Safaris in Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya National Park is one of Kenya’s unique National Parks, hosting one of Africa’s highest peaks and incredible wildlife. Safaris in Mount Kenya National Park offer a unique blend of wildlife encounters, alpine landscapes, and cultural heritage – making it a spectacular destination, especially for travelers looking for a destination with less crowds. Although popular for its extinct volcano, Mount Kenya National Park is a remarkable home for different wildlife species including, elephants, buffalo, bushbucks, waterbucks, leopards, hyenas, and the black and white colobus monkeys among others. Beyond the incredible wildlife, the park is also a great place to witness some birdlife, with about 130 recorded species, including sunbirds, eagles, and the rare lammergeier among others.
Although unpopular and incomparable to Kenya’s top wildlife viewing safari destinations like Masai Mara National Reserve when it comes to numbers, this park still promises incredible wildlife sightseeing experience that guarantees sightings of some top wildlife species on your Kenya Holiday Safari/Kenya Vacation. For visitors interested in Hiking and climbing adventures, Mount Kenya National Park is a must visit destination. Discover Kenya’s hidden gem, explore Mount Kenya National Park on your Kenya holiday and witness the stunning beauty of its landscapes, wildlife, and birdlife.
Exploring Mountain Kenya – Climbing adventures in Mount Kenya National Park
Mountain Kenya located in Mount Kenya National Park is an imposing extinct volcano dominating the landscape of the Kenyan Central Highlands, east of the Rift Valley. Mount Kenya lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator. The mountain has two main snow-covered peaks, Batian (5199m) 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. Mount Kenya is an important water catchment area, supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. The park, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 and is also a Biosphere Reserve, covers 715 sq. Km, encompassing stunning landscapes and ecosystems that inhabit different wildlife and birdlife in the region.
Climbing Mountain Kenya during Safaris in Mount Kenya National Park
Climbing Mount Kenya offers a tapestry of ecosystems, from dense forests to alpine moorlands. The experience is a formidable yet a rewarding challenge for adventure lovers – especially for climbers and visitors who wish to experience more than just wildlife viewing during their Kenya Safari Tour/Safaris in Mount Kenya National Park. Climbing Mount Kenya takes you through the different routes that are known for their diversity and the intriguing challenges that visitors find worth trying.
The climb up Mount Kenya usually takes about 4 – 5 days, on the Sirimon Route and the Naro Moru Route; however, it takes about 5 – 6 days if you opt for the Chogoria Route – especially if you are targeting the Batian peak or the Nelion peak. The first few days involve walks through the forest and acclimatizing to the altitude. Climbers have to wake up early and start climbing before dawn. This is because climbing during the day is very difficult due to the sun’s heat. Once at the summit, climbers can marvel at the beauty of the landscape and take photos.
The descent from the summit takes about 1 – 2 days, and one has to be mindful of their steps as the descent may be slippery due to loose rocks.
Species to See in Mount Kenya National Park.
The park includes a variety of habitats ranging from higher forest, bamboo, alpine moorlands, glaciers, tarns, and glacial moraines.
Mammals include elephants, buffalos, rhinos and waterbucks. Mount Kenya is home to some fascinating high-altitude alpine vegetation including giant groundsels and lobelias.
In the lower-altitude forest zone, trekkers may come across some rather large African wildlife tour such as elephants and buffaloes, lions, leopards, rock hyrax, various antelope species occur in the park.
Wildlife in the Mount Kenya National Park
The national park includes mountain Kenya, which is basically a forest reserve where animals reside. These animals include; Elephants, Tree hyrax, Mongoose, Mole rats, Bushbucks, Waterbucks, Duikers, Buffaloes, Black rhinos, Leopards and many other plant-loving animals.
Mount Kenya has montane Avifaun,a which definitely attracts birds to this national park. The birds found in this park include the following; Mountain Buzzard, Violet-backed Starling, Olive Pigeon, Eastern Bronze-napped Pigeon and Oriole Finch, Meyer’s Parrots, African Green Pigeon, Black-and-white Mannikin and Spot-flanked Barbet, Red-fronted Parrot, Jackson’s Francolin, Moorland Chat, Abyssinian Ground Thrush, Hartlaub’s Turaco, Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird, Black-headed Waxbill, Slender-billed Starling, Waller’s Starling, Montane White-eye, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Hunter’s Cisticola, Moorland Francolin, and many other birds.
Activities to do in Mount Kenya National Park.
Mountain climbing, trekking and game viewing. There are at least seven routes up the mountain. The easiest is the Naro Moru (four days), then the Sirimon and Chogoria, and the Summit Circuit path.
Point Lenana (4.895m), the third peak, is easily accessible by all trekkers. The full trekking can last one week up to 10 days Kenya Safari.
The best period for climbing is from mid-January to February and from late August to September, when the season is dry.
Game drive
This activity is mandatory while at the national park. Whether it is an early morning game drive or an evening game drive, you are guaranteed that you will be able to see a variety of animals such as Elephants, Buffalos, antelopes, Mangoose as well as other fascinating animals
Shipton’s caves and camping
On the Mountain, there is a point where one can camp in the beauty of the Mountains as well as visit the caves near the camping site. This is truly a serene point to experience the park.
Bird watching
The fact that the park has a variety of birds, it makes it the perfect birders paradise. The birds can be seen on lakes as well as slopes of the mountain.