Mt Kenya

Hi Simon 

 I am also on this trip, my first to Kenya. For myself I imagine the trek will be quite challenging given the altitude and the relatively short ascent time. 

Brendan 

Hi Brendan

Good to make contact with a fellow traveller, I hav been out to the region before, Killy in 2007 which was my first trip at altitude and the summit day was really tough. Reading some stuff on the net some people say Mt Kenya is a harder summit!

Have you done much trekking abroad before and are you traveling out wit Exodus?

Look forward to sharing any tips

Simon

Hi Simon

 Yes I am travelling with Exodus from London on the Fri 22nd evening flight.

This is my 6th trip with Exodus. I've been to Killy as well - in 2008;I made it to the top but only just as I found it quite a struggle on the summit day. Killy has been by far the highest and hardest summit I have attempted. I've also done the Annapurna Circuit. Although we went as high as 5.5 km there was much more acclimitization time and so the altitude was a bit more bearable.  The other trips I have done are Simien Mountains and the Atlas Mountains. All highly recommended.

 Cheers

 Brendan 

Sounds like we both have a love for the mountains. I did summit Mt Toubkal in '09 Mt Blanc summit '10 with Exodus and attempted Aconcaqua in the Andes in Jan this year but had to turn back 5 hours from the summit which was a big dissappointment after 17 days trekking. I went on that one with Adventure Peaks and they dont supply porters after base camp and doing multiple load carrys really took its toll. I'd love to go out to the Himalayers but not really sure which trip to try.

Regards Simon

Given my lousy performance on Kili i do not envisage ever attempting Aconcaqua. It is quite an achievemnet to have got so close to the summit.

Both the Nepal trips I have done (Everest Base camp and Annapurna Circuit) are very popular and unfortunately very crowded, certainly in the peak season which is when I travelled. On the Annapurna trek part of the later stages of the trail has become a road; as a result you have to be prepared to take shelter at the side of the road when 4 wheel drives go past creating a dust cload. That said the scenery is stunning and for me more than compensated and I would gladly do both trips again.

 I believe the worst of the crowds can be avoided by travelling off season, just before the monsoon.

Cheers