Shipton's Caves

Shipton’s Caves

Shipton’s Caves is a cave on Mount Kenya and has an elevation of 4367 meters. Africa’s second-highest the mountain might just be it’s most beautiful. Here, mere minutes from the equator, glaciers carve out the throne of Ngai, the old high god of the Kikuyu. To this the day the tribe keeps its doors open to the face of the sacred mountain, and some still come to its lower slopes to offer prayers. Besides being venerated by the Kikuyu, Mt Kenya and Mount Kenya National Park has the rare honor of being both a Unesco World Heritage Site and a Unesco Biosphere Reserve Shipton’s Cave is close to Polish Mans Tarn. Shipton’s Cave can be found in the rock wall to the left of the steep path just before reaching Shipton’s Camp. Just before Shipton’s Camp, along the Sirimon Route, you will find Shipton’s Caves. Sirimon route starts 15 km (9.3 mi) east around the Mount Kenya Ring Road from Nanyuki. The gate is 10 km (6.2 mi) further along the track, which can be walked or driven by four-wheel drives. You’ll likely spend a night here to acclimatize, so ask your guide if they can take you to explore the caves, which are named after Eric Shipton, who was the first to ascend Nelion Peak in 1929. However, he’s perhaps best known for giving a young sherpa, Tenzing Norgay, his first job as a porter on Mt Everest in 1935.