May 05, 2012 admin Featured, Top Attractions 0
Mt. Kenya is the jewel in the crown of the central Kenya circuit with gleaming snow-white peaks, it is the only massif to straddle the Equator, which runs 17 Kms from the highest peak. The mountain’s imposing height of 17,058 ft makes it the second in Africa after Kilimanjaro and the first in Kenya.The picturesque majestic landscape located 180 Kms north of Nairobi city is unique and listed among the world’s most impressive landscapes. It was inscribed on the World Heritage Site list in 1997 by the 21st session of the World Heritage Committee.
Mt. Kenya is a rich biodiversity and an outstanding example of ecological processes. At the summit, it has three rugged peaks and four secondary peaks sitting on U-shaped glacial valleys. There are twelve remnant glaciers receding rapidly that feed thirty two enchanted jades and tarns in the moorlands.
It is endowed with an alpine desert and moorland between 11,000 – 15,000 ft contours covered with giant tussock grass, water filled lobelia and groundsels endemic only to its bog and marshes.
Mt. Kenya Fact File
Wildlife
Mt.Kenya has 6 species of large mammals of international conservation interest i.e. elephants, black rhino, leopard, giant forest hog, bongo and black fronted duiker.
Others are ungulates e.g. bush buck, deffassa waterbuck, red and grey duikers, Cape buffalo, small animals like tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose and the rock hyr endemic to Mt. Kenya.
Primates
Black and white Columbus monkeys, olive baboon and Sykes monkeys.
Birdlife
Has over 130 bird species which include malachite sunbird, cliff chat, verreaux eagle, augur buzzard, lammergeyer eagle and Mackinder’s eagle.
Attractions
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