Timau 4 Day Trek
The Timau Route approaches from the North of the mountain following a meandering route through the gentler northern slopes until they steepen at around 4200m. From here it drops abruptly into and across the Hinde Valley and the Nithi North river before climbing up to meet the Chogoria Route at Simba Col. The route lies in a major rain shadow. Because of this there is a very little forest on this side of the mountain. However, the low rainfall zone it generally makes for a drier trek. The slope is gentle and because the peaks on Mount Kenya line up east to west the views from the north give you the impression you are trekking into a whole mountain range.
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TIMAU TO MARANIA CAMP (3,200 m). Trekking time: 4 hours.
You will be transferred from Nanyuki Town to the road head of the Timau route north of Timau town at 2,700m above sea level. This hike starts off at the start of the moorland zone and takes you up through patches of bamboo and heather. We will stop for lunch on the rim of the crater, which offers a chance to see some of the rare mountain species such as eland, zebra, buffalo and even the occasional elephant. The view as you ascend is breathtaking, looking down across Kisima, Lewa Downs, Samburu and the great Northern Frontier beyond and up to the glaring peaks of Mount Kenya ahead. You will stop for a picnic lunch and continue on your way to Marania Camp on the edge of one of the mountain’s shoulders in heather moorland.
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MARANIA CAMP TO MAJOR’S CAMP (3,800 m). Trekking time: 8 hours.
You will depart the camp after breakfast, and walk up through the moorland back towards the peaks ahead that make up the Mt Kenya Massif. Lunch will be at the Marania Spring, which is the source of the river that runs by Marania camp, this is a beautiful lunch spot and especially if there are some curious zebra around. You should arrive at Major’s Camp in the afternoon, which is set up at the base of the valley near some very dramatic rock faces. Some wildlife have been known to frequent the area, previous guests have had sightings of the rare Serval cat
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MAJOR’S CAMP TO SIMBA TARN (4,650m). Trekking time: 8 hours
The hike up towards the Lower Simba Tarn starts off being fairly steep and eases off before the final climb up to Simba Tarn. This walk is definitely an experience that resembles no other, with an extremely unique lunar landscape coupled with very distinctive vegetation. This will be your first glimpse of the fabulous Giant groundsels particularly in the Hobley Valley below the massifs of Terere and Sendeyo. This vegetation is endemic to Mt Kenya with its unique adaptions to the vast day to day temperature changes. You will arrive at the Simba Tarn camp at the top of the Hobley Valley and aptly named Gorges Valley. The views from Simba Tarn camp are breathtaking.
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SIMBA TARN TO POINT LENANA (4,985 m) TO MET STATION
Trekking time: 12 hoursAn early departure at 5.30am for a sunrise summit is the best way to experience this climb, and enjoy the expansive views of the mountainside, valleys and country beyond - even the summit of Kilimanjaro if you are lucky.
The descent takes you down the southern side along the Naro Moru route where you will have brunch in the Teleki Valley. Then it’s a final walk down to the MET station for collection. You will be back in the Nanyuki area for around 3 pm.
Standard Package
Luxury Package
VIP Package
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Yes. We do require you to have medical and evacuation cover.
We work closely with one of the local medical evacuation providers so we can include this in your package. Let us know in advance.
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Take a look at the following PAGE for what you need to pack and how to pack it.
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Your journey begins at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO) in Nairobi. We recommend arriving at least one day before your trek starts to acclimatise.
Road Transfer
Depending on which climbing route you’ve chosen (Sirimon, Naro Moru, or Chogoria), your destination will be one of the gateway towns: Nanyuki, Naro Moru, or Chogoria.
Private Transfer: We typically arrange private 4x4 transfers for our clients. This is the most comfortable and reliable way to reach the trailheads, taking between 3 to 5 hours depending on traffic and your specific route.