Hiking Mount Ololokwe – Samburu County’s Sacred Mountain

The slate grey tarmacked road stretches cuts a direct line through the earth to the base of Mount Ololokwe. A poignant reminder of the mediocrity of man when compared to nature’s unparalleled majesty.

The sacred mountain known as Ol Donyo Sabachi (Ololokwe) towers over the arid landscape, an Ayers rock for Samburu County. A monolith that stands as a singular unit in a vista that stretches green and yellow until the eyes are burnt by the blueness of the sky on Kenya’s horizon.

Ololokwe is a place of deep cultural significance for the Samburu Maasai. A place that has given the gift of life through water, plants, and meat to the Samburu people and their cattle for centuries. With its large elephant population, it is said that this is where God lives. To honour the mountain, travellers are asked to lay a rock and give thanks at a water source at the summit.

Sabache Camp Samburu County

27 miles past the dusty frontier town of Archers Post and 70 past its larger and dustier neighbour Isiolo, the bald face of Ololokwe rises starkly from the landscape, towering over neighbouring hills. The mountain is a welcome haven of fertile greenness and life in the arid dryness. It is here, hunkered in the shade of a valley at the base of the mountain, you find Sabache Camp-a starting point for hikers, and a pit stop for those who want to overnight.

Sadly, Sabache Camp, for all its good intentions, is uninspiring. A community-run project that feeds its profits into the local community, I’d love to soliloquy about its beauty and comfort, but I can’t. The safari tents sagged harder than its wearied staff, and food and drink seemed scarce. No one stayed in the camp during our time here, but the campsite at the base of the mountain was shaded, the toilets and showers pristine, so while I struggle to recommend a night at the tented camp, I very much recommend self-camping.

Camping at the top of Mount Ololokwe

Unbeknownst to our group, most people camp at the top of Mount Ololokwe, on a campsite also run by Sabache Camp. This has the benefit of breaking the arduous hike into two on different days and providing an awe-inspiring view to wake up to. Book the mountain-top campsites through Sabache Camp and arrive in enough time to hike the mountain to the top before dark comes. The Sabache porters diligently hoik tents and cool boxes up and down the mountain, and should I ever visit here again, I’ll definitely be camping on top.

Hiking Mount Ololoke Samburu County

The hike, well, it’s tough. Brutal was the word I used on more than one occasion. To put it into context, I hiked on New Year’s Day after a bottle of prosecco and only a few hours of sleep, but I doubt a decent night would have eased the pain of that long, steep scramble up the mountain. Deluding ourselves, we decided to ignore our guide’s declarations of ‘Midway’ actually being mid journey and told ourselves that the top was the top. In fact, midway is the end of the steep hike, but there’s another heat hazed, water thirsting, couple of hours along the steady incline at the top of the mountain to reach Olokokwe’s naked summit.

Moaning aside (and oh boy, was there moaning), the hike is incredibly beautiful, with a view over the Matthew’s range and into the hazed horizons. Similar to my experience of hiking Table Mountain in Cape Town, the top of Ololokwe opens into a range of diverse habitats, from gentle grassland to cool swamps and bowers of gnarled cedar and olive trees. The vegetation is notably different from the dry plains below with an abundance of Cycads, one of the oldest living plants on earth–around since the dinosaurs. Old Man’s beard hangs from towering trees, ferns and aloes shiver in shaded woodlands, and spring waters trickle between wind weather rocks.

Ololokwe is more than just summiting, although it was an achievement to sit and celebrate above a vista of soaring vultures and cloud shadows racing across the plains. The hike should be appreciated in its entirety; each section delivers a new gift’; from the grim adversity and gritted teeth of the painful descent which offers captivating views, to the tiny dung-strewn paths gleefully decorated by the elephant herds that walk the mountain, infinitely more nimble and hardy than we are.   

Possibly one of the harder ‘day climbs’ in Kenya. It’s an absolute must-do for hiking in Kenya. I can’t recommend it more, but it’s tough, and you need to be reasonably fit.

Information on Hiking Mount Ololokwe

Duration – between six and eight hours. Three to four up, and two to three down.

Difficulty – the initial climb up is very steep. This translates into an equally knee-jarring and slippery hike back down.

Accommodation – camp under the stars on the top of Mount Ololokwe. There are no washing or toilet facilities, so make sure you bring enough water and supplies to last you.

Alternatively, camp at the base of Ololokwe, where there are clean toilets and showers, and the restaurant bar serves sodas.

Accommodation nearby:

$$$ Samburu Intrepids Tented Camp – fancy pants lodge with a pool

$$ Sarova Shaba Game Lodge – a well-known brand, good, safe choice, lovely pool and restaurant

$$ Ashnil Samburu Camp – right next door in archers post, has a pool, restaurant and bar

Supplies: Here’s a blog on what to bring camping: Kenya Camping: the 2024 guide on where to buy camping equipment – Kenya. Enough water is an absolute MUST. Samburu is hot, hovering around 31 degrees when we hiked.

Getting to Mount Ololokwe – Samburu Country

Direct from Nairobi

• From Nairobi, drive north towards Samburu County. The total distance is approximately 350–400 kilometres, and the drive can take between 7–9 hours, depending on road conditions.

Via Nanyuki and Isiolo

• Nairobi to Nanyuki: Start by heading out of Nairobi on the A2 highway, following signs toward Nanyuki, which is about 190 kilometres from Nairobi (around 3–4 hours drive). Nanyuki is a major town in the central region and is a good stopping point for supplies or for an overnight. Read Places to Stay in Nanyuki.

• Nanyuki to Isiolo: Continue on the A2 highway for about 70 kilometres (1–1.5 hours) to reach Isiolo. This section is paved and well-maintained, so it should be smooth sailing.

• Isiolo to Archer’s Post: From Isiolo, take the road heading towards Archer’s Post, which is around 30 kilometres (45 minutes drive). Archer’s Post is a small town that serves as the main entry point to the Samburu region.

• Archer’s Post to Mount Ololokwe: After Archer’s Post, continue driving for about 40–50 kilometres (1–1.5 hours), heading towards the mountain. The road to the mountain can be rough and not always well-maintained, so you may need a 4×4 vehicle. There are signposts guiding you towards Mount Ololokwe, and you may need to ask locals for directions if you’re unfamiliar with the area.

Further Reading

https://theexpatmummy.com/why-choose-a-self-drive-safari-kenya-2022/

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Escape the Crowds – Safari at Samburu National Reserve Kenya

Mount Longonot Hike – Summiting the Volcanic Peak

Ngong Hills Hike – Kenya & Nairobi 2023

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