Women only · Difficulty 4.5–5

The challenge
Forget the crowds. Forget the tourist trail. The Burguret is Mount Kenya's wild side, the route almost nobody takes, where the path is thin, the bamboo towers over your head and the elephants got there first. Five days. One summit. A 3am alarm that will feel cruel right up until Point Lenana (4,985m) catches fire at sunrise. This one is hard. You'll love it anyway.

The journey
We begin at the foot of the mountain at Glamping Kenya's eco lodge, then plunge straight into Gathiuru Forest and leave the modern world behind. Bamboo, then cedar, then a moorland so otherworldly you'll swear you've landed on another planet: giant groundsels, towering lobelias and the lava cliffs of Highland Castle glowing at dusk. From Shipton's Camp we climb in the dark by headtorch, stand on top of Kenya as the sun comes up, then drop down the far side past Hall Tarns, Lake Michaelson and the thundering Nithi Falls to a lakeside camp at Lake Ellis. Up one side, down the other. A full traverse. Bragging rights for life.

Afterwards
Hot showers and real beds at the Soames Hotel in Nanyuki, then a day with the young mothers and children at a local rescue centre: games, stories and a shared meal. It might just be the best day of the lot. Not ready to go home? Roll straight onto the Masai Mara Safari Bolt On (£1,750) and swap summits for lions.

Fancy it?
Local guides lead the way and I'll be right there beside you, every muddy, breathless, brilliant step. Book a 1:1 call and let's see if this is your mountain.