From Lake Michaelson to Simba Tarn

From the camp on the west shore of Lake Michaelson, it soon goes westward into a steep and demanding ascent over a first terrain step. Always along the small, rushing brook, past the small waterfall, up to the crossing to the open high plateau. Here the trail soon merges with the main path coming from the east over the plateau above the lake. Through a wonderfully wide and gentle valley cut, the trail runs along magical groundsels and the increasingly snow-covered, high peaks of the Mount Kenya massif, continuing lightly uphill. The mountain slopes and peaks become increasingly impressive, the air thinner and the body increasingly feels the challenges of the high mountains. The motto is to go slowly “pole-pole” and drink extensively, not to overexert oneself. The last terrain step up to the high camp at 4,600 m then demands strength reserves and requires rest breaks. The trail runs continuously pleasantly on sandy/rocky ground and only becomes somewhat rockier in the upper part.