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90 km from Nairobi on the Nairobi–Nakuru highway

Kenyan highlands, east of the Rift Valley

A national park of about 52 km² around a young volcano, 90 km from Nairobi on the Nairobi–Nakuru highway. Gazetted in 1983, its main draw is the challenging hike up to and around the crater rim.

Africa's second-highest peak at 5,199 m, an extinct volcano about 193 km north-east of Nairobi. Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, first inscribed in 1997.

• The crater rim hike, with wide views over the crater
• A dense, secluded forest inside the crater
• A young stratovolcano that last erupted in 1863
• Its name comes from the Maasai Oloong'onot, the "mountain of spurs" or steep ridges

• Forested middle slopes, with alpine moorland and grassland above 3,000 m
• Twelve remnant glaciers, all receding rapidly
• Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Ngare Ndare Forest, also part of the World Heritage Site, with the world's largest resident population of Grevy's zebra

• Hiking
• Photography

KenyaPlus categories. Dark: only here among these places.

• Hiking
• Wildlife (only here among these)
• Photography

KenyaPlus categories. Dark: only here among these places.

At least 1 day

At least 2 days

~1½ h, about 80 km

~3 h, about 190 km

Long rains March–May (peak expected in April in 2026); short rains October–December.

For Nakuru County, the Kenya Meteorological Department expects above-average rainfall in October–December 2026, with rains already falling from September and continuing into January.

Long rains March–May (peak expected in April in 2026); short rains October–December.

For the Mount Kenya counties (Nyeri, Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga), the Kenya Meteorological Department expects above-average rainfall in October–December 2026, with rains starting in the 2nd to 3rd week of October and continuing into January.

KenyaPlus holds a fee record — see Mount Longonot National Park for figures and their label.

KenyaPlus holds a fee record — see Mount Kenya for figures and their label.

• Your fitness for a steep hike at altitude
• Water and sun protection for the climb
• Transport to and from the park gate

• Park entry fees and any climbing or guide requirements with the Kenya Wildlife Service
• Which gate and route you will use, and the road to it
• Fees and booking for Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, which is managed separately

• Mount Longonot: the crater rim hike

• Mount Kenya
• Aberdare National Park: moorland, forest and rare wildlife