Mount Kenya National Park, located in central Kenya, is a captivating safari destination in Kenya. The park is dominated by Mount Kenya (5,199m), Africa’s second-tallest mountain after Mount Kilimanjaro and one of the most challenging summits to hike. Situated to the northeast of Nairobi, the Park also has a northern route across the Equator. Mount Kenya National Park was established in 1949 to protect Mount Kenya and the surrounding environment, which serves as a habitat for plenty of wild animals as well as a water catchment area for Kenya. The Park began as a forest reserve before being designated as a national park. It was then designated a UNESCO Reserve in April 1978.
Mount Kenya National Park is currently surrounded by an extinct volcano, the Kenyan central Highlands, and the East Rift Valley. The national park encompasses 715 square kilometers, most of which is above the 3,000-metre (9,800-ft) contour line. On the other hand, the forest reserve covers 705 square kilometers, and altogether, the total area of the UNESCO World Heritage Site is approximately 1,420 square kilometers. Mount Kenya itself has two outstanding snow-covered peaks, Batian (5,199 meters) and Nelion (5,188 meters), making it an appealing place for hiking adventures. The slopes around the mountain are cloaked in nearby forest bamboo, scrub, and moorland, which connects to snow, ice, and rock on the high central peaks; offering a picturesque landscape.
Mount Kenya National Park contains a wide range of habitats, including higher tropical forests, bamboo, alpine moorlands, glaciers, tarns, and glacial moraines. The Park boasts a variety of wildlife including the African big five (Cape buffaloes, elephants, lions, rhinos, and leopards) and antelopes among others. Furthermore, in the lower altitude forest zone, thrive animals like the Rock hyrax, impala, duiker, eland, and mongoose, to mention but a few.
Aside from wildlife and remarkable landscapes, the Park is also surrounded by Kikuyu people, who believe that Mount Kenya national park is home to Ngai, their god. Other communities that surround Mount Kenya National Park include the Kamba, Masaai, and Embu.
Attractions in Mount Kenya National Park
Wildlife
Mount Kenya National Park’s spectacular alpine forest and other habitats are home to a plethora of wildlife. The forests support larger mammals such as elephants, Cape buffaloes, lions, leopards, and rhinos as well as smaller mammals such as impala, eland, and waterbucks, among other species. The forests are also home to primates such as olive baboons, Sykes monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, and white-tailed mongooses. Additionally, the Mount Kenya hyrax – a small herbivorous mammal, and the common duiker, a small antelope, have evolved to thrive at high altitudes on Mount Kenya.
Birdlife
Mount Kenya National Park is a rewarding Kenya birding safari destination, with over 130 recorded bird species that live in the various forest zones. Out of this bird population, 6 of the 8 Kenya Mountains Endemic Bird Areas and 54 of Kenya’s 70 Afrotropical Highlands biome species can be found in the park. Mountain Kenya also features a range of globally and regionally threatened species, some of which have not been recorded in a long time. Among these include the Sharpe’s Long-claw, Lesser Kestrel, Abbott’s Starling, Jackson’s widowbird (which can be found at up to 3,000 m), Olive Ibis, and Lammergeier, among others. Other notable bird species in Mount Kenya National Park include; Long-tailed Widowbird, Ayres’s hawk-eagle, Cape Eagle-Owl, African Crowned Eagle, Purple-throated Cuckoo-shrike, African Grass Owl, the rare Abyssinian Owl, Kendrick’s Starling, Scarlet-tufted Sunbird, and so on.
Safari Activities in Mount Kenya National Park
Mountain Climbing/Hiking
Mountain climbing is the most embraced safari activity in Mount Kenya National Park. The Park offers one of the best breathtaking mountains climbing experiences in east Africa. Mount Kenya has three peaks; Point Lenana at 4,985M, Batian the highest peak at 5,199M, and Nelion at 5,188M which is the most preferred for adventurous tourists. Hikers to Mount Kenya can spend between 5 and 10 days in the park depending on the trail and what they want to see. Trailheads that take climbers to Mount Kenya’s summit include the Summit circuit, Timau trail, Nelion trail, and Burget trail. These routes are used by experienced hikers who want to summit Mount Kenya’s thrilling peaks. Other trails used by climbers who are less experienced and have limited time on the safari include the Summit circuit, Sirimon route, Chogoria route, and Naro Moru.
Ascending Mount Kenya, like any other mountain climbing adventure, is exhausting and difficult, but descending is always easier and more interesting. Hikers are often rewarded with magnificent views of the park, plenty of wildlife, birds, glaciers, and many other wildlife species. Furthermore, the best time to hike Mount Kenya is during the dry months, when the hiking trails are passable, and you can see a lot of wildlife along the way.
Game Drives
Mount Kenya National Park is home to a plethora of wildlife species that provide thrilling wildlife viewing experiences to travelers on safari game drives. Safari game drives in Mount Kenya National Park are enjoyed in the comfort of a 4×4 safari vehicle, and the company of an experienced safari guide. Game drives allow tourists to get closer to mammals in their natural habitats.
The park provides half-day and full-day game drives in 4WD drive safari vehicles. Animal sightings to expect on a game drive in Mount Kenya National Park include; elephants, buffaloes, leopards, antelopes, duikers, mongooses, Black Rhinos, waterbucks, olive baboons, and other species, in addition to a variety of bird species. The best places to see a variety of wildlife in the park is along the shores of waterbodies and other lowland areas of the park.
Birding
Birding is also another popular safari activity in Mount Kenya National Park with over 130 species of birds recorded. The best birding spots are the highland areas in montane grassland, montane forest, along the water bodies, in the bamboo forest, and the moorland. Bird enthusiasts to Mount Kenya will be rewarded with species such as; Starlings, African crown eagles, Cape Owl, Cuckoos, Sunbirds, Widowbird, Sprawl hawk, Olives, Apalis, Greenbul, Hoopoe, Oriole Finch, Barbets, Pigeons, among others.
Guided Nature Walks
As part of game viewing, experienced guides and rangers, take visitors on guided nature walks. Enjoy walks in the forest via various trails while sighting primates such as monkeys and olive baboons, mammals such as buffaloes, elephants, forest hogs, bushbucks, warthogs, impalas, elands, and a variety of forest and migratory birds; in addition, a variety of tree and other flora species.
Camping
Mount Kenya National Park also has interesting camping spots for visitors who want to spend the night in the wilderness, surrounded by nature and the sky. Travelers make fires in the jungle, listen to nocturnal mammals and birds, and spend the night gazing up at the stars. Camping in Mount Kenya can also be combined with a picnic for an unforgettable experience in the wilderness.
Best Time to go to Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya National Park is open all year and can be visited at any time, but the Park is best visited during the season between June to September and December to February. This is the best time for both wildlife viewing and mountain climbing as there are clearer views and trekking trails are less muddy and slippery – thus easy hikes up the mountain.
The long rainy season from March to May, as well as the short rainy season from October to early December, is not advisable for safaris to Mount Kenya National Park as it may limit clear views. However, this is the best time to catch bird breeding and nesting for birding fanatics. Migratory birds are also present from November to April.
Getting to Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya National Park can be accessed both by road and air;
By Road
By road, the journey from Nairobi to Mount Kenya National Park takes about 4 hours and the recommended vehicle is a 4×4 safari car, especially at the stretch toward the entrance gate. The off road is very rough and sometimes becomes impassable, especially during the rainy season.
By Air
By air, there are domestic and charter flights available from Wilson Airport to Nanyuki Airstrip.
Where to Stay in Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya National Park offers a comfortable range of accommodation facilities that are well designed to suit any traveler’s budget on a Kenya safari to the park, ranging from luxury to midrange, and budget accommodation. Among these include;
- Serena Mountain Lodge
- Hotel Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club
- Castle Forest Lodge
- Shipton’s Mountain Hut
- Sirimon Cottage
- Old Moses Mountain Hut