You’ve decided to climb Mount Kenya. Now you need to pick a route, and the three main options — Sirimon, Chogoria and Naro Moru — feel nothing alike on the mountain.
Choosing the wrong one won’t stop you reaching Point Lenana, but it will change what you see, how hard the approach feels, and whether you spend summit morning in a good mood or exhausted before the hardest section begins.
We’ve guided groups on all three routes from our base in Nairobi. This is the comparison we give people who call us.
The quick answer
- Sirimon — best for first-time groups. Gradual altitude gain, open moorland views, the most forgiving acclimatisation profile.
- Chogoria — best for scenery. The most dramatic landscapes on the mountain, including Hall Tarns and the Gorges Valley. Worth the longer approach.
- Naro Moru — best for speed. The fastest route to Point Lenana, but the steepest and least forgiving. Suited to fit, experienced trekkers.
- Sirimon up, Chogoria down — the most popular combination. You get the easiest ascent and the best scenery on the descent, in one trip.
All three routes compared
| Factor | Sirimon | Chogoria | Naro Moru |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side of the mountain | North-west | East | West |
| Typical days | 4 to 6 | 5 to 7 | 3 to 5 |
| Difficulty | Moderate | Moderate to challenging | Challenging |
| Altitude gain profile | Gradual — best for acclimatisation | Gradual on approach, steeper near the top | Steep and direct |
| Scenery | Open moorland, wide views | The most dramatic: tarns, the Gorges Valley, jagged peaks | Dense forest on the approach, less varied above |
| Crowds | Moderate | Low to moderate | Can be busy near the top |
| Road access | Good tarmac to the gate | Long rough road from Chogoria town | Good road to the Met Station |
| Best for | First-timers, groups, anyone prioritising summit success | Scenery seekers, photographers, returning climbers | Fit, experienced trekkers with limited time |
Days shown are for Point Lenana (4,985 m). Batian and Nelion require technical climbing and are not included.
Sirimon route: the reliable choice
Sirimon is where most first-time groups on Mount Kenya start, and there is a clear reason for that.
The route enters the mountain from the north-west, starting at the Sirimon gate at around 2,650 m. The trail climbs through afroalpine moorland with long, open views — very different from the dense forest sections on Naro Moru. The gradient is steady rather than punishing, which gives your body a better chance to adjust to the altitude before summit day.
By the time you reach Shiptons Camp (around 4,200 m), which is the usual base camp for summit night, most groups feel well acclimatised and confident. The final push to Point Lenana from here is steep but short.
What Sirimon does not offer is the dramatic scenery of Chogoria. The moorland is beautiful in its own way — vast, quiet, with views of the peaks ahead — but if breathtaking tarns and valley walls are what you are picturing, Chogoria is the route for that.
Who Sirimon suits: first-time trekkers, groups with mixed fitness levels, anyone who wants to maximise their chances of reaching Point Lenana, and groups who want to combine the approach with Chogoria’s descent.
See our 5-day Sirimon route itinerary
Chogoria route: the scenic choice
Ask any guide who has done all three routes which one they would choose if they were climbing for themselves, and most will say Chogoria.
The route comes in from the east, through the Meru side of the mountain. The approach passes through dense bamboo and Hagenia forest before opening into one of the most striking high-altitude landscapes in East Africa. Hall Tarns — a series of glacial lakes sitting below the rock faces of Batian and Nelion — stop most groups in their tracks. The Gorges Valley, a deep dramatic cleft in the mountain’s eastern face, is unlike anything you see on the other routes.
The trade-off is access. Getting to the Chogoria gate involves a long drive on rough roads from the town of Chogoria. Some operators use 4WDs to shorten the walk-in; others include the full approach on foot. Confirm which applies to your trip before you book.
The route is also longer than Sirimon, which actually works in your favour for acclimatisation, but means more days on the mountain and a higher overall cost.
Who Chogoria suits: returning climbers who have already done Sirimon or Naro Moru, photographers, groups who prioritise landscape over summit speed, and anyone doing the Sirimon-up Chogoria-down combination.
check out our Chogoria route itonerary.
Naro Moru route: the fast route
Naro Moru is the shortest and most direct route to Point Lenana. If your group has limited time and good fitness, it gets you up and down the mountain faster than any other standard route.
The trail starts on the western side of the mountain and climbs through forest and moorland before hitting the Teleki Valley, a long, exposed approach to the summit area. The final section involves the Vertical Bog — a steep, often muddy gully that earns its name in wet conditions. It is hard going, and it comes at the point in the climb when altitude is already making itself felt.
The problem with Naro Moru is that speed is also its weakness. The route’s steepness and shorter duration leave less time for acclimatisation. Groups that push too hard on this route are more likely to struggle with altitude symptoms on summit day. A 4-day Naro Moru itinerary is a real risk for most groups; 5 days is much more sensible.
Naro Moru is also the route most likely to feel busy at the top. It has historically been the most popular route, and the upper section and huts can be crowded in peak season.
Who Naro Moru suits: physically fit, experienced trekkers who have been at altitude before, understand their own acclimatisation response, and genuinely cannot spare more days on the mountain.
Who it does not suit: first-timers, large groups with mixed fitness levels, or anyone who struggled with altitude on a previous trip.
The best combination: Sirimon up, Chogoria down
Most of the groups we take up Mount Kenya choose this combination, and it is easy to see why.
You get Sirimon’s gradual altitude gain on the way up — which means you are in good shape by summit night — and Chogoria’s dramatic scenery on the way down, when you have time to stop and take it in without worrying about reaching the top. You also cross the mountain rather than retracing your steps, which makes the whole experience feel more like an expedition.
The logistics are a little more involved because you start on one side of the mountain and finish on the other, so your operator needs to arrange transport between the two gates. We include this as standard on our 5-day Sirimon–Chogoria route.
Pair your climb with a safari
Mount Kenya sits in the centre of Kenya, which makes it one of the easiest climbs in East Africa to combine with a wildlife safari. After several days at altitude, a few days watching elephants in Samburu or following the wildebeest in the Maasai Mara is a natural next chapter.
See our 10-day climb and safari itinerary for one way to do it. We can also build a custom trip around your group’s dates and interests.
Ready to book, or still deciding?
Tell us your group size, dates and experience level and one of our guides will recommend the right route and number of days — no obligation.
WhatsApp us on +254 722 303 689 or browse our Mount Kenya climb itineraries.
What our climbers say:
“Josiah est un excellent guide, j’ai eu la chance de faire le Mont Kenya avec lui en juin 2025 et le Kilimandjaro en août 2026 et je ne regrette pas mon choix. A l’écoute, attentif, toujours le mot pour nous motiver dans les coups de mou. On se sent entouré du début à la fin du séjour, tout est pris en charge, on a juste à profiter. Équipe au top, la nourriture est incroyablement bonne à n’importe quelle altitude, impressionnant. Petit plus pour son rire charismatique et ses blagues qui font tout le charme de cette aventure hors du commen qu’est une ascension!” — [Kilom, French, Mt.Kenya]
