The Humps Day Hike in the vast Aberdare Ranges remains among the most virgin peaks in Kenya, with some recently explored by early trail adopters and curious trailblazers. If it were not for the drag to comfort among the average hikers, the Gatare Trek from the highlands of Muranga would have given us a trail to the Humps. This would be among the best resilience checks that hiking in Kenya would have. Mirroring the 12 Apostles, the Humps is the least traversed (by a few curious hikers who dare) among the five walls that form the summit circuit near Elephant Hill.
The hike begins at Aberdares Njabini Gate and follows through the forest to the forest gate. It then follows deep inside the bamboo gate, where the steep trail begins. This trail takes you through the tall bamboo trees to the deceiving point of despair (Desperado). This is where you have shed your first flow of sweat, and thinking it is the summit, fine-lined vegetation welcomes you to yet another steep ascent to the elephant’s tail. You can see Mount Kenya in the North East and Sasumwa Dam to the South West when clear. The bamboo region ends after a short stretch past the Desperado, where the rainforest begins, and the exposed rocky region shows. At the tail, the views begin to be more stunning and satisfying. The trek past the tail is gentler across some valleys and the rocky region towards Elephant Hill summit, and taking advantage of this trek, we will then divert to the Humps Summits on our right, just past the tail summit.
The Humps Day Hike Stats
Approximate Distance: 21Km
Approximate Time: 10 Hours
Highest Elevation: 3665m (At The Humps Summit)
Difficulty: Hard (Advancing Hikers)
What to Wear During the Humps Day Hike
- Fleece Marvin/hat or a baseball cap.
- Proper hiking clothes (polyester t-shirt, wind jacket, hiking pants, fleece jacket).
- Comfortable hiking boots (should be at least one size bigger than your standard shoe size).
- Sunscreen.
In the Humps Day Hike Backpack, Have
- At least 2 liters of water (use a water bladder or a reusable bottle). Disposable plastic bottles are not allowed inside parks.
- Snacks such as biscuits, nuts, fruits, crisps, etc.
- A valid identification document.
- A hiking pole.
- A raincoat/poncho.
It is Also Advisable to Have
- A set of clothes to change into after the hike (sometimes, the good hiking gear also fails, and weather changes are unexpected).
See more details on how to prepare for this hike and the steps to take after the hike to ease the after-hike effects here.
Ticket
- East Africa Community Citizens/Kenyan Residents (EA)- Kes. 3700
- Rest of Africa Citizens (RA)- Kes. 7370
- International Visitors (IV)- Kes.11570
See what the tickets mean and what they include here.
Booking The Humps Day Hike
Reserve a slot by paying at least Kes.2000 using Mpesa and clear the balance before departure. Hikers Arena ticket Cancellation and refund policy applies.
- Paybill No: 522533
- Account No: 7848929
Trip Itinerary
Meeting point: Kencom, Nairobi CBD (Opposite the city clock).
- 4.30 am: Boarding opens
- 4.45 am: Departure for South Kinangop forest station gate
- 7.00 am: Arrival at South Kinangop forest station gate
- 7.20 am: Hike starts
- 5.00 pm: Departure for Nairobi
N/B: The departure time back to Nairobi is subject to the day’s team and could be earlier or later than estimated.
Inquiries and Updates
For inquiries and updates, click here. We also recommend you join the Hikers Arena Community Whatsapp group (Click here to join) to keep up to date with our activities and upcoming events.
