The Mountain Club of Kenya first started as the Mountain Club of East Africa (Kenya Section) in 1938 but it has been in existence as a separate club since 1949.
Who we are:
We are a community of impassioned climbers and hikers. Our boots have logged countless miles and our climbing shoes are worn with holes: proof of our determination, enthusiasm and love for the outdoors. With these experiences, our members have cultivated a spirit that leads them to shy away from the beaten path, instead opting to forge new frontiers, embrace new challenges, develop our skills, and open new routes. Our adventurous spirit comes with a sense of responsibility and independence, borne out of the wisdom and experience that has been built over countless expeditions. It’s what we do, what we breathe, what makes us feel alive. A member of the Mountain Club of Kenya is an impassioned, independent and responsible participant in the natural world—climbers and hikers who neither need nor desire all the details to be clearly laid before them, but rather are outdoor enthusiasts with an open mind and the skills needed to embrace the unscripted journey before us.
But that’s not all that we do – we not only breathe in the beauty of nature, we also strive to play a part, to nurture the next generation of responsible adventurers, to return the favor —we strive to preserve the serenity and pristine condition of our mountains and natural wonders of Kenya. Our members generously contribute to this meritorious cause through organizing “clean-ups” and supporting organizations bestowed with the responsibility of managing and maintaining these natural assets (e.g. KWS and the Mountain Trust of Kenya). We take care of Kenya’s wildlands because the wilds of Kenya take care of us.
We meet twice a month in Nairobi. On the first Wednesday of every month there’s “Climb and Curry” at Blue Sky climbing wall in Diamond Plaza, followed by Chowpatty Wave. On the third Tuesday of every month we host a social night in Westlands. We organise meets every two to three weeks. These are often hiking trips, some of which are easy day walks while others are more strenuous. Every few months, there is a climbing meet, but groups of climbers go out climbing almost every weekend. We also organise climbing instruction and camping at Lukenya, a hill that we acquired in the early 1960’s. This is 40 km south of Nairobi.
You can contact the Committee here.
ACTIVITIES
About every second or third weekend there is an activity (or ‘meet’) organised by a member. Activities are member-led and details are sent out to members by email in advance. Tips on organising a meet can be found here. Rock-climbing for beginners is arranged twice a year at our own crag at Lukenya.
LUKENYA
The Club owns a part of the Lukenya Hill, which provides many good possibilities for rock climbing. It is ideal for both beginners and experienced rock climbers and it has a unique setting. It is situated 40 km south of Nairobi along the Mombasa road. There are two guidebooks on the climbs at Lukenya available and they give you the directions to get there. Members of the club have free access to the club-owned property at Lukenya. Non-member visitors must become temporary or daily members for a small fee. MCK does not allow use of Lukenya for commercial purposes/gain. Some time ago, we experienced some problems with security so we now advise you to follow a few simple rules when you go there.
- Try to avoid walking alone on the hill.
- Do not camp anywhere apart from at our campsite on top of the hill.
Please talk to any of the members for further information and if anything happens to you at Lukenya, you should report the incident to Athi River Police Station and to the MCK.
HUTS ON MOUNT KENYA
The Club owns the Teleki Valley Rescue Huts on Mount Kenya, which is available for use by members. If using the huts, please do not leave ANY litter in their vicinity. Others would also like to enjoy them after you. Please talk to any of the Committee members for further information on the use of the huts.
PUBLICATIONS
The MCK has published several guides to walking, climbing and mountaineering in Kenya. The most important titles are:
Guide to Mount Kenya and Kilimanjaro edited by Iain Allan. This book describes walking and climbing on the two highest mountains in Africa. It is targeted mainly at climbers and alpinists but it also is of good general interest since it describes the walking routes, flora, fauna, geology and history of the two mountains.
Mountains of Kenya edited by Paul Clarke. The book describes 100 mountains and summit walks in Kenya and each mountain has a proper description of how to get there, where to camp and what route to take up it.
Both these books are available directly from the MCK, in Nairobi bookshops or from our distributors in the UK and USA.
The MCK has also published climbing guides to the following crags close to Nairobi: Lukenya (vols. 1 and 2) Frog, Ndeya, Hells Gate.