Mar 12, 2025
A great experience on Mt Kenya - We booked a Mt Kenya trip (up Chagoria down Simiron) with Equatorial Star. It was a Great trip and I'd highly recommend them.
I was looking for a budget trip. Equatorial star had very good prices and good reviews. A few other companies were also in the running. They also have a sister company that gets good reviews too.
I contacted a few of the companies via email. It became clear a number of the companies were clearly just brokers and were booking the trip through someone else. When I started asking detailed questions it was clear when I was talking to someone who knew the routes and details of the trip and who didn't.
I emailed and WhatsApp with Duncan at equatorial star. It was clear he was a guide and knew the routes and options. He was also handling our booking directly and not going through a third party. Turns out he's owner of the company and will regularly guide some of the trips. He personally drove us from Nairobi to the start of our trek to meet our guides and porters.
Our guide, Juma, assistant guide, Anthony, and cook, Paul were all great. The all spoke English which was convenient for us. Juma did a great job keeping us at a pace that got us comfortably to the summit to see the sunrise over Mount Kenya. The food was basic but quite good and plentiful. Paul was always pushing us to eat more. Anthony was really good about making sure we were happy in camp. Anthony's English was quite good and we enjoyed talking to him in camp.
One thing I didn't like was they preferred to be paid in cash. That meant I was carrying a lot of money through Nairobi for a couple days before the trip. When I asked Duncan about this, he explained all the fees involved if we didn't pay him in cash. I probably could have offered to pay all the fees but I decided I was fine carrying the cash around.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feb 22, 2025
Excellent company, wonderful experience - I found Equitorial Star by chance when looking for a company that did a 5 day trek, how lucky I was! Everything from start to finish was well organised, communication was great beforehand. But what made this experience so good was the people: Patrick our knowledgeable and wise guide, our chef Juma, and sous chef Samuel , who cooked delicious food, Sam our waiter and all the porters could not have been more friendly and attentive. I have never been so well looked after at home let alone on a mountain! Another selling point for Equitorial Star is the route. Starting from Chogoria gave us incredible views of the gorge and the mountain that you do not get going from Sirimon. Doing the hike slowly also allows for altitude acclimatisation, really important to give yourself the best chance of summiting.
So overall, a wonderful ethical company ( incidentally the story of how Duncan began it is inspirational) and a really wonderful hiking experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feb 19, 2025
Amazing experience - Had an amazing experience climbing mt kenya with these guys. It was tough but also super rewarding reaching the summit.
Would definitely recommend them!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 16, 2025
Excellent first mountain adventure - This is a challenging but very rewarding trip. I chose to go with Equitorial Star based on their previous reviews and feel I made an excellent choice. I had never done high-altitude or multi-day trekking before so didn’t really know what to expect, but I was very well looked after and made it to the summit for sunrise thanks to my wonderful guide Patrick. Throughout the trip I felt very safe with him and he made sure I got the most out of the experience and great photos for memories.
The company is run by a team with a lot of expertise and knowledge of the mountain (it’s not an agency that outsources to guides etc). It was easy to organise via WhatsApp. The team I went with were fantastic (guide, cook, two porters). Juma is an excellent cook and put a lot of effort in to make nutritious meals all the way through the trip - you will not go hungry!
Overall I highly recommend Equitorial Star based on my experience as a first time mountain trekker and if I decide to try Kilimanjaro in the future I will definitely book with them.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dec 22, 2024
Highly recommend - We had such a memorable experience! Patrick’s patience and expertise made all the difference, helping us reach the summit with ease.
Juma’s vegetarian meals were absolutely delicious and kept us going throughout the trek. The team was so kind and supportive from start to finish. We’d warmly recommend Duncan and his crew to anyone planning this adventure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 15, 2024
They got me to the top! Unforgettable 5 day trip up Mt Kenya - Just back from 5 day/ 4 night hike up Mount Kenya - Chogoria/Sirimon route. I highly recommend Duncan and his team to facilitate a successful trip. Duncan is very responsive and helpful in the planning stages, answering all questions promptly. He also picked me up in Nairobi and dropped me back at the airport going out of his way when I wanted to stop off to pick things up on the way. And we had some interesting conversations on the car journey - Duncan's a great story teller - giving me excellent insights into so many aspects of Kenya.
His team are top class - my guide, Patrick, was so knowledgable about the mountain (including fauna and flora) and how to pace the trek - keeping a close eye on how I was coping with altitude and ensuring aclimatisation, so that I would make it to the top. I felt I was in extremely safe hands and we had some great conversations along the way. Juma the cook and Maxwell & Samuel, the porters, always had camp and food ready ahead of us - and kept me so well fed with 3 freshly cooked meals a day including lots of lovely fresh fruit! A very professional and friendly team all round.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 9, 2024
An Unforgettable Five-Day Adventure on Mount Kenya - Last week, we embarked on a five-day hike up Mount Kenya, ascending via the Chogoria route and descending through Sirimon. It was a challenging yet incredible experience. The scenery was stunning, and the views were breathtaking. We were accompanied by our two guides, Mozes and Juma, who were not only excellent guides but also wonderful company. The porters carried our large bags and tents, while the cooks prepared delicious meals throughout the hike. Organizing this trip was straightforward thanks to Duncan’s efficient assistance; communication via WhatsApp was quick and easy. Thank you so much for an unforgettable experience in Kenya. We will certainly recommend climbing Mount Kenya with your team to others.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Oct 4, 2024
Fabulous 5 day hike up Mt Kenya - We had an amazing time hiking mount kenya! The team at equatorial safaris were faultless, so kind, professional, knowledgeable and well prepared, they’d thought of everything! Highly recommended.
We loved the route Chogoria up, Sirimon down, as giving the best chance to acclimatise to the altitude and made the best of the beautiful Chogoria scenery which is more interesting and stunning than the Sirimon side.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 25, 2024
Great company to use for Mt Kenya Hike - We just finished our 5D4N Mt Kenya hike on 21 Sep24, organised by Duncan and his wonderful team. We started planning this trip in mid July and was in discussions with Duncan via WhatsApp since then. Duncan is quick in responding all my queries.
We started the hike on 17 Sep where Duncan picked us up from our hotel in Nairobi. After about 3 hours drive, we arrived at Chogoria town for lunch and met up with the crew members (our guide Patrick, our cook Juma, and five porters). Throughout the hike, our cook prepared more than sufficient food to ensure we have enough energy to complete our daily trek. Patrick also assisted my wife by carrying her day bag so that she can enjoy her hike with higher success of making to the summit. We made it to the summit on 20 September and the views up there were amazing. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and would definitely recommend potential visitors planning a trip to climb Mt Kenya to contact Duncan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 19, 2025
Great value for money trip to the roof of Kenya - Booked direct after initial contact with Duncan via email. Very well run trip with knowledgeable guides and team. Not the ultimate in luxury (it’s a trek after all!) but very good value for money. Whole team was very friendly and welcoming and the trip went more or less to plan with no hitches. Note you should be prepared for a long (12+ hour) summit day; ascent + walk out.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
