Mount Kenya National Park is situated in the highlands of central Kenya and is among the famous safari destinations to visit. The main attraction found in this national park is Mount Kenya – the second-highest mountain in Africa at an altitude of about 5199 meters. The mountain comprises semi-arid plains, montane and bamboo forests, moorland, and glaciers and is considered one of the best hiking destinations in Africa.
Some of the wildlife species that can be encountered around Mount Kenya National Park include black and white colobus monkeys as well as waterbucks, bushbucks, zebras, buffalos, duikers, and elands among others.
Climbing Mount Kenya
Climbing Mount Kenya takes about 3 to 4 days and is among the activities hikers engage in around the national park. Different routes are used during this expedition, and they include the Sirimon route and the Naro Moru routes.
The Sirimon route is on the northern side of Mount Kenya and offers an off-the-beaten-path hiking experience.
The Naro Moru route is popular among tourists visiting Mount Kenya National Park and is also considered the fastest route used to get to Point Lenana.
Nature walks
Nature walks can also be done around Mount Kenya National Park to explore the forests and the slopes of the mountain.
During the nature walks, tourists can enjoy identifying the different wildlife and bird species as well as different plants and learning about the herbs in the forests of Mount Kenya National Park.
Bird watching
Some of the bird species that can be spotted during bird-watching tours around Mount Kenya National Park include Hartlaub’s Turaco, Abyssinian Owl, Scaly spurfowl, Hammerkop., Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Black-crowned Night Heron, Jackson’s francolin, White-headed Barbet, Hunter’s Cisticola, Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird, Sharpe’s Pipit and many more.
Best time to visit Mount Kenya National Park
The dry season from July to August and in January and February is considered a good time to visit Mount Kenya National Park.
How to get to Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya National Park is about 4 hours drive from Nairobi using the Nyeri-Nanyuki route.