Areas of interest: Aberdare Range, Mweiga, Nyandarua, Great Rift Valley, Lesatima, Kinangop, Bamboo Forests 

Activity: Trekking, Wildlife, Birdlife, Camping, Scenery, Photography

Country: Kenya

The Aberdare Range lies between Mount Kenya and the Great Rift Valley; it was named after Lord Aberdare, president of the Royal Geographical Society by the explorer Joseph Thomson in 1883. The local Kikuyu people who cultivated in the range’s watered slope called it “Nyandarua”, which means ‘drying hide’ as the mountain’s shape looked like an animal skin pegged out to dry with sticks under the spinal ridge to keep it above the ground.

Most of the Aberdare Range (the highest point being ‘Lesatima’ at about 4,000m/13,120ft) falls within the confines of the Aberdare National Park, which encloses the high mountains, plus a great area of lower forest called the Salient where most of the park’s big game is found. Beyond the forest are areas of bush and open grassy moor land – an ideal place for wilderness trekking. o­ne special feature of the region is the Karuru Waterfalls, which are the highest in Kenya plunging 273 m (895 ft) in three steps.

Note: Clients should arrange to have good weatherproof clothing, a warm sleeping bag, a water bottle, good walking shoes and a comfortable pair of shoes to wear in camp.

Day 1 - Mweiga

We depart our office in the morning and go north to Mweiga to meet our guide and then up into the forested eastern slopes of the Aberdares ranges where we make camp.

Mweiga is located in the Nyeri Area. Nyeri was first a British fort founded in 1903 by early British settlers. In the fifties, the Nyeri area and the Aberdare Mountains were o­n the front line of the “Mau Mau” uprising and there is a monument in the city centre to commemorate the Kikuyu people killed.

Day 2 & 3 - Walking
The next 2 days will be spent walking; carrying o­nly what is needed for the day’s walk. After each days walk, we will be met by the vehicle in the moor lands where a suitable clearing will be allocated to set up camp. If weather permits, we may also have an option of a game drive – a welcoming chance to relieve ourselves from the walking.

Over 40 species of wildlife inhabit these mountain ranges, hiding in the heavily forested slopes and in the upper moor lands. Walking is always cool with plenty of clear mountain trout filled streams. Our walk starts below the bamboo forest, climbing up o­nto the moor lands.

There is always likelihood of encountering large game that may prove precarious whilst walking through the African bush but our trained and armed game ranger knows the area and habits of the game and will help us avoid such confrontations as much as possible. The Aberdares is noted as a rhino sanctuary but keep an eye out for the elusive rare bongo, which is best, spotted in the upper bamboo zone and hypericum scrub.

Day 4 - Nairobi
We depart the moor land camp (10,000ft) and descend by vehicle looking for game along the way. We drop off the guide and head back to Nairobi arriving before dusk.