Page 29 - 2016 AMA Spring

Entry to Mount Kenya National Park is expensive unless you can get your hands on a British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) residency letter. It makes a big difference to the cost as highlighted below.
Entry
US $90 a day without a residency letter.
KSH 1,000 a day with a residency letter (£6.80)
Don’t pay for more than 4 x days KSH 4,100 because if the weather is poor and you walk out you don’t get any refunds. You can pay the additional costs when you exit.
Hut Fees
You can camp for a considerable cheaper option. But the huts will make it a lot more comfortable. We paid KSH 10,000 (£68) each for 1 x night at the Metrological Huts. Then 2 x nights at Mackinder’s Hut. Different huts attract different fees.
Porters & Guides
Porters will cost you around KSH 20,000 upwards for a 5 day trip. KSH 40,000 with food supplied. This will include their hut fees.
Guides will cost you anything from US $600 to guide you on the route only (African Ascents with certified equipment/ ropes) to KSH 30-40,000 with the locals (racks resemble something from the 1980’s).
Fact File...
If you only require porters then Solomon is BATUK’s contact on +254 0723087042
Climbing Equipment
An Alpine rack will see you through fine for the Normal Route. We had too much gear. If I went again I would take:
2 x 50 meter half ropes 1 x set of nuts
6 x Cams
4 x 8ft slings
2 x prussuks
A nut key each
6 x Karabiners
Belay device each
Guide Books & Mapping
There is only one 1,50:000 map of the Park. It is useful for planning. We had no real cause to use it. You just head to the big Mountain in front of you.
There are two guidebooks in existence. Neither gives much modern detail about the route. Hence talking to Tom at African Ascents was more than useful.
The Mountain Club of Kenya Guide to Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro – Several editions (mine was the 1998 latest version)
Kilimanjaro and East Africa – has some fairly good topos worth photocopying
Insurance
We paid £96 for ten days cover through Dog Tag. This included being at high altitude above 5,000 meters in the cover. Tropic Air who also work for BATUK are the company who fly helicopters at altitude if something goes wrong in Kenya. I wouldn’t want to test them.
Park Details
All information is subject to who you speak to at the time. You can seek more beta at www.kws.go.ke or email marketing@kws.go.ke
For guiding I recommend www.africanascents.com
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AMA Spring 2016 text.indd 27 01/07/2016 15:42