Expedition to climb Mount Poi in the Ndoto Mountains, northern Kenya
The Mount Poi expedition report chronicles a challenging and ambitious attempt by a four‑member team to establish a new climbing route on the vast east face of Mount Poi in the remote Ndoto Mountains of northern Kenya. After securing equipment, transport, and logistics, the team travelled from Nairobi to the isolated Rendile village of Siangan, where they established local support for portering, water transport, and vehicle security.
Reaching Base Camp involved a demanding three‑hour ascent through thorn‑filled slopes and exposed ridges. The campsite, perched spectacularly along a high ridgeline, offered dramatic desert and mountain views but also severe winds and evidence of environmental degradation from previous expeditions. The team cleaned the site and established a functional high‑altitude camp before beginning their climb.
The chosen objective was a long groove system on the southern portion of the east face. Early pitches revealed evidence of previous attempts, including old bolts and wooden pitons, which initially discouraged the climbers but reinforced the challenge ahead. Over several days the team worked methodically up the cliff, fixing ropes, establishing hanging bivouacs hundreds of metres above the desert floor, and gradually overcoming loose rock, overhanging off‑widths, and sections requiring aid climbing and bolting for safety. One of the crux sequences took six hours to complete.
Eventually, the team succeeded in forging a 608m line—Doing a Dirty Eastern Groove—graded 7c at its hardest. After completing the route, they dismantled their camp, cleaned the area, and undertook a long, difficult journey back to Nairobi, closing an expedition marked by technical challenge, ethical reflection, logistical hardship, and memorable adventure.