Mt Kenya National Park

Climbing to 5,199 meters, Mount Kenya is the second tallest mountain in Africa. The scenery surrounding this designated World Heritage Site is breath-taking. It is pristine wilderness with lakes, tarns, glaciers, dense forest, mineral springs and a selection of rare and endangered species of animals, high altitude adapted plains game and unique montane and alpine vegetation. Visitors can enjoy mountain climbing, camping and caving with the mountain’s rugged glacier-clad peaks providing the perfect backdrop.

Mount Kenya, with its snow-capped peaks 5,199 m. high, is certainly one of the most beautiful mountains anywhere. Its slopes are covered with rich deciduous and bamboo forests and open high altitude moorland just below the glaciers and snowfields. Wildlife resident within the forest includes elephant, buffalo and even lion, with several species of antelope and other smaller animals.

Mount Kenya is the country’s highest mountain and straddles the equator. The National Park consists of all areas above 3,200 m. The mountain actually consists of three distinct zones: the volcanic peak zone, with its endless glaciers and snowlfields; the alpine zone, with its distinctive giant vegetation such as groundsels; and the lower slopes, with their thick forest and bamboo vegetation.

Mount Kenya has always attracted curious hikers and adventurers, including the turn of the century British geographer/explorer Halford Mackinder. To most modern day adventurers, climbing to the peak of Mount Kenya is still a challenge requiring extensive mountain climbing skills. Nevertheless, most visitors are able to reach the more accessible Point Lenana at 4,985 m and many visitors enjoy simple high altitude walks. Wildlife below the Park boundary includes elephant, buffalo, antelope, lion and the rare bongo, also found in the nearby Aberdares. Most wildlife can be viewed from Mountain Lodge on the south side of the mountain. The best times for visiting Mount Kenya and the National Park are January and February and late August through September.