Mount Kenya National Park

Mount Kenya is fondly referred to as “the land of snow, volcano, savannah & wildlife” Therein is found A UNESCO World Heritage Site which is Mt. Kenya that is an extinct volcano lying 140 kms to the far North-East of Nairobi and its Northern flanks are seen across the Equator. Mount Kenya has got three main peaks namely Batian (at 5199m), Nelion (at 5188m) and Lenana (at 4985m). Slopes of the mountain are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub and moorland while the peaks have rocks, ice and snow. Mt. Kenya is Africa’s second highest mountain and is regarded as the realm of Ngai who was a god of the local Kikuyu people. Traditionally, all Kikuyu homes were built to face this sacred peak. They call it Kirinyaga, or place of light. The mountain is an awe-inspiring sight. Its ragged series of peaks are crowned with snow, and its slopes are thick with forest. The mountain is best seen at dawn, when the sun’s early light shines its impressive summit; high over the surrounding plains.

While the 5199-meter summit is a difficult technical climb, the lesser peak of Lenana peak (4985m) can be reached much more easily by any fit trekker. This trek takes between 3 and 5 days through a fascinating world of forests, wildlife, a unique montane vegetation including pod carpus as well as groundsel, and finally the equatorial snow.

Mount Kenya National Park is very different from all the others. Although many animals live here, (e.g. elephants, buffaloes) you do not see them on game drive (since we don’t have game drives here) but you see them at the water hole by the “Serena Mountain Lodge” where guests are often taken. Most animals are seen at night when they come to the waterhole to drink water.

Key attractions in this park include pristine wilderness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks of great beauty, geological variety, a forest, mineral springs, rare and endangered species of animals, high altitude adapted plains game, a unique montane and alpine vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants.