Taking on the challenge of a lifetime for Born Free charity, I will be climbing Africa’s second highest mountain, Mount Kenya, and visit the conservation projects we are raising money for.

Born Free work tirelessly to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect. They work across the world to preserve, protect and rescue wild animals in need – finding compassionate conservation solutions so that humans and wildlife can co-exist peacefully. Help us take action and Keep wildlife in the wild.

Thank you for your support,

Dan

OVERVIEW

‘A challenging to extreme trip’. I will be trekking on a plethora of challenging terrains and will be exposed to altitudes up to 4985m during which I will stay in basic mountain huts or tents.

Situated in the centre of Kenya in a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Kenya is an extinct volcano. The crater has eroded over the centuries to leave numerous valleys and jagged rocky pinnacles radiating from the centre. It is the second highest mountain in Africa, just 696m shorter than its neighbour Kilimanjaro.

I will ascend via the Sirimon route on the north west of the mountain to Point Lenana, and descend via the Naro Moru route on the south west side of the mountain. The Sirimon route is considered one of the best for acclimatisation, due to its relatively gradual altitude gain. Nevertheless, high altitudes and remote locations are always dangerous and therefore must be approached cautiously and with the respect they deserve.

I will be following all health and safety. I will be supported by a team of assistant guides, cooks and porters who together make this climb possible— they are first aid trained and will support me throughout my journey.

During the trip I will be visiting the conservation projects we are raising funds for, including a visit to Mount Kenya Trust’s (MKT) elephant corridor and tree planting sites.

The Mount Kenya elephant corridor which is a 14km protected channel that provides safe passage for elephants migrating between Mount Kenya and the Ngare Ndare Forest to the Samburu country to the north. The route reflects a traditional elephant migratory pathway, but due to increased human settlements and infrastructure, human-elephant conflict had become a significant issue. Following the installation of the corridor, this has since been reduced, and countless other species have benefitted from its protection, including spotted hyenas, wild dog, leopards, porcupines and warthogs.

Mount Kenya’s forests suffered considerably in the past decades, when large areas were cleared to provide timber and land for rapid population growth and urbanisation. MKT works with the Kenya Forest Service and the Community Forest Associations to recover indigenous forest on areas that have been degraded in the past. Over the past decade, MKT have successfully planted over a million trees at several tree planting sites. I will be happily contributing towards this with some post climb tree planting whilst I’m there.

It’s going to be one heck of an adventure and I am looking forward to sharing it with you all. 🏔📸