Mount Kenya

Historical background of a 17,058-foot dormant volcano with a glistening cap of ice and snow.

Mount  Kenya is a mountain cocktailed with numerous intrinsic worth of significance and an attractive proposal for a Kenya tour. Its native appeal have carried its lure to every generation whether past, present or those that their fate of existence is eagerly awaiting. Of utmost importance is the cultural heritage and belief of the ‘Agikiyu’ also known as Kikuyu who trace their roots from this magnicent dome.
This icon in the land tropical land is located sixteen kilometers south of equator.
It raises 5199m above see level making it the second highest mountain in Africa and the highest in Kenya. The highest peaks are Batian and Nelion – only mountaineers with technical skills can reach it.
Dr. Edward Krapt was the first white man to see the snow peaks on the equator and by spotting the glaciers of Mt. Kenya from a great distance he was motivated to find out more about the episode. Curious of such an historic and fulfilling phenomena, he asked a Kamba elder of the name of the mountain. Unable to pronounce Kirinyaga, the Kamba elder said Kiinyaa and Krapt translated it as Kenya thus the name up to date.
Formation of Mount Kenya
They say “During ancient creation days, a dense cloud stood over the land as Ngai descended to earth and made his dwelling upon the snow-capped peaks of Mt. Kenya. Then Ngai beckoned Gikuyu to the consecrated mountain and gave him the land around Kirinyaga (Mt. Kenya) as an inheritance and treasure for Him and his descendants. Then Gikuyu went to an orchard of sacred fig trees. While resting, Gikuyu found a beautiful woman who He gave her the name Mumbi and took her for his wife. They were then hallowed with nine daughters who later grew into very beautiful women.
Each daughters generation came together to form a clan thus the nine Kikuyu clans. From the tribute of Gikuyu and Mumbi and in the honor of Ngai, the Kikuyu’s build their houses with doors facing Mountains Kenya. It is also not uncommon to see Kikuyu burying their dead relatives with head facing Kirinyaga.
Mount Kenya National Park
Mount Kenya is bounded by a national park called by the same name. The park, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1997 and is a Biosphere Reserve, covers 715 sq km, and includes the Peaks consisting of all the ground above 3200m with two small salients extending lower down to 2450m along the Sirimon and Naro Moru tracks. Surrounding the park is approximately 2095 sq km.
The park has incredible attractions such as; 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.
Mountain Vegetation at Mount Kenya
The vegetation varies with altitude and rainfall, and there is a rich alpine and sub-alpine flora making the mountain beautiful and live almost to the peaks. Part of the mountain’s fascination is the variation in flora, including Giant Groundsel and Lobelia, and fauna as the altitude changes. The lower slopes are covered with dry upland forest, the true montaine forest begins at 2,000m is mainly cedar and podo. At 2,500m begins a dense belt of bamboo forest which merges into the upper forest of smaller trees, interspersed with glades. In this area the trees are festooned with high altitude lichen.
These forest belts are host to many different animals and plants with at least 11 unique species. Game to view includes: Black and White Colobus and Sykes Monkeys, bushbuck, Rock and rock Hyrax, Greater galago, white tailed, buffalo, elephant and lower down Olive Baboon, waterbuck, Black Rhino, black fronted duikers, leopard, giant forest hog, genet cat, bush pig and hyena. More elusive is the bongo, a rare type of forest antelope. A number of other rarer species can be found here: Suni Antelope, Mt. Kenya Mole Rat, skinks (lizard), Montane Viper and a variety of owls. Occasional sightings have been recorded of albino zebra.