Are you looking for amazing and breathtaking mountains in Kenya to visit?
Here are some of the most beautiful mountains of Kenya that you will absolutely fall in love with.
1. MOUNT KENYA
5,199 meters
This is without doubt one of the most beautiful mountains in Kenya.
North East of Nairobi, lying within Mount Kenya National park, your imagination will be filled with vivid images of awe-inspiring landscapes and the over-lush vegetation.
What strucks you, however, are the grand jagged summit peaks crowned with snow: Batian, Nelion and Lenana peaks.
Mount Kenya is also the highest mountain in Kenya as it overlooks a fascinating world of forest, montane vegetation and the world’s rarest sight; equatorial snow.
Before venturing off to the peaks afar, you will split your experience between the different routes used to access the peaks.
One is via Naro Moru, easily accessed from Nairobi by matatu or private transport. The most popular one is in Chogoria, throughout lush green pastures, calm glassy lakes and dusty martian landscapes.
The lesser peak of point, Lenana, is a much easier climb than the other two.
It is a 3-7 days hike depending on climber’s fitness levels.
And that means having the right gear for assistance in climbing. For instance; jackets for the cold weather, shoes for the harsh terrains… Despite that, it is the challenges presented when climbing that enthralls many climbers.
Along the way, it is an experience befitting all as it is a challenge to avoid stopping to admire all the panoramic views.
The cherry on top though is the wildlife:
- Tree hyrax
- Elephants
- Black rhinos
- Leopards etc.
And above all, the luxurious pristine accommodations to rest your weary legs, both for the climbers and non-climbers.
All the accommodations in Mount Kenya e.g. Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, are amazing places to recuperate and see the elegant side to Kenya’s beauty.
You won’t find anything to complain about since all the luxuries of nature and hospitality are right at your fingertips.
Yet it’s always about the sense of satisfaction one gets rising to the majestic peaks and having the whole of Kenya extend beneath your feet.
2. MOUNT ELGON
4,321 meters.
It is one of the mountains in Kenya at the far west of Kenya thus being a secluded splendor.
Mount Elgon, the second highest mountain in Kenya, is on the border of Uganda and Kenya.
The highest peak, Wagagai, is in Uganda while the other peak is in Kenya offering trekking possibilities too.
From the vast caldera crowning above to the Vegetation and wildlife, Mount Elgon could inspire a lifetime of adventures.
It is one of the extinct mountains in Kenya, a 24 million year old volcano making it the oldest extinct volcano in East Africa.
Its spacious foothills offer fresh, invigorating air and depending on the preferred terrain, you may see wildlife such as the white colobus monkeys, baboons and large colorful squawking birds.
Even so the biggest attraction are the wild elephants around Mount Elgon’s famous caves; Kitum,Ngwarisha , Chepnyalil and Makingeny.
These caves on the slopes of Mount Elgon have been personal salt mines for the elephants. What’s fascinating is the use of their tusks to break the salty rocks from the cave walls.
They are open to visitors, one of which has a waterfall cascading across the entrance.
Nothing possesses the purity and bliss of a mountain water course and streams so this is a sight to obsess over
Mount Elgon’s caldera is one of the largest intact calderas in the world and the view of the hot plains below from the top offers waves of euphoria.
It is yet another sight to behold and if it calls, grab your attire and explore the spectacularly endowed and timelessly enriched mountain.
3. MOUNT SATIMA
4,001 meters.
A dramatic scene of undulating valleys and hills with craggy rocks and around, a number of neighboring sharp volcanic cones called “The Dragon’s Teeth” is quite the first impression of Mount Satima.
As the third highest mountain in Kenya and the highest in Aberdare Ranges, it is the perfect hike for anyone whose forte is climbing. It is also known as OlDonyo El Satima.
It begins with a drive to the starting point of the hike which offers an array of wildlife such as
- The elusive serval cats
- Bushbucks
- Buffaloes
- Elephants
The easiest of the trails is Satima trail characterized by tussock grass curled by the wind, animal trails through marshes in the moorland with some rocky sections close to the summit.
It is the most scenic too, being gentle of the rocks and offering breathtaking views of the hilly horizons.
The rocky formations, the cool waters and the marshes become more pronounced the higher you climb and the more you approach “The Dragon’s Teeth”.
The rocks are baked brown in natural formations like something out of an ancient movie. That’s how Mount Satima slowly opens up to wonderland.
4. MOUNT KINANGOP
3,902 meters
Mount Kinangop is a dormant mountain in Kenya, south of the Aberdare Ranges within Aberdare National Park.
It overlooks the Kinangop plateau to the west and the Great Rift Valley beyond.
The trekking duration is 2 days. The climb from Njabini Forest Station as the starting point, will take you through a man-made forest to the moorland while the incline gets steeper.
Further along, you will be at the Elephant Hill peak, and past it, the landscape’s beauty unfolds before your eyes making the whole herculean task of climbing to get higher, worthwhile. Therefore the area between Elephant Hill and Kinangop peak is the ideal camping location.
From the moorland, follow the buffalo trails heading up a gentle climbing ridge towards the Kinangop peak.
You will push through tall grass and bushes and it gets steeper but the elation you get from the top view is livening.
You can even catch a glimpse of Mount Kenya in a distance and it is the climax to hysteria.
5. MOUNT LONGONOT
2,776 meters
This is one of the mountains in Kenya South East of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya is the sublime Mount Longonot. It’s Maasai name means “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges” and true to its name, the rim can be very jagged and the trails eroded and steepy.
Reality is, one must exercise extreme care and caution when attempting to scale the crater rim.
Climbing Mount Longonot presents climbers with a fascinating and inspiring day hike culminating into one of the best and thrilling views in Kenya!
Right in the mountain thick forest below, is home to various wildlife species primarily Thomson’s gazelle, buffaloes, hartebeest. The forest covers the whole crater floor.
It does require a good level of fitness to get to the summit of the crater, where the reward is idyllic environs of the fresh water Lake Naivasha, Great Rift Valley and other surroundings.
Hiking round the crater rim takes 2 hours added to the hours from the park gate to the crater rim itself making the whole hike approximately 4 hours.
It is an option though to take the round trip and prior hiking experience is not needed.
Hiking Mount Longonot offers a possible option to visit the nearby pristine Lake Naivasha which is home to over 400 different bird species and a number of hippos.
It is most definitely an abundant destination for birds. So tie your hiking boots and explore.
6. MOUNT MTELO
3,336 meters
Mount Mtelo is the fifth highest mountain in Kenya overlooking the Turkana plains on one side and Cherengani Hills on the other. It is popularly referred to as “the sacred mountain of the Pokot”.
A planned hike starts at Marich Pass Field Studies Center and it gives you a sense of a heartbeat of the mountain.
You will be forgiven for stopping constantly to take in the sights, sounds and smells of the surroundings.
It takes about 3 days to get to the summit and back down through a terrain of farmlands and forest. This is inclusive of a night or two at the Mtelo View Point Camp.
Scanning the mountains from below, only Mtelo and the peaks are forested. Beyond that, the area has been cleared in the last decade for subsistence farming.
When you start hiking, at a closer inspection, you might spot the rare lammergeyer bird (vulture).
There are only about 4 pairs in the country and they feed on bone marrow thus being a thrilling attraction.
It has a cool climate with lush landscapes which comes as a surprise to many first time visitors since they are less trodden areas. It is however a pleasant surprise.