Mount Kenya National Park and Reserve protects 715 square kilometres of Africa’s second-highest mountain (5,199 metres). A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mount Kenya is an ancient extinct volcano whose peaks — Batian, Nelion, and Lenana — offer some of the continent’s most spectacular mountain scenery.
The mountain supports distinct vegetation zones as altitude increases: dense montane forest gives way to bamboo, then to alpine moorland covered with giant lobelias and groundsels — bizarre plants found nowhere else on Earth. These afro-alpine zones create an otherworldly landscape that captivates trekkers and botanists alike.
Point Lenana (4,985m) is the most commonly summited peak, achievable by fit trekkers without technical climbing skills. The main trekking routes — Sirimon, Chogoria, and Naro Moru — each offer different landscapes and challenges, with the Chogoria route widely considered the most scenic.
Wildlife in the lower forests includes elephants, buffalo, black rhinos, and the rare bongo antelope, while the higher zones support rock hyrax, sunbirds, and alpine species. The mountain’s glaciers, while retreating, remain a powerful reminder of climate change impacts on tropical mountains.