The Kamweti Route runs from the south by first driving up from the village of Kimunye, Kutus, to the Forest Castle Lodge in the forest zone. The trekking usually starts at the Caste Lodge or drives a further 6km up to the Kamweti Forest Station at around 2600m. The healthy undergrowth vegetation interlocks, making the track be cleared and follow one another on a single file for around 6km through the bamboo and giant heather. Cross the Kiringa River, flowing out of a large bowl in the mountainside. The trail reaches a feature known as “The Scoop”, at the end of a long ridge leading to the peaks. The route has two options: (a) follow the ridge along to Austrian Hut via Tilman Peak, or (b) traverse to the west to Teleki Valley, Mackinder’s Hut via Lake Hohnel.
The journey up Mount Kenya through the Kamweti Trail is a unique and rewarding experience. While other routes may be clear trails, this is not the case for the Kamweti trail. The Kamweti route is not your typical hiking trail! It is rough underfoot, with dense forest and lush bamboo sections. It’s an adventurous, virgin jungle trail trip equated to the “George of the Jungle,” film or the Amazon rainforest. Furthermore, there are no mountain huts along the way. It is a real camping and backpacking experience. Mackinders Camp, in Teleki Valley, is the first camp you will come across using the Kamweti Route. It is the best path to explore Mount Kenya’s lesser-known corners. Suppose you’re an explorer with no fear of boldly going where few have before. Hence, this will be your path!