Day 1 - Rongai Gate to Simba Camp

The Rongai route starts out along a dusty wide trail through deforested jungle.  It then passes through some farmland and small villages, before ascending through the low brush heatherland.  You will definitely need your gators for today, as the trail is quite dusty.  We reached Simba Camp just before dark after 4.5 hours of slow hiking.  Unfortunately, the camp was jam-packed full and we had to wait while our porters tried to prepare a site for our tents.  It was dark and cold by the time we rolled into our tents.  It was quite an adventure trying to maneuver in the sloping tent sites.

Rongai Trailhead Elevation:  6,548 ft
Simba Camp Elevation:  8,615 ft
Total Elevation Gain:  2.067 ft
Total Miles:  4.2 miles
Total Time:  4.5 hours