UKC

Lots of trips to Kili, but cant decide if i should to the mount kenya trekking summit or meru before Kili.Its not really an acclimatasion issue, as both will serve that purpose, Im wondering which of the two will provide the best scenery, interesting climb, etc.

Im going in June or July.

Thanks

Steve

In reply to sterobinson: Practically speaking, Meru is a better bet. No extra borders to cross - no extra visa to acquire - less time to travel between the two. It depends on your timetable.

But in fact, if you make the long, slow version of Kili and climb the western breach, you can acclimatise along the way and stop to smell the roses. Great walk in, exhilarating climb to the crater (where we camped!!! and played on the glacier!!). If you do stop in the crater, you can get up at a reasonable hour on summit day and still be there for the dawn - amazing. Take 10 days up and down. What's the rush?

Try this outfit and mention my name if you do.

Dina@mail.klubafriko.com

I'm pretty sure they are still operating, but outfitters come and go.

In reply to Paul Kleian: What's the rush? The park fees........

In reply to sterobinson:
Can't speak about Mt Kenya because I haven't been there. But Meru is super trek and a very good warm-up for Kili. The mountain is an interesting walk, with the chance to see some wildlife lower down (inc buffalo, giraffe and possibly elephant)and an interetsing volvanic ash cone to see on the summit day. It is high enough to give you good acclimatisation for Kili. Also, weather permitting, you should get good views across from Meru to Kili, particularly in the early morning/early evening, to whet your appetite. Would also recommend the western breach route on Kili, mentioned by another correspondent, as a more interesting route up. It is still basically only plodding, with a little bit of very simple scrambling on the final section up to the crater rim.

In reply to sterobinson:

I haven't done Meru but we did Mt Kenya before Kili a couple of years ago. The Mt Kenya trek was great, we didn't see anther sole until the camp after the summit and the scenery was excellent....Much nicer than Kili. The part I didn't like was the vertical bog on the way out. If I went to Mt Kenya again I'd probably go back out the way I came in and miss that bit out.

In reply to Mick's Daughter @ Work: which way did you go up?

i think we followed the naro moru route. don't remember much of it but i'm not a big walker.....had a pleasant epic +benightment climbing up nelion though....

In reply to Tobs at work:

Can't remember but I'll have a look tonight. I never remember any of that sort of info, as soon as I've done it, it's on to the next thing.

In reply to sterobinson:

I'd definitely go with Mt. Kenya. Admittedly I have never climbed Meru but have been up Kenya a few times and Kili too. Scenically it is stunning and the trek is more than enough preparation for Kili. Unless you fly into Kilimanjaro airport in Arusha you are best to fly to Nairobi (closer to Mt. Kilimanjaro than Dar-es-Salaam) in which case you might as well do Mt.Kenya. As for the border, it's a v. straight forward border crossing in Namanga and the visa cost won't leave you hungry. A friend of mine who has climbed mountains all across the world (including Everest twice) claims that Mt Kenya is his favourite mountain...and that's good enough for me!