Have you ever been in a situation where you have always admired beautiful scenery from far away? That’s me visiting Mount Longonot is a dream come true. I have been longing to see Mount Longonot up close. The view from afar made the desire even stronger and raised some curiosity about what it would look like up close.
Mount Longonot is a mountain with a very scenic view from afar and up close. It is a stratovolcano which means it is a conical volcano built up by many layers which are strata of hardened lava and tephra. It is also known as a composite volcano. This happens in a period of ten hundreds of thousands of years.
The circular shape at the top will leave you wondering what is inside and the desire to find out what it looks like inside the crater.
Mount Longonot National Park is a park filled with exciting adventures worth finding out. There is the great mountain, with a crater at the top, wildlife, and a dense forest of acacia trees and bushes especially in the wet season. The trail to the mountain is full of savannah vegetation.
Related: Kijabe Hills Hiking Guide, Trails and Directions
ACTIVITIES IN MOUNT LONGONOT
- Nature walk
From the entrance, before getting to the foot of the mountain you can enjoy a walk around the park. You will walk around the flat land mainly consisting of grassland and shrubs, with a lot of leleshwa bushes and acacia trees.
This will not just give you a boring walk around the grass. You will enjoy watching the giraffes, buffaloes, Thompson gazelle, and impala grazing in the grassland. The walk is just worth it. Note that you should give the animals their space and do not feed them.
- Cycling
This is another great adventure for you. You will have great exercise cycling around enjoying the view of nature and the wildlife grazing on the roadside.
You can carry your bike or rent one. This is a great way to enjoy your visit here apart from mountain climbing.
- Picknicks
The best place for you to have a little picnic is after climbing the mountain at the summit of the mountain. This will be like a form of reward after the strenuous climb up. The view at the summit gives the best site for a small picnic as you bond with family and friends after the hike.
- Mountain Climbing
This the main activities we all look up to here. The aim is always to reach the summit and enjoy the breathtaking view of the crater, the view down there, and the escarpment around. Very beautiful and amazing.
When you are climbing for the first time it is even more fun because you can’t wait to reach up there and know what is in the crater. You will be tempted to even go inside the crater to know more but it is too steep going down inside it and not allowed. But you can have different views of the crater as you walk around.
- Photoshoot
Creating every moment of your adventures is always a must. When coming here carry the camera and get ready to capture great moments and beautiful scenery. The view from up on the mountain of the Great Rift Valley and its escarpment is just amazing something you can’t miss to capture.
The beautiful scenery of the crater is very scenic. You can’t forget the wildlife around just a full package of adventure.
- Game viewing
Apart from you viewing the game while cycling or having a nature walk, you can also go for a game drive. This is very essential especially when viewing dangerous animals like lions and leopards.
A drive to see the wildlife will give you more options for wildlife. The game guides will be in a position to give you more wildlife options to see and take photos of because they know where the animals hide or take a rest during the day.
HIKING TRAILS AT MOUNT LONGONOT
The hiking distance is a total of 13.5 km, with the highest elevation of 2780 meters and a low elevation of approximately 2150 meters. The hike will take you 4-6 hours with resting time. This time may vary if you are a slow hiker or a fast hiker.
- The flat savannah trail.
This a very easy trail, since the trail is flat. Hiking this trail will require you to wake up early before the sun is up. To beat the sun or to hike the trail before the sun is too hot. This is the starting point of the hike up the mountain.
- Hike up the mountain.
As you start climbing the mountain just a short distance the view of the savannah and the escarpment will start popping up. This is just to encourage you if such a short distance has such a view what about after climbing higher up?
A short distance into the climb there are some stairs to make your climbing easy up the mountain. This is also a form of encouragement to keep climbing since the stairs are not there to the summit of the mountain.
The stairs were also meant for kids who want a better view of the Great Rift Valley and scenic surroundings from a better view, that is a higher point. Kids from the age of 7 years and above can climb up.
After the stairs, you will come across a little picnic area with a shade and concrete seating area. This is a nice place where you can have a rest and a small picnic with family and friends. From the shade, the view is just breathtaking. You can take the chance and have some rest before embarking on the more challenging levels of the hike.
When you start your hike very early in the morning some parts of the mountain will be covered with fog. As the day unfolds the fog will clear up revealing the mountain and you will be surprised by how steep the mountain is. Start your hike early so that you can have an easy time before the heat from the sun hits.
The hike as you go higher and higher will become steep and rocky. Here you will need to equip yourself with the hiking spirit to reach the summit at all costs. The results I promise you are just worth it.
- The hike around the rim
When you reach the summit your jaw will just drop with the view inside the crater and down where you have come from. It is something you will look up to. My curiosity at this point was fed but I still could not resist the urge to go down there in the crater.
The distance around the rim is 7.1 km. If you have enough energy after the hike up the mountain, this is another adventure to give a try. The hike around the rim will give you a view of inside the crater from different points. You will also have a chance to see other attractions like Lake Naivasha from here.
When you walk around the rim when it is still foggy at some point you will feel like you are in the clouds. This is like a dream come true of one day reaching the clouds. When the summit is foggy it will be hard to see down there from the mountain that is from some point but at other points of the rim you can see down the mountain.
Some paths around the rim are rocky and steep. Therefore it is not all flat around the rim. The walk around the rim is safe there are no wild animals here but you can meet monkeys. There are different peaks around the rim and it is hard to tell which peak is the highest. The peaks will get you out of your comfort zone. They are steep and rocky.
- The trail down the mountain
I know in every hike you have gone going down the mountain is always easy. Many people find it easier to go down a mountain than up. Here it is different. Going down Mount Longonot is difficult. At some point, you will be forced to squat and just slide down.
A nice shoe with a good grip comes in handy while going down because it is steep and slippery. The trails are also really dusty. If your childhood intrusive thoughts win here, you will enjoy sliding down the mountain on the dusty part. The rocky parts I will not recommend.
You will need to be careful and attentive while going down since it is very slippery and we want you safe down there. You need to take your time going down the mountain.
When the sun finally comes out it will reveal the beautiful mountain and the scenic view below. I highly recommend you to go on a hike up the mountain early to experience the foggy view and finally the sunrise.
Related: Ngare Ndare: Hiking, Wildlife, and Camping Adventures
ATTRACTIONS AT MOUNT LONGONOT
There are many attraction sites for you to look forward to while visiting Mount Longonot;
- The volcanic crater
You can see it clearly once you get to the summit of the mountain. This is what I was longing to see the most.
- Lake Naivasha
You can see it from the summit of the mountain. If you intend to stay longer you can visit the lake and see it closely and even enjoy boat rides. You can also buy fish and eat it there or take it home to enjoy with your family.
- Other attractions
You will enjoy the beautiful view of the Great Rift Valley. The landscapes around the volcano. From the summit, you will have a great view of the volcanic landscape with savannah grass and acacia trees. The landscape is given a unique view by the wildlife grazing on it. Just scenic.
The whole view of Mount Longonot National Park and its surroundings stretches far on a clear day giving you a beautiful photographic view.
You will not miss the scenic view of the Ngong Hills from afar. A place I recommend you to visit for another hiking adventure.
LOCATION OF MOUNT LONGONOT AND HOW TO GET THERE
You can get to Mount Longonot through the road. From Nairobi via A104 and Kamandura-Mai Mahiu-Narok RD/B3 is 74.4km approximately 1 hour and 48 minutes.
From Nairobi via Kamandura-Mai Mahiu-Narok RD/B3 it is 78.7km and approximately 1 hour 49 minutes.
From Nairobi via Limuru RD and Kamandura-Mai Mahiu-Narok RD/B3, it is 75.3km and approximately 1 hour 56 minutes.
Using public transport, you can board a matatu from Nairobi-Naivasha via Mai Mahiu and ask them to drop you off at Longonot Centre. From here to Mount Longonot you will have a 20 minutes walk.
WILDLIFE AND NATURE AT MOUNT LONGONOT
Some of the animal species you will at Mount Longonot National Park are; buffaloes, bushbucks, giraffes, grant gazelles, elands, leopards, and lions. It is hard to see lions and leopards but the grazers that are giraffes, buffaloes, gazelles, and impala you can easily see them grazing on the grassland.
Some of the bird species you will see are; Egyptian goose, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, Scaly Francolin, and Yellow-necked Francolin among other species.
CAMPING AT MOUNT LONGONOT
You can consult with the Kenya Wildlife Services guides at the park about camping what you need and what they will offer. Do not forget to ask about your security while camping at the park. You should do the consultation before planning to go camping at the park.
Alternatively, you can consider camping at the nearest park which is Hell’s Gate National Park in campsites like; Nairbuta campsite and Endachata campsite.
There is also another camping area you can consider and a chance to explore more. You can try the Lake Naivasha campsites like; The Fisherman’s Camp at the southern shore of Lake Naivasha, the Lake Naivasha Crescent Camp which offers luxurious tents and a great view, and also Camp Carnelley’s.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT MOUNT LONGONOT
The surroundings of Mount Longonot have warm weather. Therefore you can visit the park any season of the year. The best season to many is during the dry season which is from January-March and July-October during this season it is warm and the mountain is easily accessible.
During the wet season, you can also visit and enjoy the green vegetation covering the flat landscape and the vegetation covering the mountain. Very beautiful and also the dust on the trails is not there during the wet season. The wet season is; the long rains from April- to the beginning of July and short rains from November- to December.
For you to have a productive hiking experience be in the park early to have enough time to experience the whole hike and also to avoid the heat of the sun while hiking. This will give you an easy time in your hike up and down the mountain.
ACCOMMODATION AROUND MOUNT LONGONOT NATIONAL PARK
1, Elwai visitor center, at Jaguar filling station, Kayawe Road off C88 Old Naivasha road.
2, Sweet Water Resort at Moi South Lake Rd, Karagita, Naivasha.
3, Lake Naivasha Resort at Moi Southlake Road, off Mai Mahiu Road, Naivasha.
ENTRY FEE TO MOUNT LONGONOT NATIONAL PARK
| ADULT | CHILDREN | |
| CITIZEN | 300 | 215 |
| RESIDENT | 300 | 215 |
| NON RESIDENTS | 26$ | 17$ |
TRAVEL INFORMATION TO MOUNT LONGONOT NATIONAL PARK
Before you get into this adventure you must ensure you have a good shoe with a nice grip since the trail up the mountain are steep and slippery. Ensure you park sunscreen since the weather is hot here, sunglasses, and a hat.
Pack enough snacks for energy and a lot of water. The hike up the mountain may be strenuous make sure you are fit for a long hike up the mountain. Be prepared for the hike up the mountain because it is challenging.
If it is your first time in the park or your first time in Kenya you can take along a tour guide at a fee. The tour guide will show you the trails up the mountain and also protect you.
This is a hike like no other and the scenes are just amazing. The view of the crater, The Great Rift Valley, and the landscape at the bottom of the mountain is just amazing. Every scene will leave your mouth wide open. Join me and embark on this adventure to feed your curiosity about this stratovolcanic mountain.