MOUNT KENYA DAY HIKES

When I was first planning my month in Kenya, I contemplated a 3 or 4 day trek up Mt Kenya until I reminded myself that I am the guy who needs the third room. Instead, we did visit the Ndare Ngare Forest and the Sirimon Route Hike, but only did part of both.

Mount Kenya is Africa’s second highest mountain at 5,199m (17,058 feet) and the highest of all Kenya Mountains. On the Sirimon hike we started at around 10,000 feet and went up to 12,000 feet. I was surprised that I did not feel the elevation, but we had been in Nanyuki for a long enough time to be acclimated as it is at about 7000 ft.

We drove up to the trailhead at 10,000 feet. Along the hike, we mostly got flora and not fauna. The wildflowers and the few birds were most not the "big five", but it was still beautiful.

Our afternoon hike took place in the Ngare Ndare forest, a verdant indigenous forest located at the northern base of Mt. Kenya. At the base of the waterfalls, azure pools shimmer, and mature trees reach up into the canopy, providing habitat for a diverse array of birds and wildlife. This forest serves as a crucial corridor connecting the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and Northern Kenya to the Mount Kenya forest reserve, a route that elephants have traversed for centuries.

The Ngare Ndare Forest Trust is dedicated to the ongoing conservation of the Ngare Ndare forest and the advancement of the local communities. By preserving the forest as a vital water source in northern Kenya, the communities participate in decision-making processes to protect wildlife and natural resources, enhancing their quality of life.