| Cost of Climbing mt Kenya | | | | In an attempt to reduce luggage, many trekkers |
| Basic qualified guides info: | | | | forgo taking stoves and cooking equipment and |
| These fees don't include park entry fees and tips | | | | exist entirely on canned and dried foods. You can |
| (budget around a days wages per person as a tip, | | | | certainly do this by keeping up your fluid intake, |
| but make it clear it is only for good service. | | | | but it is not a good idea. That cup of hot soup in |
| If you ascend the mountain along one route and | | | | the evening and pot of coffee in the morning will |
| descend along a different one, you will be | | | | make all the difference between enjoying the |
| responsible for arranging and paying the transport | | | | trek and hating it, or at least feeling irritable. |
| costs for your porter and guide back to where | | | | There are however, a few things to bear in mind |
| they started from. it is wise to sort this out | | | | about cooking in high altitudes. The major |
| before you start, and agree on a price for return | | | | consideration is that the boiling point of water is |
| transport plus any additional wages (a day spent | | | | considerably reduced. at 4500m for example, |
| traveling home counts as a working day) food | | | | water boils at 85 C. This is too low to sufficiently |
| and hotel costs along the way. | | | | cook rice or lentils (pasta is better) and it wont be |
| Porters will carry up to 18 Kg for three day trips | | | | able to brew a good cup of tea either (instant |
| or 16 Kg for longer trips, excluding the weight of | | | | coffee is the answer).cooking times and fuel |
| their own food and equipment, if you want them | | | | usage increase considerably as a result so plan |
| to carry more you will have to negotiate an | | | | accordingly. |
| added cost .a normal day's work is regarded as | | | | The best range of suitable mountain foods is to |
| one stage of the journey; if you want to go | | | | be found in Nairobi's supermarkets especially |
| further you will have to pay two days wages, | | | | Nakumatt and Uchumi. Elsewhere there is a good |
| even if the porters don't do anything the following | | | | range in the towns around the mountain (Nyeri, |
| day. | | | | Nanyuki, Meru and Embu.) But precious little at |
| Sleeping on mt Kenya climb-huts, campsites at | | | | Meru and Naro Moru. |
| summit circuit | | | | When you're buying dehydrated foods, get the |
| You can camp anywhere on the mountain-the | | | | pre-cooked variety to cut down on cooking |
| nightly fee is payable to KWS at any gate. Most | | | | time-two-minute-noodles are a solution. It's a good |
| people camp near the huts or bunkhouses, as | | | | idea to bring these from home. |
| there are often toilets and water nearby. If | | | | Take plenty of citrus fruits and/or citrus drinks as |
| setting up remote camps, see for tips on waste | | | | well as chocolate, sweets, or dried fruit to keep |
| disposal and camp location. | | | | your blood sugar level high. |
| There are several huts on the mountain owned | | | | Fresh fruit and vegetables are available in all |
| by MCK, but the only one that's in descent shape | | | | reasonably sized towns and villages. |
| nowadays sits 5188m up on Nelion's summit-not | | | | To avoid severe headaches caused by hydration |
| for the typical punter!* | | | | or altitude sickness, drink at least 3L of fluid per |
| Mt. Kenya Climbing - What to eat, carry, supplies | | | | day and bring rehydration sachets. |
| & food | | | | |