Most Challenging Day Hike in Kenya

Kenya is a haven of beautiful and amazing hills where hiking enthusiasts’ are always in the search of the next challenging hike.

ELEPHANT HILL HIKE

Elephant hills is located in the beautiful Aberdares ranges with a number of ascend routes, however the most prominent and common is through Njabini Forest Gate 100kms from Nairobi.

Elephant Hill is considered the best prep mountain for anyone doing Mt Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro, as it has a combinations of challenges one will face in the 2 big hikes, The highest point being the (elephant Head point )at 3600MASL/ 12000FT ASL..

Elephant hill hike has proved to many hikers as a challenging hike, The first part from the Gate to the Main electricity fence is a combination of Easy to moderate, but the section from the fence through the indigenous and cypress trees and the Muddy bamboo section up-to to point despair is quite a difficult terrain. This is the point most of the beginner hikers swear to never hike again.

Arrival at point Despair( Altitude 3225 MASL) gives you a fair share of beautiful scenery of Njabini and some parts of Muranga county and also you get a breather to re-energize

From Point despair be prepared for a rocky, windy, steep alpine vegetation consisting of short hardy shrubs up to the point commonly referred as The Tail.

From the Tail you will have a relatively easy to moderate terrain to the Highest point of the hike (Elephant hill summit 3600MASL) you will be enjoying scenic views of Kinangop peaks and from here you can also spot Sasumua Dam and Mount Longonot. However the altitude here is quite high and you may need to walk on slow pace otherwise you will get tired after every few steps.

Going down is relatively easy to some people, but on rainy days one needs to be extra careful.

The mountain is also highly remembered from an accident of FLY SAX that happenned in 2018 Killing 10 pax that were onboard. The wreckage is still there on your way up to the summit

DIRECTIONS FROM NAIROBI

Elephant Hill is conveniently located just 2 hours from Nairobi You will drive Drive through Nairobi-Nakuru Highway to a commonly known place as FLY OVER slightly after Kinale Forest this is about 65Km from Nairobi, use the fly over and take left at the first junction. Drive about 24km up to njabini Center. from there you will head straight to Njabini forest gate ( Locals know the place as KIBURU) which is a 4km of dirt road and .

WHAT TO CARRY

Day pack, Comfortable hiking boots and Gaiters, Walking pole, 2-3 liters of water, Sunscreen, First Aid Kit, Camera with extra batteries, Picnic Lunch /Snacks, Warm Clothes, ID, Passport. Rain gears

EXTRAS/ TIPS

1. For those who might need to hike very early in the Morning there are few cheap accommodations Options in Njabini most of them costing less than USD10, there is also an upcoming resort By the Name elephant hill resort (https://www.facebook.com/Elephant-Hill-Resort-111003310438044) , You can also camp at the forest gate at acost of USD 3.

2. Elephant hill is an elephant zone and you will notice this in the bamboo section where alephant Poops and spoors can be seen, For safety purposes you will need a armed Kenya wildlife service ranger picked from the gate Below are the charges.

3 Park entrance fees are as follows

Non residents @ USD 30 Per Person , Kenyan Residents KSH 250 And Kenyan Citizens at 250.

4. Weather in this hill is quite unpredictable be prepared with the right Gear, Both rainy and normal hiking gears

TO BOOK A SAFARI TO ELEPHANT HILL

We can customize an affordable package to the hill and any part of the country feel free to contact us through

Email: info@bushthornsadventures.com or sgitau56@gmail.com

Whatsaap/ call +254715489605

Website : https://bushthornsadventures.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuel.gitau.104/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bushthornadventures

INSTAGRAM : @Bushthorns adventures

Thank you