Rock climbing Batian

Rock climbing Batian

  • 7 days

Overview

We have qualified professional guides who are trained to lead rock climbing expeditions to Batian and Nelion on Mount Kenya. The guides have undergone training with NOLS Africa.

Anybody intending to summit Mt Kenya (the Batian and Nelion peaks) needs to be a 5.9 American Standard climber or at a Hard Severe European standard. You need at least two days to acclimatise, plus the normal hiking time to go to Batian or Nelion.

Climbing Mount Kenya is serious, and it is important to acclimatise well before tackling the main summit. The north face itinerary is suitable for the summer to fall (June – Sept) climbing season, when the north face of the peak is relatively snow-free, and the climbing conditions are at their best.

Day to day itinerary

You’ll depart from Nairobi at 8am and you’ll drive through the agricultural land up to Chogoria for lunch.  After lunch, you’ll get into a 4×4 and drive up to the edge of the bamboo forest, where you’ll start trekking for a distance of 10km up to Mt Kenya Bandas. You’ll have dinner and stay at the Mount Kenya Bandas overnight.

After having breakfast and sorting the porter loads, you’ll set off up the mountain at a nice and easy pace. Taking a slightly longer walk via Lake Ellis gives you scenic views of Mugi, Ithanguni, and the Giants Billiards Table, whilst if you follow the river near the road head upstream for about 3km, the foreground scenery and flora is particularly beautiful.

You’ll have lunch on the banks of a stream, and then it’s time for you to go up the left hillside to reach your camp at about 3450m.

You’ll have an early start.  Again, you’ll be walking well off the beaten track and you’ll follow a ridge up the mountain for about 3 hours. Eventually, you’ll join the tourist trail on the normal Chogoria route at an altitude of about 4100m.  You’ll have breathtaking views of the Gorges Valley, Ithanguni and the Northern Moorlands.

Your lunch will be served at a small stream crossing, before you continue for another hour to get to the Mintos Hut area at 4200m and rest.

Your afternoon will be spent relaxing at the camp, though a 10-minute walk to the “temple” is well worth the effort. This is a 150 metre tall vertical cliff that gets its name from the position that visitors often adopt when peering over the edge – they look as if they are praying.

You’ll wake up early and continue your trek up to to the Top Hut (Austrian Hut) at 4800m. From this hut, you’ll go to Point Lenana a 4985m,. Point Lenana is the most common peak that trekkers climb. From this summit, you’ll then go straight down the northwest side of the mountain to get to Shipton`s Camp, passing Harris Tarn.

You’ll ascend Batian via the North Face Standard Route. You’ll be starting in the early morning while it’s still dark, usually between 4 and 5 am. At the start, you’ll climb by headlamp.

The route initially follows a wide couloir, and then a bit of easy scrambling brings you to the Amphitheater, a small basin of easy rock that is partway up the route. Ideally, you’ll arrive there by about 7:30. Above this is the crux of the route, Firmin’s Tower. Then, there’ll be some easier terrain and, finally, you’ll get to the west ridge. From this point, you’ll continue going to Shipton’s Notch, a prominent part of the summit ridge. Soon, you’ll reach the airy summit of Batian.

You’ll then descend via the same route, and you’ll hopefully reach Shipton’s Camp before the evening for dinner and rest.

Spare day in case of bad weather.

After breakfast, you’ll begin a 5-hour descent via Mackinder’s Valley to the Old Moses Camp (3300m). The descent is gentle and it gives you ample time to enjoy the fascinating scenery, such as the moorlands, before you go to the camp for lunch. After lunch, you’ll go back to Nairobi. You’ll be arriving in the late afternoon.

Prices are per person based on:

1 person US$ 2,220
2 people US$ 2,070

per person

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