Nairobi Attractions

Mount Kenya National Park

This national park encompasses Africa’s second highest mountain, Mt Kenya, an extinct volcano with a series of jagged snow-covered peaks. The local Kikuyu people revere the mountain they call Kirinvaga or ‘Place of Light’ as the home of their Supreme Being, Ngai, and traditionally Kikuyu homes are built to face the sacred summit. Part of the mountain’s attraction is the incredible variation in flora and fauna due to the changes in altitude and its position on the equator. The slopes are covered in thick forest, home to a variety of animals including the black leopard. Bamboo, moorland and alpine vegetation give way to rock, ice and one of the world’s rarest sights - equatorial snow. The summit is a technical climb, but Point Lenana is a popular trekkers’ objective, the third highest peak that can be reached by a number of different scenic routes, lasting from three to five days. For those not wishing to climb the mountain the park offers a pristine wilderness, lakes and glaciers and is good for game viewing and hiking.

Website: www.mck.or.ke; Telephone: 061 556 45; Transport: Two-hour drive from Nairobi; Admission: National Park entry: US$55 (adults), US$20 (children). There are concessions for residents and citizens of Kenya. Mountaineering fee: US$70 (adults), US$50 (children)