JANUARY 17 - 25 - HIKE MOUNT KENYA & GO ON SAFARI

Backabush has some exciting plans for another expedition. This time we are heading for Kenya, to the trekkers summit of Africa's second highest mountain!

Point Lenana is our goal at 4985m where we hope to arrive as the sun rises over the central plains of Kenya.

When bagging high African summits most people head to Kilimanjaro but the journey up Mt Kenya has far fewer crowds and is arguably a much more interesting hike. As with many mountains, not all paths up are equal. We will take the Chogoria route, led by our expert local team. This route is the most scenic and varied in its landscape so we can experience the most beautiful sides of this magnificent mountain.

We will spend 6 days and 5 nights camping on the mountain, descending on the opposite side along the Sirimon route, sleeping in tents along the way. We will be supported by our experienced team of guides, cooks and porters. Our local team will also provide us with all the camping equipment we need.

Difficulty
Our first days on the mountain will be shorter than average hiking days whilst our bodies adapt but BE WARNED; the summit day will be a massive challenge, hiking for 12 hours at high altitude with a 2.30am wake up call so we can reach the summit for sunrise.

Weather
On safari it will be - yes you guessed it - warm. January is one of the best times to climb Mt Kenya as it's in the dry season so clear skies are much more likely but as we approach the summit it will be very cold. Snow is not uncommon and at our high camps we may encounter temperatures as low as -10 at night. So its thermals, fleeces and down jackets at top.

Acclimatisation
This has to be considered carefully. Our plan is to gradually ascend, spending 6 days on the mountain so we have time to properly acclimatise and enjoy our hike. Many companies offer 5 day, and even 4 day itineraries but as we will be travelling from almost sea level in the UK this would put us at too high risk of experiencing altitude sickness. With an extra day we should be able to enjoy our trek much more.

See the full itinerary here

SAFARI - We couldn't possibly plan a trip to Kenya without taking some time to experience some of the best wildlife spotting opportunities in the world. After our tough mountain hike we have planned a 3 night safari staying in comfortable lodges so we can shower, rest and recover from our trek.

First we will stay for 2 nights in the Samburu National Reserve, a vast expanse of remote pristine wilderness, bordering the Ewaso Ng'iro River. This area is home to elephants, lions, zebras, ostriches, giraffes, as well as leopards, cheetahs and more.

We will then travel to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy for another game drive where will also stay the night in a safari lodge. This is a not-for-profit protected area home to 'the big 5' which has incredible bio diversity and some hugely effective conservation projects. It is regarded as an example of how safari tourism can have a positive impact on the local communities as well as the wildlife populations. Check out their great work here: https://www.olpejetaconservancy.org/

In Ol Pejeta we will also visit the Jane Goodall Chimpanzee Sanctuary for chimps rescued from the bushmeat trade. While visiting Ol Pejeta we also have the opportunity to experience a night time game drive, a truly unique experience in the dark to spot the nocturnal wildlife with the park rangers. This is $75 USD extra.

Accommodation

• Mountain tents at basic campsites on Mt Kenya
• 2 nights at Sopa Lodge Samburu, with a pool, outdoor dining and lounge room. Shared twin rooms.
• 1 night at The Stables, Ol Pejeta. Shared rooms in a no-frills lodge with shared bathrooms. Chosen for it's excellent location amongst the wildlife in the Conservancy
• Single supplement £75

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• All transport to and from Nairobi
• Mt Kenya National Park daily fees
• Ol Pejeta Conservancy daily park fees
• Samburu National Reserve daily park fees
• Experienced local trekking guides
• Porters and cooks for the hike
• All meals from pick up to drop off. See itinerary for details.
• Mountain tents, sleeping mats and other camping equipment
• Campsite fees
• 3 nights safari lodge accommodation in shared rooms
• Safari guides and safari vehicles for game drives, see itinerary
• 1 Backabush trip leader
• Financial protection in line with package travel regulations

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

• Flights to Nairobi
• Visas
• Travel Insurance
• Tips for guides, cooks and porters (tips for porters are expected as and we should budget a minimum of 60USD each for this)
• Night time game drive $75 USD
• Single supplement of £75
• Unexpected increases in park fees and taxes - we may be asked to cover increases as 2026 park fees are provisional.

TRAVEL TO NAIROBI

You will need to make you own travel arrangements to arrive in Nairobi on Friday 16th January or before. I recommend these direct British Airways flights but you can find cheaper flights at very similar times with a stop over starting at around £450 return including baggage with Lufthansa.

You will also need to make your own arrangements for accommodation on Friday 16 January. I can recommend a convenient hotel so we can stay together if people would like to.

Outbound - Friday 16 January
British Airways BA65
Departs - LHR London Heathrow 09:45
Arrives - NBO Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta 21:35

Return - Sunday 25 January
British Airways BA64
Departs - NBO Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta 23:55
Arrives - LHR London Heathrow 06:15 +1

We will arrive back in Nairobi on Sunday afternoon so please book a flight departing no earlier than 20:00pm.

HOW TO BOOK

The trip cost is £1650. To confirm your place a £450 deposit is required.
Payment can then be made as follows

£400 by 01/06
£400 by 01/08
£400 by 01/10

Please send all payments through online banking, using KENYA as the payment reference. Your RSVP is not enough to reserve a space. The account details are:

Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622

The following "terms and conditions" apply to all trip reservations:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngc5A61k76qb6HGMeTK96AVaXn0565yPS9p42IPzIy8/

Please email nathancapay@googlemail.com when you send payment so that we can confirm everything with you.