This route is the fastest for trekkers summit Point Lenana (4985m). It can be ascended in only 4 days and has bunkhouses at each camp so a tent is not necessary. The terrain is usually good, although one section is called the Vertical Bog. The track starts in Naro Moru town and heads past the Park Headquarters up the ridge between the Northern and Southern Naro Moru Rivers. At the roadhead is the Meteorological Station, to which it is possible to drive in the dry season. The route drops down into the Northern Naro Moru Valley to Mackinder’s Camp on the Peak Circuit Path
Distance: 40 km | Difficulty: Demanding | Start/Finish: Nairobi
Day 1: Nairobi – Naromoru
Pick up from hotel and transfer to Naromoru arriving in time for lunch. Afternoon spent sorting out your gear and have a nature walk ready for the big day. Dinner and overnight at mountain lodge or banker house.
Day 2: Naromoru – Meteorological Station 3-4 hrs, 10km, 400m ascent
Transfer to Naromoru Park Gate for registration and where the hike starts, 2600m From the gate, keep to the park track, which follows the crest of a board ridge between the Northern and Southern Naromoru valleys. The going is easy and it’s a pleasant walking through the forest. About two thirds of the way up after the bridge there are good views to the left north down into the Northern Naromoru valley. The trek ends at Met station 3,000m where dinner and overnight rest will be, B, L, D
Day 3: Met Station – Mackinders Camp 5-6 hrs, 10km, 1200m ascent
Head uphill on the track to pass the radio must on your right after about half an hour. The trek runs into a path and after another 30 minutes, you will reach the end of the forest belt and enter the moorland. This is the vertical bog conditions range from damp to glutinous depending on when it last rained. Continue through until the going improves and you reach a fork overlooking Teleki Valley to reach Mackinders Camp, 4,200m. Dinner and overnight at Mackinders Camp, B, L, D
Day 4: Mackinders Camp – Point Lenana – Met Station 8-10 hrs, 11km, 785m ascent
The normal approach is to start at 2 am in order to reach point Lenana taking about 4 hr walk by sunrise at 6:30am. After sunrise, descend down to Mackinders Camp for breakfast, 2hrs and walk further 4hrs, way back to Met Station for dinner and overnight, B, L, D
Day 5: Met Station – Naromoru – Nairobi 3hrs, 9km, 400m
After breakfast, descend through the rainforest which is 9km to Naromoru Park Gate at 2,600m where you will connect with your transport back to Nairobi, B, L