Altitude: 4200 m.a.m.s.l.
Mackinder's campsite of mount Kenya is the second campsite encountered along the Naro Moru trekking route and is located within the Teleki valley. It is one of the larger campsites on the mountain, boasting a lodge capable of accommodating up to 50 people, as well as a camping space and water supply.
The onsite accommodation is a stone built house called the Teleki lodge, with glass windows and dormitory style rooms - each with several bunk beds. It is run by the Naro moru river lodge and normally requires pre-booking.
Most of the people you would find at the camp would be those ascending from the met station campsite and headed to the peak on the next day, or those descending from the peaks - who may be a useful source of information on the weather conditions or other climbing tips. Other's spend a day or two at the camp acclimatising.
For those ascending using the Naro moru route, the campsite is normally reached late on the second day of a four day trek, whereas for those descending using this route, this camp comes right after the summit attempt (anywhere from day 3)
Location of Mackinders campsiteMackinder's campsite is located on the upper end of the Teleki valley and within the last stages of the afro-alpine zone of mount Kenya national park. It actually is a short distance from the actual valley floor and it's roof can be seen from several of the mountain's peaks, a tiny speck in the vast emptiness of the valley.
The Teleki KWS ranger's station is located about half a kilometre west of it (uphill), with the two Tarns - a popular destination for acclimatisation treks, being located about two kilometres north. There also are several more tarns and lakes in the area (see map) if you are a keen explorer.
Despite its altitude, the area around the campsite has a lot of vegetation, mostly patches of grass and groundsels, with a few rock hyrax and birds being the common animals to be seen atop the many rocks that make up the landscape. Foggy mornings do occur in the area, with the occasional rainfall or snow.
