Mount Kenya National Park
In the highlands north of the equator lies Mount Kenya, the highest mountain in the country and the second highest mountain in Africa. The mountain is a dormant volcano of a few million years old.
The original crater was more than 6100 meters high and 120 kilometres in diameter, but is strongly eroded. Most erosion occurred during two periods when glaciers split the top in half . The top actually consists of two snowy peaks, the Batian (5199m) and Nelion (5188m), which are separated by a narrow gap and surrounded by a complex system of peaks, glaciers and edges.
The mountain is covered with dense forests. The ecological diversity is one of its main attractions. One can find camphor, cedar, and bamboo, while the elephant, rhino, buffalo and leopard roam the surrounding areas. Mount Kenya is seen by the Kikuyu tribe as the kingdom of Ngai, one of their gods. Originally, all of the Kikuyu homes are built with the opening towards the top of this holy mountain. They call it Kirinyaga, or "place of light". The National Park was established in 1949 and since 1997 it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
