Baby elephant

Mount Kenya National Park

Sitting astride the equator, the icy summit of Mount Kenya climbs to 5,199 metres (17,058 feet) and it is only topped by Mount Kilimanjaro on the African continent. From ancient times the local Kikuyu people considered this remote and majestic wonderland as the home of Ngai or God and locally the mountain is known as Kirinyaga, or Place of Light.

The remnants of a long extinct volcano, the mountain reveals a fascinating range of biomes that vary as the altitude changes. The lower slopes are dry upland forest which give way to a dense bamboo belt combined with conifers at about 2,500 metres. There follows an upper forest of moss and lichen covered smaller trees and then a moorland zone of tussock and sedge. These lower altitude zones are populated by forest elephant, buffalo and the elusive bongo, a rare forest antelope as well as hyena, serval and leopard. The upper alpine zone is above the tree line and here rock hyraxes forage amongst the giant lobelia, some of which can approach 10 metres in height.

Adventurous visitors can attempt to climb the imposing mountain, and even those without special climbing skills can reach Lenana the third highest of Mount Kenya 's three peaks which stands at a height of 4986m (16,358ft.). Nelion and Batian are altogether more challenging and are for the experienced climber only.

t: 01625 440777 e: info@kenya-indepth.co.uk

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