Located on the eastern slopes of Mt Kenya in Meru County at 3,470m asl, Lake Ellis possesses a beauty that will captivate anyone daring enough to take the journey there. Here’s some tips I gathered from a camping trip there last February.

1. Pack well.

You’ll need to be self-sufficient when camping at Lake Ellis as there are no shops for miles. Embu is the last place you can buy supplies from if coming from Nairobi, or Meru if you’re coming from north of Mt Kenya.

2. Payments to KWS.

KWS stopped accepting cash payments a while back. So top up your Mpesa wallet before arriving at the Chogoria Gate. Network can get a bit patchy, so ask the KWS Wardens where you can get a good signal. You can find the latest KWS fees here.

3. 4X4 or Stay at Home.

The road from Chogoria to Mt Kenya National Park’s Chogoria Gate is gravel and can be driven on by any car. Past the Gate, the road turns into a 4WD-only track up the mountain. You’ll need a 4WD with good ground clearance to navigate the 7km stretch to Lake Ellis, and a skilled driver to scale the last, very rocky ascent to the campsite. The road in the Park isn’t well marked so get directions to from any KWS Ranger at Chogoria Gate.

4. End of the Road.

This is as far up as one can drive on Mt Kenya. The views and crisp air at Lake Ellis make the tough journey here well worth it.

5. Explore!

During the day, you can take a hike around the lake on the clear foot path, or just sit at camp and enjoy the unspoilt beauty that will have engulfed you. There’s also a waterfall nearby. I didn’t get to it because I chose to bum and shoot.

6. Dress Appropriately.

Temperatures constantly fluctuate during the day; you can be in a tee one minute and singing ‘Man’s Not Hot’ as you cling onto your winter gear the next. So pack clothes that allow you to layer up or down as desired. Avoid jeans as denim is a poor body heat retainer.

7. I Got the Blues…

Evenings are extra specially blue. The little heat the day might have held quickly gives way to temperatures that will call for extra firewood at the campfire.

Canon 6D. 24mm 118sec at f/2.8, ISO 640

8. Carry a Tripod.

That streak in the night sky in the photo above is the International Space Station shuttling above Lake Ellis. Carry a sturdy tripod if you plan to shoot long exposures. As for camera settings, those are greatly dependent on the kind of images you’d like to make. I’ve shared some settings I used. Just remember that using similar settings isn’t a guarantee you’ll get similar images. Experiment with different settings and make images you’ll be happy with.

Canon 6D. 16mm 58sec at f/2.8, ISO 2000

Canon 6D. 24mm 30sec at f/2.8, ISO 1600

Canon 6D. 16mm 30sec at f/2.8, ISO 1600

Clouds may cover your night sky in the early evening. But as the night progresses, they will most likely clear for amazing views of the Milky Way.

Canon 6D. 24mm 8.0sec at f/4.5, ISO 1000

9. Keep Warm.

Carry lots of firewood to stay warm and keep conversations going during the night. When the fire dies down and sleep beckons, make sure you have a good sleeping bag and thermal wear to keep out the near-freezing temperatures and make the cold night more bearable.

In case you missed it, here’s the video once again.