Mount Longonot national park
Mount Longonot national park
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A majestic volcano in Kenya.
Mount Longonot National Park has an imposing volcano that rises about 70 kilometres northwest of Nairobi, in the famous Great African Rift Valley. With a height of 2,776 metres, it is a popular attraction for adventure seekers and nature lovers.
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The volcano has a unique shape that resembles a huge crater. In fact, Mount Longonot is a stratovolcano, the top of which forms a caldera that extends over a diameter of about 7 kilometres. Inside this caldera is another smaller crater, about 1.8 kilometres in diameter.
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What to see and do:
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Mount Longonot offers a variety of outdoor activities. One of the most popular activities is the hike to the top of the volcano. The hiking trail leads along the steep slopes with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. From the top of Mount Longonot you have a spectacular panoramic view of Lake Naivasha, the Great Rift Valley Escarpment and the surrounding plains.
The hike usually takes about 4-5 hours for the ascent and 2-3 hours for the descent. Along the way you will encounter a fascinating variety of plant and animal life, including giraffe, zebra, antelope and several species of birds. It is advisable to hire an experienced guide for this tour.
For those looking for even more thrills, Mount Longonot offers the opportunity to descend into the crater. However, this requires a special permit and the accompaniment of an experienced guide. The crater itself is home to a unique landscape with fascinating rock formations.
During the hike you can observe major wildlife attractions including buffaloes, elands, lion, leopard, bushbucks, common zebra, giraffe, Grant’s gazelles and different bird species.
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How to get there:
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From Nairobi, take the A104 north-west. Follow the A104 until you reach the Kamandura / Mai Mahiu/Narok B3 exit .Follow the B3 to Mai Mahiu. There you follow Old Naivasha Rd C88 towards Naivasha.
20 km before Naivasha, look out for the Longonot National Park signs and turn left onto the Mt Longonot Hiking Trail until you reach the park entrance.
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Climate:
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Mount Longonot National Park weather conditions are hot and dry.
The annual average temperature is 25 ° to about 30 °C the lowest to about 20 °C.
The average annual rainfall is about 450 mm.