A Short Story About the 12 Apostles Lite

The 12 Apostles Lite is a soft and immersive camping version of the 12 Apostles Ultra Upsweep in the vast wilderness in the southern Aberdare Ranges. Doing the 12 Apostles in a day is challenging and not for the average hikers. With the introduction of the camping edition, the average and fit hiker will manage the trek to the 12 Apostles summit. This hike will get you to three summits in two days. The hike begins at Mutarakwa Gate and follows through the 14km trek to Mount Kinangop Summit. The first 2km are through a planted forest to the forest gate. It then follows deep inside the forest and the first kilometer is a herding zone. After this zone, the bamboo zone begins. Some of the sections of the bamboo zone are boggy to the alpine region. The moorland then sets with two false summits, one at the skull summit and the other at the far visible end from the skull summit. 3km from this last false summit is the majestic mount Kinangop peak. We will climb the peak and then descend to go to the campsite for the night.

When we wake up the next morning, we will take breakfast and descend to Kinangop Valley for our diversion to the 12 Apostles. The trek the trek is ideally a descent but we will climb up and across steep peaks at the 12 Apostles summit. This region is also live with rivers and stunning moorlands to the summit of the 12 Apostles, a 2.5 km to the summit of the 12 Apostles. The 12 Apostles Summit is a series of staircase-like setups of peaks. Getting to the summit is climbing a peak to see the other peak. The peaks start with a steeper rock than Kinangop, followed by more gradual peaks through to the Eye of the 12 Apostles (A hole under the summit of the 12 Apostles). The 12 Apostles summit push is the steepest in the Aberdares and demands your energy and willpower to complete. Luckily, this camping edition gets you to the summit when you are less tired and more energetic. After the summit moments, we will then head to elephant hill and down to Njabini gate to call it a camp. Congratulations for stepping outside!

The 12 Apostles Lite Stats

Approximate Distance: 33km

Approximate time: 2 days

Elevation: 3683m

Difficulty: Tough (Advanced Hikers Only)

What to Wear During the 12 Apostles Lite

1. Fleece Marvin/hat or a baseball cap.
2. Proper hiking clothes (polyester t-shirt, wind jacket, hiking pants, fleece jacket).
3. Comfortable hiking boots (should be one size bigger than your standard shoe size).
4. Raincoat/poncho.
5. Sunscreen

In the 12 Apostles Lite Daypack, Have

1. Snacks such as biscuits, nuts, fruits, crisps, etc.
2. At least 2 liters of water (use a water bladder or a reusable bottle). Disposable plastic bottles are not allowed inside parks.
3. Valid identification document.
4. A head torch.
5. Hiking pole.

In the 12 Apostles Lite Porter’s Bag, Have

1. A sleeping bag.
2. Toiletries, such as wet wipes and tissue.
3. A set of hiking attire for day 2.
4. Sandals to wear as you cool your legs in the evening.
5. Thermal wear (top and pants) to beat the evening cold.
6. A fleece jacket to beat the cold.
7. A warm marvin.
8. A power bank and charging cable to recharge your phone and head torch.

It is also advisable to have:

1. A set of clothes/shoes to change into after the hike (sometimes, the good hiking gear also fails).

Ticket

• East Africa Community Citizens/Kenyan Residents (EA)- Kes. 14500
• Rest of Africa Citizens (RA)- Kes. 18568
• International Visitors (IV)- Kes. 23368

Booking the 12 Apostles Lite

Reserve a slot by paying at least Kes.5000 to M-Pesa Buy Goods Till number 9754473 (Hikers Arena Limited) by 5th Mar and clear the balance before departure. Ticket Cancellation and refund policy applies.

This hike takes a very limited number, and slots will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please book early!

Itinerary:

Day 1:

Meeting point: Opposite outside International House Kencom (Nairobi CBD)

• 4.00 am: Boarding opens and loading of personal effects.
• 4.30 am: Departure for Mutarakwa Gate (The departure time is strict).
• 7.30 am: Arrival at Mutarakwa Gate.
• 8.00 am: Non-strenous hike starts.
• 3.00 pm: Summit and familiarization with the environment.

Day 2:

• 6.00 am: Wake up and prepare for the summit day.
• 6.15 am: Breakfast with views.
• 7.00 am: Hike starts.

N/B: The departure time back to Nairobi is subject to the day’s team and could be earlier or later than estimated. Ensure an overstay does not hit you.

Inquiries and Updates

For inquiries and updates, click here. We also recommend you join the Hikers Arena Hiking Community Whatsapp group (Click here to join) to keep up to date with our activities and upcoming events.