| MT KENYA | | | | by Halford Mackinders. At the moment the mountain |
| Kenya is located in the eastern part of Africa. It has | | | | attracts several thousand climbers both local and |
| an area of about 150,000 square kilometers. It is a | | | | international annually. It is this popularity, which has |
| very popular tourist destination and also a hotspot | | | | contributed to the deterioration of the environment |
| for climbing and hiking. In the central highlands a | | | | and the litter accumulation. |
| couple of hundred kilometers north of the equator | | | | At the base and around this mountain are famous |
| lays Mt.Kenya. It is here, where the Kikuyu god ngai | | | | hotels such as the Mount Kenya Safari Club, |
| resides. It is the highest mountain in Kenya and the | | | | Outspans, Naro Moru River Lodge, Treetops, |
| second highest in Africa. It is one of the few places | | | | Mountain Lodge, Bantu Lodge and several others. |
| near the equator on Africa with permanent glaciers. | | | | Tourists who do not wish to climb often visit the |
| The name of the country has been known to have | | | | hotels for the view, luxury accommodation, fresh air |
| been derived from Mt.Kenya which was formerly | | | | and the tranquil atmosphere. |
| known as Mount Kirinyaga. | | | | Compared to Mt. Kenya Africa's highest mountain |
| The mountain is located 180 kilometers north of | | | | Kilimanjaro is a relatively easy climb and the main |
| Nairobi and it can often be seen from high-rise | | | | summit of Uhuru peak (5895m) can be reached by |
| buildings in Nairobi and from Thika. It is an extinct | | | | most climbers. The mountain, though the highest is |
| volcano, which formed a couple of million years ago. | | | | relatively a boring climb with not much scenery or |
| The mountain is located in the Mount Kenya National | | | | change in landscape. The origin of the name |
| Park, which is a designated protected area around | | | | Kilimanjaro still remains a mystery and is thought |
| the mountain above 3200m altitude. The Kenya | | | | mean a great hill in Kiswahili. It is also thought that |
| Wildlife Service manages the park. The national park | | | | Mount Kilimanjaro once belonged to Kenya up until |
| covers an area of 700 square kilometers and was | | | | the division of the British empire in East Africa when |
| established in 1949. | | | | the Queen of England altered the border of the two |
| Kenya enjoys an equatorial climate with average | | | | nations to accommodate the mountain onto Tanzania. |
| annual temperatures of about 26oC and diurnal | | | | After that local history has it that the presidents of |
| temperatures of about 3oC. There are two rainy | | | | the two nations agreed on a trade; Mount |
| seasons on the mountain from April-June and | | | | Kilimanjaro will be part of Kenya if Kenya hand over |
| October-December. The mountain is an important | | | | Mombasa to Tanzania which did not happen as Kenya |
| water catchment area and many rivers such as the | | | | would loose a strategic port and its second largest |
| Naro Moru emerge from the melting glaciers. | | | | city. |
| The first documented ascent of the mountain was | | | | |