MT. KENYA

Africa’s second highest mountain, after Mt. Kilimanjaro .  This extinct volcano is estimated to be 2.5 million years old, while Kilimanjaro is 75, 000 years old.  Time has taken its toll on the former reducing the peak from 6,500 metres to 5199 metres today, while nature’s untiring eroding agents long ago eroded the crater.

Mt. Kenya is located 180 kilometres North of Nairobi within the Mount Kenya National Park.  The park, a protected area 3,200 metres above sea level was established in 1949 and covers an area of 715 sq km.  Surrounded by the Mt. Kenya National Reserve, the park is simultaneously a world heritage site and international biosphere reserve.

Mt.  Kenya is considered more <script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-9770610857642756"

     crossorigin="anonymous"></script> technically challenging than the higher Mt. Kilimanjaro (5894m) but those who make it to the top experience some of Africa ’s finest rock and ice climbing.  Halford Mackinder planned and led the first expedition on record to reach the summit in 1899.  His trip was successful and they discovered many animal and plant species then unknown in Europe .  A new species of eagle owl was first recorded by these climbers and subsequently named after Mackinder.

Mt.  Kenya lies on the equator; you will find snow, ice and even glaciers on it.  However, a century since Mackinder’s conquest, the number of glaciers has dropped from 18 to only seven today.  Lewis glacier, the largest is at 4,600m.  The continued retreat of the glaciers is expected to affect downstream ecosystems and the mountain scenic appeal.  Mt. Kenya is the source of River Tana and was formerly regarded as an inexhaustible water fountain.  Not any more thanks to loss of glaciers and forest cover.  How to save the forest encircling Mount Kenya has long engaged environmentalist Wangari Maathai, the 2004 Nobel peace prize winner, who was born on the mountains lower slopes.