Mt. Kenya lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator. Mt. Kenya is an imposing extinct volcano dominating the landscape of the Kenyan Highlands, East of the Rift Valley. 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. Mt. Kenya is an important water catchment area, supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. The park includes a variety of habitats ranging from higher forest, bamboo, alpine moorlands, glaciers, tarns and glacial morains.
Mt. Kenya is 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. The closest commercial airstrip to the park is at Nanyuki.
Climate:
Climate, flora and fauna on Mt. Kenya varies with altitude.
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.
ACTIVITIES
- Mountain climbing,
- game viewing.