sunbirds flicker between the proteas. A mandatory ranger escort for the first two days adds both safety and ecological insight.

The summit objective is Point Lenana (4,985 m), Mt Kenya's third-highest peak and the highest point accessible without technical climbing equipment. Reached in the pre-dawn hours on Day 4, a clear morning rewards trekkers with panoramic views stretching from the Aberdares to Kilimanjaro on the horizon. The descent via Shipton's Camp and the classic Sirimon Valley is a gentle unwinding — through enchanted bamboo and cedar forest, past mountain tarns reflecting the sky, back to the warmth of lower altitude.

This six-day itinerary is structured for genuine acclimatisation, with rest built in at Two Tarn Hut before summit day. It is rated challenging due to altitude and the remoteness of the northern approach, but it rewards fit, motivated trekkers with an experience that stands apart from any other route on the mountain.

Route: Nairobi → Timau Gate → Meru Mount Kenya Highlands → Simba Col → Two Tarn → Point Lenana → Shipton's → Old Moses → Sirimon Gate → Nairobi

Day-by-day itinerary

1
Nairobi to Timau Gate — Into the Northern Wilderness

An early morning departure from Nairobi takes you north through Nyeri and up the flanks of Mt Kenya, with the mountain's twin peaks coming into view above the cedar forests as you gain altitude. You arrive at the remote Timau Gate — gateway to the mountain's driest flank — for park entry formalities and a briefing from your KWS ranger escort. The afternoon's trek begins gently through open moorland and heath, ascending through giant lobelias into camp at approximately 3,400 m. The evening sky over the northern plains is often spectacular, and the silence here is total.

🏨 Mobile tented camp (circa 3,400 m) 🍽 L, D
2
Ascending the Northern Moorland — Wildlife and High Heathland

Today's trek pushes deeper into the high moorland, climbing steadily through tussock grass and patches of Afro-alpine heath where giant senecios stand sentinel against the sky. Buffalo trails cross the route regularly, and your ranger escort keeps a watchful eye on the surrounding heather for any movement. The landscape opens dramatically as you gain height, revealing the jagged silhouette of Batian and Nelion ahead and the vast Laikipia Plateau receding behind you. Camp is established at a sheltered site near a moorland stream — a full hot dinner and a brief altitude acclimatisation talk from your guide close the day.

🏨 Mobile tented camp (circa 3,800 m) 🍽 B, L, D
3
Simba Col Traverse — Crossing the Roof of Kenya

The route's most dramatic day: a long traverse across the upper plateau through the col at Simba (approximately 4,620 m), where views open simultaneously over the northern desert and the central crater lakes. The terrain is rocky and exhilarating — loose scree gives way to solid lava rock and snowfields depending on the season — and the thin air at this altitude demands a deliberate, measured pace. By mid-afternoon you descend to Two Tarn Hut, a KWS refuge perched between two glacial tarns that mirror the peaks above. An early dinner and a very early lights-out prepare you for tomorrow's summit push.

🏨 Two Tarn Hut (4,450 m) 🍽 B, L, D
4
Summit Day — Point Lenana at Sunrise

A 2:00–3:00 am departure by headlamp begins the final push to Point Lenana (4,985 m), timed to reach the summit at first light. The ascent crosses the South-East Face — steep scree and frozen ground in cold months — before the final rocky scramble to the summit cairn and cross. On a clear morning the reward is extraordinary: Batian and Nelion tower above, the Lewis Glacier gleams below, and Kilimanjaro may float on the horizon 350 km to the south. After summit photographs and celebration, you descend to Shipton's Camp for a hot breakfast and a well-earned rest before continuing down the beautiful Mackinder's Valley to camp.

🏨 Shipton's Camp (4,236 m) 🍽 B, L, D
5
Shipton's to Old Moses — Descending Through Afro-Alpine Forest

The descent from Shipton's Camp follows the classic Sirimon Valley, a broad U-shaped glacial trough carpeted in moorland that gradually gives way to dense Afro-alpine forest. Eland and buffalo are frequently encountered on the lower slopes, and the giant heather trees draped in old-man's-beard lichen create an otherworldly atmosphere as you drop in altitude. Old Moses Camp, perched at the forest edge at approximately 3,300 m, is a comfortable overnight stop with bunk accommodation and warm showers — a welcome luxury after summit day. Celebrate the achievement over a relaxed dinner as the forest comes alive with night sounds.

🏨 Old Moses Camp (3,300 m) 🍽 B, L, D
6
Sirimon Gate and Return to Nairobi

A final morning walk through the cedar and Podocarpus forest to Sirimon Gate is leisurely and celebratory, with opportunities to spot colobus monkeys and forest birds in the canopy above the trail. Exit formalities at the gate are completed before boarding the vehicle for the drive back to Nairobi, stopping for lunch at a roadside restaurant in Nanyuki with views back up to the peaks you have just conquered. You arrive in Nairobi by early evening, with memories of one of East Africa's most remote and rewarding mountain traverses.

🍽 B, L

Gallery

Includes

Round-trip road transfers from Nairobi (4x4 vehicle)
Professional AECONS mountain guide and assistant guide
Experienced cook and licensed porters
Mandatory Kenya Wildlife Service ranger escort (Days 1–2)
All park entry fees, camping fees, and hut/rescue levies
Full-board meals throughout the trek (all breakfasts, lunches, dinners)
Tents, sleeping mats, and group dining tent
Emergency oxygen canister carried by guide team
Porterage of group camping equipment (personal daypack carried by trekker)

Excludes

International and domestic flights
Kenya tourist visa and entry fees
Personal trekking gear (sleeping bag, trekking poles, clothing)
Travel and medical evacuation insurance (mandatory)
Bottled water and soft drinks
Alcohol and personal snacks
Gratuities for guide, cook, and porters
Optional helicopter rescue or evacuation costs if required

Good to know — flights & hotels

This price is for the tour/adventure only. International & domestic flights and hotels are not included — we'll gladly suggest trusted options that you book directly.

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