Mt Longonot is the best place for hiking and wildlife gazing

At the south east of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley is Mount Longonot.

‘Longonot’ is derived from ‘oloonong’ot’, a Maasai word meaning “mountain of many spurs” or steep ridges.

Mt Longonot is 60 kilometres northwest of Nairobi and can easily be reached using a tarmac road which leads to nearby Longonot Town.

The town, which is south of the mountain is home to the country’s most famous satellite earth stations.

UNIQUE RIDGES

Mt Longonot crater has bushes and streams. Locals say the mountain erupted in the 1860s. Lava flows left unique ridges on its sides.

The mountain rises above 750 metres on the floor of the Great Rift Valley and can be seen by anyone driving from Nairobi.

From the road, one is guaranteed different viewpoints of this amazing natural feature.

A trek around the mountain can take approximately four to five hours.

The trail presents you with a panoramic view of the Great Rift Valley floor, Lake Naivasha and the overlooking escarpments.

Once you’re up, you get a beautiful view of the crater and the Rift Valley.

Mt Longonot National Park was formed around the mountain and offers a rich recipe of activities that include hiking, rock climbing, biking and observing birds and wildlife.

A visitor is likely to encounter a variety of animals, including giraffes, zebras, buffaloes, Grant and Thomson gazelles, warthogs and different species of birds.

Leopards have also been reported though they are extremely rare.

NATURE'S TREASURE

The park was formed to encourage tourism around the mountain.

There are scenic but challenging gulleys on the trail where most animals hide.

To anyone on the Naivasha-Mai Mahiu road, the gaping Mt Longonot is nature’s treasure. One gets a fantastic view of the Great Oloongonot Crater.

The trail up the mountain is steep. Scaling Mt Longonot is a feat for the strong-willed as it leaves one exasperated.

The crater floor is lined with small shrubs and stem roles, evidence of volcanic activities.

A guide is recommended for visitors as an encounter with a wandering buffalo can turn tragic.

While driving on the Maai Mahiu-Naivasha road, one can take a glimpse of other great tourist attractions like Lake Naivasha, which is home to more than 400 species of birds and a large population of hippos.

Hell’s Gate is known for its scenic rocks, hiking and even camping. Good news for visitors. The national park is only stone-throw away from the mountain.

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