Ndoto Mountains, Aldera Hill

For anyone courageous enough to survive the long off-road, hot, dusty trip through Kenya’s semi-arid northern border plains, the Ndoto Mountains in Samburu County offer an oasis. This region had been plagued by insecurity for so long that most people were unable to reach there until lately.

The several hills that make up this mountain range, which stretches 40 kilometers from southeast to northwest, create a breathtaking vista of jagged peaks and valleys in stark contrast to the surrounding plains. One of these hills, the 1800m high Aldera, provides a reasonably simple day climb from the Ngurunit base at 800m.

How to Get There

Take Thika Road out of Nairobi and drive to Karatina town.

Turn right onto the road to Nanyuki after another 12.5 kilometers towards Nyeri, then travel 300 kilometers via Nanyuki, Isiolo, and Merille (the end of the tarmac) to Laisamis, where you will turn left. The settlement of Ngurunit, at the foot of the Ndoto Mountains, lies roughly 70 kilometers along this gravel road.

Accommodation

Lasamu Camp is located close to the Ngurunit River and features Samburu-style cottages, pit latrines, and a shower. Steven Labarakwe may be reached at +254 706 385905, lasamucamp@gmail.com, or lasamucamp.wordpress.com.

Ndoto Mountain Guides

Ndoto Mountain guises can be accessed through the assistance of the manager and staff at Lasamu Camp.

The Ndoto Mountains hike route begins in the outskirts of Ngurunit, passing beside a water storage tank that supplies piped water to the town.

In this location, look for the eye-catching Desert Rose bushes. The track then skirts around a 400m high cliff face on the left, following a perennial alpine stream with crystal pure water trickling downstream. Natural rock pools fill up on this stream during the wet season, and water slides in certain areas provide a chance for a water sports break.

You eventually arrive in a bowl in the mountain range surrounded on all sides by hills. The path to Aldera takes a left here, passing through low shrubs, open portions on rocky surfaces, and wooded areas of the mountain. As you climb higher, you’ll come across an indigenous Cycad and other high-altitude plant species.

The trail then curves through a twin-peak rock structure before arriving at a part where you must struggle over rocks for about 50 meters to reach the plateau on Aldera. It’s a short walk from here to the hill’s many vistas. Here, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views of the Ndoto highlands, as well as distant hills and plains. Mt Poi, the Ndoto mountains’ bread-shaped climbers’ paradise, stands out strongly to one side, flanked by a slew of other lesser summits.

The cost for the one day Mount Kilimanjaro hike includes and excludes the following items