Mt. Kenya National Park is located to the east of the Great Rift Valley, about 175km North-East of Nairobi. The ecosystem lies in Central and Eastern provinces of Kenya.
At 5,199m the mountain is the second highest peak in Africa. Mt. Kenya is an important water tower in the country. It provides water for about 50% of the country’s population and produces 70% of Kenya’s hydroelectric power.
UNESCO inscribed Mount Kenya as a World Heritage Site. Its described as one of the most impressive landscapes in Eastern Africa with its rugged glacier-clad summits, Afro-alpine moorlands and diverse forests that illustrate outstanding ecological processes.
ACCESS:Roads: 175 Kms from Nairobi, 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.
Airstrips: The closest commercial airstrip to the park is at Nanyuki
SIZE / LOCATION: 2800 sq.km / East of the Rift Valley. Mt. Kenya lies about 140 km North, North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator
CLIMATE: Climate, flora and fauna on Mt. Kenya varies with altitude
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS: Pristine wilderness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks of great beauty, geological variety, forest, mineral springs, rare and endangered species of animals, High altitude adapted plains game, Unique montane and alpine vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants.
WILDLIFE: Include Elephants, tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose, suni, black fronted duiker, mole rat, bushbucks, water buck and Elands. Animas rarely seen include leopard, bongo, giant forest hog and rhino.
BIRDS: Over 130 bird species have been recorded.
WHERE TO STAY: Batian Guesthouse Sirimon Bandas
ACTIVITY OPTIONS: Game viewing, Camping, Mountain Climbing, Cave Exploration
Recommended Tipping Guidelines:
Those who have climbed Mt Kilimanjaro before or any other mountain in East Africa know that without the hard work and strength of the mountain crew, one would not be able to fully experience the magnificence of the mountain. At Naomi Grace Tours, we pay our crew more than the salary suggested by the Kilimanjaro National Park and Tanzania Tour Operator Association. However, many crew also heavily depend on tips to support their families. The following are recommended daily rates for the entire group to tip per staff member:
Senior guide - $20 – 30 / day Assistant guide - $15 – 25 / day Cook - $12 – 15 / day Waiter - $10 – 12 /day Porter - $8 – 10 / day Summit porter - $12 – 15 / day Toilet crew - $10 – 12 / day
* These are estimates and actual numbers may vary depending on the needs of the group.
It is ideal to have a tipping ceremony with the climbers and crew on the last day on the mountain. Ideally tips should be given to the individual crew members directly to ensure the full amount of the tip is received.