Mt Longonot National Park is located in Nakuru County, 90km from Nairobi city in the Great Rift Valley. The Mt. Longonot National Park is a popular park for hiking and mountain climbing (going by the number of people I saw up the trail) that takes less than 3-4hrs to climb up and down. It’s a beginner friendly undertaken by school children, old men and women, church groups, youths.

Rising from the floor of the Great Rift Valley like a monolith is the extinct volcano of Mount Longonot. A unique feature is the thick forest that lies within the crater of the mountain. The crater rim also provides great scenic views across the beautiful Rift Valley all the way to Lake Naivasha. During the hike the weather was not sunny making it a very comfortable hike. But as we went up we were covered with thick clouds that the visibility of the mountain and its beautiful features were all covered. As the day unfolded, we were rewarded with intervals of sunshine, where we could view inside the crater and the neighboring Lake Naivasha, Kenton hill and more.

A 3.1 km trail runs from the park entrance up to the crater rim, and continues in a 7.2 km loop encircling the crater. The whole hike up the crater rim, around the rim and back to the gate is about 13km and takes about 4 to 5 hours allowing for necessary rest breaks. The terrain is so rugged due to the massive erosion, with narrow tunnel-like pathways, loose volcanic soil and some parts are very steep. It’s at the rim that you hike the summit that is 2780M above sea level.

Mount Longonot gets its name from its physical features – the Maasai word oloonong’ot, meaning “mountains of many spurs” or “steep ridges”.

The main attractions of the park include the extinct volcano and crater forest and the views of Lake Naivasha and the Great Rift Valley and beautiful flowers along the way.

The climb is strenuous and you must be in good fitness and health to take on the climb. But you may hike just to the rim or the crater and decide not to go round the rim. The areas that are prone to cut-off by the erosion have been installed with steps to make it passable.

As you heave yourself over the rim of the Longonot crater you are rewarded with the awesome sight of Naivasha and the Great Rift Valley.

We did not encounter any wild animals.

Beautiful flowers, yes!

Awesome views