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MOUNT KENYA NATIONAL PARK & RESERVE
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
Mt. Kenya is an imposing extinct volcano dominating
the landscape of the Kenyan Highlands, East of the Rift. Mt. Kenya lies about
140 km North,North-East of Nairobi with its Northern flanks across the Equator.
The
mountain has two main peaks - Batian (5200m) and Nelion (5188m). The mountains
slopes are cloaked in forest, bamboo, scrub and moorland giving way on the high
central peaks to rock, ice and snow. Mt. Kenya is an
important water catchment
area, supplying the Tana and Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. The park includes a
variety of habitats ranging from higher forest, bamboo,alpine moorlands, glaciers,
tarns and glacial morains.
The park, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a World
Heritage Site in 1997ans is also a Biosphere Reserve, covers 715 km2, and includes
the Peaks consisting of all the ground above 3200m with two small salients
extending
lower down to 2450m along the Sirimon and Naro Moru tracks. Surrounding the park
is Mount Kenya National Reserve with an area of approximately 2095 km2.
Climate:
Climate,
flora and fauna on Mt. Kenya varies with altitude.
HOW
TO GET THERE
Access Roads:
175 kms from Nairobi, the park
can be reached on Nanyuki-Isiolo road via Sirimon Track or Nyeri-Nanyuki road
near Naro Moru. The park is also reachable via Chogoria on the Embu - Meru road,
about 150km north of
Nairobi.
Airstrips:
The closest commercial
airstrip to the park is at Nanyuki.
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
Pristine wilderness,
lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks of great beauty,geological variety, forest, mineral
springs, rare and endangered species of animals, High altitude adapted plains
game, Unique montane and alpine
vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants.
FACILITIES
Huts:
Liki
North Hut; Minto's Hut; Austrian Hut; Mackinders Hut (managed by NaroMoru Lodge);
Judmare Hut; Shiptons Hut (managed by Mountain Rock Hotel).
Bandas:
Sirimon
Bandas, Warden's Cottage.
Lodges:
Mountain Lodge (Serena Hotels);
Rutundu Fishes Lodge (book through Lets
GoTravel) ACTIVITIES
Mountain
climbing, game viewing.
WILDLIFE
Reptiles:
Alpine
Meadow Lizard; lizards and skinks; montane viper.
Major
animals:
Baboon, Olive; Bat, Banana; Bongo; Buffalo African; Bushbuck;
Cat, AfricanWild; Civet, African; Colobus, Black and White; Dog, Hunting; Dormouse,African;
Duiker, Black-fronted; Duiker, Bush; Duiker, Red; Elephant,
African; Genet,
Large-spotted; Hare, African; Hog, Giant Forest; Hyaena,Spotted; Hyrax, Rock;
Hyrax, Tree; Jackal, Black-backed; Jackal,Side-striped; Klipspringer; Leopard;
Lion; Mongoose, Slender; Monkey,
Sykes; Otter, Clawless; Pig, Forest Bush;
Porcupine, Crested; Rat, Crested;Rat, Mt Kenya Mole; Reedbuck, Chanler's; Rhinoceros,
Black; Serval; Shrew,Mole; Suni; Zebra, Common.
Major
Birds:
Owl, Mackinder's Eagle; Owl, Cape Grass; Owl, African Wood;
Owl, AfricanMarsh; Owl, Abyssinian Long-eared; Oriole, Black-winged; Nightjar,Abyssinian;
Martin, African Sand; Martin, African Rock; Lanner;
Lammergeyer; Kite, European
Black; Kite, African Black; Kingfisher,Grey-headed; Kingfisher, Giant; Kestrel,
Lesser; Kestrel, European; Ibis,Green; Hornbill, Silvery-cheeked..
MT. KENYA
NATIONAL PARK & RESERVE COMMON
VEGETATION:
This varies with
altitude and rainfall, and there is a rich alpine and sub-alpine flora.Between
1200m and 1850m, the vegetation is mainly dry upland forest comprising
of Croton associations. Juniperus procera and Podocarpus
spp.are predominant
in the drier parts of the lower zone (below 2,500m), with rainfall between 875
and 1400mm (Naro Moru and Sirimon tracks on the western slopes). In wetter areas
(over 2200mm/year) in the south-west
and north-east, Cassipourea malosana
predominates.
Higher altitudes (2,500-3,000m with rainfall over 2000mm/year)
are dominated by a dense belt of bamboo Arundinaria alpina on south-eastern slopes,
and a mosaic of bamboo and Podocarpus milanjianus with bamboo at intermediate
elevations (2,600-2,800m), and Podocarpus at higher and lower elevations (2,800-3,000m)
and (2,500-2,600m).Towards the west and north of the mountain, bamboo becomes
progressively smaller and less dominant. There are also areas in zones of maximum
rainfall 2,000-3,500m with up to 2,400mm/year, where Hagenia abyssinica with Hagenia
revolutum predominate.
Above 3,000m, cold (low temperatures) become
a more important factor, treestature declines, and Podocarpus is replaced by Hypericum
spp. A more open canopy here results in a more developed understorey. Many of
the trees are festooned with mosses. Grassy glades are common especially on ridges.
Highaltitude heath between 3,000m and 3,500m is characterised by shrubs
withsmall leaves like African sage, Protea and Helicrysum.
The lower alpine
or moorland zone (3,400-3,800m) is characterized by high rainfall, a thick
humus layer, low topographic diversity, and low speciesrichness. Tussock grasses
Festuca pilgeri, and sedges Carex spp.predominate. Between the tussocks there
are Alchemilla cyclophylla,Alchemilla johnstonii, and Geranium vagans.
Above
the 3500m contour is theAfro-alpine zone, a moorland characterised by tussock
grasses, senecios and lobelias.
The upper alpinezone (3,800-4,500m) is
more topographically diverse, and contains a more varied flora. Many of the species
here are bizarre, especially the giant rosette plants Lobelia telekii and Lobelia
keniensis,Senecio keniodendron and Carduus spp.. Senecio brassica is found in
both the lower and upper alpine zone.
There are a variety of grasses on well-drained
ground and along the streams and river banks such as megaphytic Senecio battescombei
and Helichrysum kilimanjari.
Continuous vegetation stops at about 4,500m
although isolated vascular plants have been found at over 5,000m. There are
13 species endemic to Mount Kenya listed in Hedberg,(1951).
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