HomeDestinationsKenyaMount Kenya Chogoria Route
Extreme
Hiking
🇰🇪 Kenya
Satellite

This track was identified and mapped via high-resolution satellite imagery.

ID: KE-26-01
Mount Kenya National Park conservation fees are payable to Kenya Wildlife Service, and climbers register at the gate. A licensed guide is strongly recommended and required by most operators.
https://www.kws.go.ke/

Mount Kenya Chogoria Route

Added on 10 Oct 2026
Logged by @trailx

Widely considered the most scenic way up Mount Kenya. From Chogoria Gate the path climbs through bamboo and heath past Lake Ellis, then runs along the rim of the Gorges Valley above Lake Michaelson to Minto's Hut by the Hall Tarns. From there it climbs to Austrian Hut and the trekking summit of Point Lenana (4,985 m).

Trail Map

Initialising Map Engine...

Trail Profile

General Instructions

Take 4–6 days for the round trip, or descend by the Sirimon or Naro Moru routes. The road to Chogoria Gate needs a 4x4 in the rains. Mornings are usually clear and afternoons often bring cloud and hail, so start each stage early. The final scramble to Lenana is icy before dawn, so carry warm gloves and a headlamp.

Weather check

At Start
2982m

Sampling Micro-Climate...

-0.1613, 37.4460

Slide to preview conditions across the entire route • Point: -0.1613, 37.4460 @ 2982m

Quick Stats

Distance
21.31 km
Type
Hiking Trail
Elevation Range
2952m - 4935m
Max Elevation
4935 m
Max Gradient
42%
20.9%

Highlights

  • Reach Point Lenana for sunrise over Batian and Nelion
  • Look down into the Gorges Valley and Lake Michaelson
  • Camp beside the Hall Tarns at Minto's Hut
  • Detour to the crater lake of Lake Ellis
  • Spot giant lobelias and rock hyraxes on the moorland

Field Radio Protocol

VHF-UHF Communication

Emergency Simplex
146.520MHz
Team Coordination
446.006MHz
Scout Primary
146.400MHz

Propagation Telemetry

Ridge Line

92%

Gorge Floor

18%

Sector Relay: Sector Alpha Relay• 12-18 KM Range

Regulatory Compliance

VHF/UHF frequencies are for monitoring and emergency coordination only. Transmitting on these bands may require an Amateur Radio License or regional government permits. Check local telecommunications laws before operation.

Technical Analysis

Total Ascent

+2081 m

Total Descent

-127 m

Ruggedness Index

Terrain Roughness Index

Vertical displacement per km. Typical range: 0 (Smooth) to 100+ (Extreme Mountain).

0 (Smooth)50 (Steep)100+ (Extreme)
103.6

103.6

Tortuosity Index

Route Curviness Index

Ratio of actual path to straight line. Typical range: 1.0 (Direct) to 3.0+ (Switchbacks).

1.0 (Direct)2.0 (Winding)3.0+ (Serpentine)
1.49

1.49

Gradient Distribution

Flat (0-3%)13%
Moderate (3-8%)20%
Steep (>8%)67%

Surface & Hydrology

Paved0%
Unpaved100%

Surface Spectrum Analysis

Dirt Track
96%
Rugged/Rock
4%
Water Crossings

Includes only technical water fords where the vehicle actively enters a stream or riverbed. Permanent bridges are excluded from this count.

0

Difficulty Analysis

SCORE: 81

Difficulty is determined by a technical multi-vector analysis of elevation profile, surface quality, and topographic intensity.

Resulting CategoryExtreme

Bounding Box (WGS84)

MIN LAT: -0.161280
MAX LAT: -0.122937
MIN LON: 37.314413
MAX LON: 37.445955

Point Spacing: 14.7 m • Engine: TrailX Precision GPX ANALYTICS v1.0.0

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Before you go: Mount Kenya Chogoria Route

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