Mountain Climbing and Trekking
Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya and the Rwenzoris
East Africa has some of Africa's highest walkable summits. The main trekking routes do not require technical climbing, which means a reasonably fit person with enough time to acclimatise can reach the top.
Altitude is the deciding factor, not strength. The people who summit are usually those who go slowly enough.
Plan My SafariKilimanjaro
Tanzania's Kilimanjaro reaches 5,895 metres. The Machame, Lemosho, Marangu, Rongai and Northern Circuit routes vary in length, scenery and how busy they are. Allow six to nine days on the mountain.
Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya's trekking summit is Point Lenana at 4,985 metres. The Sirimon, Chogoria and Naro Moru routes generally take four to five days. Chogoria is the most scenic, while the mountain is less crowded than Kilimanjaro and makes good preparation for it.
The Rwenzoris
Uganda's Rwenzoris are technically harder, wetter and much less visited. Allow seven to nine days, with genuinely remote terrain.
Mount Elgon
On the Kenya-Uganda border, Mount Elgon is a gentler multi-day option.
For day walks, Mount Longonot, Hell's Gate and the Ngong Hills are all within reach of Nairobi.
Longer routes generally have better summit success because they give your body more time to adjust. The cheapest and shortest options are often cheapest for a reason.
We would rather put you on a route that works than one that saves two days and does not.
You need to be able to walk for several hours a day on consecutive days. Specific training helps, but regular hill walking in the months before travel is better preparation than relying on gym fitness alone.
Altitude affects people unpredictably, and fitness is not a reliable guide to who will struggle. Guides monitor symptoms daily and may turn someone back if necessary. That decision is not negotiable, and it exists for good reason.
When to Go
January and February, and June to October, are usually the driest and most reliable periods. Wet months make trails harder and views less certain.
Park fees, guides, porters, cooks, camping or hut accommodation, meals on the mountain, transfers and a briefing before you begin.
We send a kit list and advise what is worth hiring rather than buying.
Tell us which mountain and when
If you are not sure whether to start with Mount Kenya or go straight to Kilimanjaro, tell us about your experience and we will advise.