Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian (5,199 metres), Nelion (5,188 metres) and Point Lenana (4,985 metres).
Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, the heart of Kenya, around 180 kilometres north of Nairobi. Mount Kenya is the source of the name of the Republic of Kenya.
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 mountain’s 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 is also an International Biosphere Reserve, covers 715 km2, includes the Mountain and consists 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 Forest Reserve with an area of approximately 2095 km2
There are several vegetation bands from the base to the summit. The lower slopes are covered by different types of forest. Many alpine species are endemic to Mount Kenya, such as the giant lobelias and senecios and a local subspecies of rock hyrax. An area of 715 km2 (276 sq mi) around the centre of the mountain was designated a National Park[ and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The park receives over 16,000 visitors per year many of them climbing through the beautiful landscape to Point lenana (the trekkers summit) 4985m.
For experienced mountain climbers there is rock climbing opportunity to the 2 higher peaks of Nelion and Batian. Climbing Mount Kenya typically takes between 4 to 6 days depending on the fitness levels of the climber.