Mt. Kenya National Park

Mount Kenya is an imposing extinct volcano some three and a half million years old dominating the landscape of the Central Kenya Highlands, East of the Rift. It is the second-highest mountain in Africa after Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro and lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator.

The mountain has two main peaks - Batian (5200m) and Nelion (5188m). The mountains slopes are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub and moorland giving way on the high central peaks to rock, ice and snow.

The park includes a variety of habitats ranging from higher forest, bamboo, alpine moorlands, glaciers, tarns and glacial moraines.

Mount Kenya plays a crucial role in the life of the country being Kenya's single most important permanent watershed supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems and her large forest reserve.

Climbing Mount Kenya

The mountain attracts over 30,000 enthusiasts annually and offers some of Africa’s finest rock and ice climbing. There are four main routes of ascent, the Naro Moru trail, the Burguret and Sirimon trails and the Chogoria trail and, whilst the icy peaks of Batian and Nelion are accessible only to experienced mountaineers, Point Lenana can be conquered by anyone who is reasonably fit.

This mountain is difficult to conquer and each year, no more than 100 climbers make it to the twin towers. In fact, the task has been made considerably easier thanks to Serena Hotels and the Kenya Wildlife Service who have recently cooperated to pioneer a new climbing route, which offers maximum adventure, panorama and enjoyment and minimal hardship.

Depending upon the weather conditions and the fitness level of the climbing party, the trip takes approximately 3 days in ascent and 2 days in descent. This is led by a team of experienced mountaineers and naturalists through a fascinating world of forests, wildlife, and unique montane vegetation including podocarpus and groundsel, and finally one of the world’s rarest sights, equatorial snow.

Climate:
Climate, flora and fauna on Mt. Kenya varies with altitude.

HOW TO GET THERE
Access Roads:
175 kms from Nairobi, the park can be reached on Nanyuki-Isiolo road via Sirimon Track or Nyeri-Nanyuki road near Naro Moru. The park is also reachable via Chogoria on the Embu - Meru road, about 150km north of Nairobi.

Airstrips:
The closest commercial airstrip to the park is at Nanyuki.

MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
Pristine wilderness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks of great beauty, geological variety, forest, mineral springs, rare and endangered species of animals, High altitude adapted plains game, Unique montane and alpine vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants.

FACILITIES
Huts:
Liki North Hut, Minto's Hut, Austrian Hut, Mackinders Hut (managed by Naro Moru Lodge), Judmare Hut, Shiptons Hut (managed by Mountain Rock Hotel).

Bandas:
Sirimon Bandas, Warden's Cottage.

Lodges:
Mountain Lodge (Serena Hotels), Rutundu Fishes Lodge (book through Lets Go Travel)

ACTIVITIES
Mountain climbing, game viewing.

Mt Kenya Forest:

Mount Kenya National Park established in 1949 covers 175 sq km consists of all the ground above 3200m. The surrounding Mount Kenya National Reserve with an area of approximately 2095 sq km was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 is also an International Biosphere Reserve.

The Mountain is surrounded by a belt of verdant forest that is an equally fascinating destination. This vegetation varies with altitude and rainfall, and there is a rich alpine and sub-alpine flora.

Part of the mountain's fascination is the variation in flora, including Giant Groundsel and Lobelia, and fauna as the altitude changes. The lower slopes are covered with dry upland forest, the true montaine (mountain) forest begins at 2,000m is mainly cedar and podo. At 2,500m begins a dense belt of bamboo forest which merges into the upper forest of smaller trees, interspersed with glades. In this area the trees are festooned with high altitude lichen.

These forest belts are host to many different animals and plants with at least 11 unique species. Game to view includes: Black and White Colobus and Sykes Monkeys, bushbuck, Rock and rock Hyrax, Greater galago, white tailed, buffalo, elephant and lower down Olive Baboon, waterbuck, Black Rhino, black fronted duikers, leopard, giant forest hog, genet cat, bush pig and hyena. More elusive is the bongo, a rare type of forest antelope.

The birdlife is not as prolific in the forest. But you can find Crowned hawk eagle and the Jackson's francolin. The Abyssinian long-eared owl can also be spotted within the foliage.