Location: 150 -175 km  North of from Nairobi depending on the route taken. It lies in the Central and Eastern Provinces of Kenya.

History: Established as a park in 1949 to preserve the area’s natural, outstanding beauty. As well as to conserve the animal habitat and protect it as a water catchment area and encourage tourism. Initially it was a forest reserve before being announced as a national park. Currently the national park is within the forest reserve which encircles it. In April 1978 the area was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The national park and the forest reserve, combined, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

Size: Mount Kenya National Park covers 715km² and the forest reserve at the base covers a further 705km².

Geography/ Habitats: 
Mount Kenya stands a magnificent 5199m (17,057 feet) above sea level, dominating the view for miles around with an eroded crater rim that has formed several peaks surrounded by pristine wilderness, glaciers and mountain lakes. The lower slopes of the park are spectacularly domed with rainforest and dense thickets of bamboo, while higher up the flora changes dramatically: moorland and giant lobelia and heather.
The vegetation can be divided into 3 primary zones as you ascend: the rocky peak area, which is actually an eroded volcanic plug with its mantle of glaciers and snowfields; the alpine zone with its distinctive giant vegetation; and the vast gentle lower slopes drenched in mountain forest and bamboo. 

Animals: The majority of animals live lower down on the slopes of Mount Kenya where there is more vegetation and the climate is less extreme. The forests are home to elephant, buffalo, monkeys, antelope and giant forest hog, tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose, mole rat, bushbucks, water buck, monkeys, porcupine and eland. The hyena, leopard and lion are also rare sights. The mountain hyrax and common duiker can be found at higher altitudes.

Of interest: Mountain climbing, wildlife viewing, camping, cave exploration.