Mt. Kenya National Parks

Although a distinctively separate massif from the Aberdares, Mt. Kenya also forms part of the central highlands. Africa's second highest mountain at 5199 metres, its gleaming and eroded snow-covered peaks can be seen for miles until the late-morning clouds obscure the view.

Its lower slopes, like those of the Aberdares, are intensively cultivated by the Kikuyu and the closely related embu and Meru people.

These days, every travelers dream is to get to the top and take home with them a memory which money cannot buy. The mountain is circled by an excellent tarmac road along which are the area's main towns - Naro Moru, Nanyuki, Meru and Embu, along with Isiolo at the extreme north-eastern end.

Mt. Kenya's highest peaks, Batian and Nelion can only be reached by mountaineers with technical skills. However, Point Lenana, the third -highest peak, can be reached by trekkers and this is the usual goal for most people.

As you might imagine, there are superb views over the surrounding country from Point Lenana and other high points around the main peaks, though the summit is often clothed in mist from late morning until late afternoon.

It's not suprising that trekking on this mountain is high on many traveller's priority list. However, because Mt. Kenya is so easy to reach and because Point Lenana is not technically difficult, this can create its own set of problems. Many people do the ascent much too quickly and end up suffering from headaches, nausea and other effects of altitude sickness.

Another problem can be the weather; even though they end up seeing glaciers on the summit, many visitors go up to the mountain without proper gear, completely unprepared for the cold and wet conditions often encountered. This situation is made worse by some tour companies billing the trek to Point Lenana as an easy hike. Its not unknown for ill-prepared independent trekkers to get hopelessly lost on Mt. Kenya, sometimes with fatal results!

So when planning your trek up Mt. Kenya, it is important to realise that this is no small mountain: Point Lenana is just under 5000 metres- not much lower than the everest Base Camp in Nepal.

HOW TO GET THERE

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.