Mountain Longnot National Park- best Kenya safaris

Mountain Longonot National Park is situated in the great African Rift Valley of Kenya southeast of Lake Naivasha and northwest of Nairobi the capital city of Kenya. The park’s famous tourist attraction is the gorgeous stratovolcano-Mountain longonot where the park sits and also derives its name. Mountain Longonot got its name from a Maasai word “oloongong’ot” which means mountain of numerous steep ridges or spurs. The park boosts for its attraction the impenetrable forest that lies within the crater of the mountain n, the crater and mountain longonot with an elevation of 2150 m and the peak at 2776 m (9108 ft), this mountain is said to have last erupted in the 1860s, it has a strata volcano offering large 8x 12 km caldera formed by eruption of trachytic lava.

Mountain longonot national park covers an area of 52 sq km (154 sq km) making it one of the smallest national parks among Kenya’s national park. The park is home to an incredible variety of wildlife, bird’s species and an amazing diverse landscape with jagged lava rocks, V-shaped valley and little vegetation of small trees and steam vents along some walls of the crater. Though the park is not renowned for its wildlife its ecosystem has a variety of them which include plain zebras, giraffes, Thomson’s gazelle, buffaloes, hartebeests, leopards, bushbucks, elands, lions and many others, Bird species are also in the park namely Egyptian vulture, common scimitar bill, spur-winged lapwing, black kite and African grey Hornbill, pied kingfisher, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, Kori bustard, montane nightjar and many others.

The park has an amazing trail that takes a 3.1 km from the park entrance up to the crater rim and continues for 7.2 km loop encircling the crater rim. On reaching the crater rim you will be rewarded with amazing views of the amazing Rift Valley all the way to the beautiful views of Lake Naivasha, this is a great way to get out and explore nature. Mount Longonot was gazetted in 1993 under the management of the Kenya Wildlife Services like most of Kenya’s national parks.

Mountain Longonot National park Wildlife

Mountain longonot national park has a variety of wildlife species that can be viewed even on your way to the rim, though the park is not renowned for its wildlife that is habited in its ecosystem which include buffaloes, grant’s gazelles, giraffes, zebras, elands, bushbucks, baboons, lions, leopards and so many others.

Birding

The park boosts for it number of different bird species like the notable Rift Valley birds like lanner falcon, Kori bustard, pied kingfisher, lesser Kestrel, Helmeted Guineafowl, Spur-winged lapwing, Cinnamon-chested bee-eater, montane nightjar, black kite, African grey Hornbill, Egyptian Vulture, common scimitar bill, Augur Buzzard, Verreaux’s eagle.

Mountain Longonot National Park Attraction

The Park’s Spectacular Scenery

The park provides a hike to the rim of the volcano which is a very rewarding spot with views of Hell’s gate national park another interesting tourist destination you shouldn’t miss out visiting, views of large section of the southern Rift Valley, Mountain Kenya, Aberdare mountains are also spotted from a distance and the amazing Lake Naivasha, you guaranteed to spot many Kenya’s tourist destinations in one place. A visit at those places should also be considered.

Trek to the summit

The spectacular trek to the summit which extends all over the crater rim, it gives a greater chance to explore the nature and get out.

Activities at Mountain longonot national park

Mountain climbing

Pass through a 1’9 mi(3.1km) trail to the mountain and the crater rim, you should carry enough water and a person is required to be reasonably fit in order to engage in this tiresome activity because the trail is rugged and steep, hikers continue for a 7.2 km loop to complete the trek.

Game Viewing

Mountain longonot has just enough wildlife compared to other Kenya national parks which are home to a variety of wildlife species, most of the wildlife lives in the dense forests of the crater, wildlife species like buffaloes, grant’s gazelles, giraffes, zebras, elands, bushbucks, baboons, lions will be spotted and many others.

Bird-watching

Cycling

Mountain biking longonot olorado, You will cycle around the circuit road towards the volcanic lava flow, this activity is guided by park rangers that know the trails the park best, you get closer encounter with wildlife and nature, bikes are availed at the park headquarters for hire.

Mountain Longonot National park Accommodations

Mountain longonot national park has no established accommodation with in it yet but rather provides a camping ground called Olongonot campground, it is just a few meters the park entrance gate on the way to the crater, it offers clean running water, camping tents, toilets but campers are required to carry their own camping gears. Tourists who want to get luxury accommodation they’re found in the near by towns.

Best time to visit the Mountain Longonot National park

Mountain Longonot National Park is open all year round and welcomes visitors but just like other Kenyan national park it is best to be visited during the dry season in the months of January-March and July to October, Activities like hiking mount longonot, game viewing are best done in the dry seasons, road are accessible and the vegetation isn’t very thick.

mt longonot national park location

Mountain longonot national park can be accessed via road. It is just 60 km northwest of Nairobi is mt longonot national park location and the closest town to the park longonot, you can drive to the park via a tarmacked road for about 3-4-hour drive.

Mountain Longonot National Park