MOUNT KENYA NATIONAL PARK

 Mount Kenya is africa's second highest mountain. It is located in central province of kenya. approximately a 2 hour trip(175 kilometers) from the capital city, Nairobi. It  is a haven for Mountain climbers, tekkers,adventurers etc. Mt. Kenya's two highest Peaks, nellion and batain can only be reached by technical climbers, but no worries for the rest of us. Pt. Lenana, the third highest peak, is easily accesible to hikers. it is one of the few places that you will come into contact with snow while standing right on the equator. a rare experience indeed!

 Should you decide to visit Mount Kenya, you will be experiencing one of the most unique environments in the world-an area so special that in 1997 UNESCO inscribed Mount kenya A world heritage site as ''ane of the most impressive landscapes in Eat Africa with its rugged glacier-clad summits, Afro-alpine moorlands and diverse forests that illustrate outstanding ecological processes.
Since 1978, the area is also an international Biosphere Reserve. Mt. Kenya, an extinct volcano that last erupted between 2.8-3.2 million years ago, was gazzetted a National Park in 1949 and a National Reserve in 2000 and is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service(KWS).
In the 2800sq kilometer National Park and Reserve, there are over 800 recorded plant species with 81 of them being endemic to MT. Kenya;there is also a wide variety of wildlife such as elephant,buffalo,eland, bushback, waterbuck, zebra, hyena,colobus monkey,white throated guegonon and common at higher altitudes, the ubiquitous Mt. Kenya rock hyrax. Animals rarely seen include leopard,bongo,giant forest hog and rhino.Wild animals often come into contacts with hikerand because of the dense forest most species are rarely seen( i came into contact with a buffalo on my trail back in 2001, that was barely 50 meters away!!!). If surprised or provoked, particularly the Cape Buffalo and elephant, they may attack!Talking, frequently clapping or making hooting sounds while hiking below the moorland warns animals you are approaching and they should move away from you. DO NOT under any circumstances approach the animal/proceed along the trail if it fails to move away. Consider backtracking away from these two in particular. Feeding wild animals disrupts their behaviour which includes monkeys, hyrax and birds, You may also be attacked if the animal is aggressive, so excercise caution and leave the animals alone.

 Their are over 130 species of birds that have been recorded at the park. you may encounter the white headed wood hoopes probing the cracks of the gnarled forest trees for insects, or the cinamon-chested bee eaters which snap up their parey from exposed branches.  The park also hosts two species of francolin, the Jackson's francolin and the scaly francolin, both of which will scurry into the undergrowth as your approach. Mackinder's eagle owl is frequently seen in the upper valleys of the mountain near the peaks, while high above the craigs cruise the mighty lammergeyers.

The elevation range is approximately 2200 metres to 5200 metres and includes several distinct vegetation zones: Mixed broad-leaf forest, Gallery Forest,Bamboo,Giant Health and Hageina,Moorland tussock grasses and Labeila-and, at the uppermost elevation,rock and ice.
To the Embu,Meru and Kikuyu tribes that dwell around the mountainMt. Kenya is the home of their traditional God,Ngai, and the location of their creation mythology. It is therefore a place to be treated with respectand reverance by the more than 30000 people who visit the mountain each and every year.
So, Out of respect for Mt. Kenya, for those who hold its sacred and those who wish to enjoy its wonders-it is encouraged that you leave no trace of your visit. Remember that mountains' high elevation on the equator has created a unique 'island environment' that is especially sensitive to human impact.
Thus,all visitors have an obligation to protect this ever so fragile ecology. The rules and regulations established by KWS are clearly posted at each gate as well as in this brochure, in guide books and websites. Failure to observe them may lead to a fine and or being asked to leave the Park/reserve. It is therefore summed up in one sentence,''the mountain can change you-DO NOT change THE MOUNTAIN!!!!!!!!!
 a few things you should know before you tackle the mountain:

There are numerous camping site at the mountain where you can stay. The entrance gates to these campsites are in the forest zone at an average altitude of 2500 meters. They are located at Naru Moru, Sirimon And Chogoria Gates. Picnic tables, water as well as pit latrines are provided. If it is your wish to have a camp fire in accordance with rules and regulations that govern the park, then, you must bring your own firewood.
There are also Roadhead public campsites which are predominantly found in the upper forest and heath zones at an average altitude of 3000 meters. They are located at the Met Station( naru Moru Route), Judmaier/Old Moses( Sirimon Route) and Chogoria roadhead(Chogoria Route), At these camps, water and pit latrines are provided. Campfires are permitted but, yes, you guessed it, you must bring your own firewood.
The trailhead public campsites are in thealpine zone at an average altitude of 4000 meters. They are located at macckinders camp( naru moru route), shiptons camp9 sirimon route) and mintos hut( chogoria route). at these camps water and pit latrines are provided and campfires are strictly prohibited as you are now in the alpine zone.
The last set of camps are found in the peak zone)which is about 4600 meters above sea level!). They are located at Austrian Hut and Top Hut, and Kami and Two Tarn campsites. water and pit latrines are provided and campfires are prohibited in the area.

•  Dress right,eat right and drink right( it may just save your life) entremes of heat,cold,wind and sun can adversely affect visitors. Hypothermia is life hreatening as it lowers the body temperature significantly. Signs/symptons include clumsiness,stumbling,apathy,lethargy,loss of enthusiasm & thinking ability,disorientation and unconsciousness. Treatment requires early recognition and aggressive steps to warm the hypothermic person. Find shelter!Remove wet clothing. Create a warm and dry environment for the victim. Put the victim in a sleeping bag with one/two other people stripped to the underclothes9 very important. Depending on if the victim is able, drinking warm high caloric fluids like cocoa will help. the victim will also require rest and should be taken off the mountain as soon as possible.
• The combination of strong equitorial sun and thin air makes sumburn and snow blinding very common. Protect your skin and eyes from the sun. Dehydration predisposes hypothermia and altitude illness. 
• Drink 4-6 liters of fluids a day. a adiet high in cabohydrates supplemented by other foods will best prepare your body for the challenging environment
• as for dress, garments of wool and synthetic insulated materials are far preferable to cotton/down.
• when hiking with a guide/porters/companions, be sure to keep adequate gear in your rucksack so that you have what you need should you ever be seperated( God forbid!). such materials include a map, compass, food,water,first aid kit, warm and waterproof compass, clothing, a signalling mirror, matches/lighter and a flashlight are all of vital importance.

 when it comes to health, here are a few ways to recognise altitude related sicknesses such as AMS ( acute mountain sickness,HAPE( high altitude pulmonary edema and HACE( high altitude cerebral edema)

• in the case of AMS, symptoms include headaches, nausea,fatigue,malaise,loss of appetite and difficulty in sleeping.Treatment to AMS is to slow down, stay in camp, drink plenty of fluids and rest while body adjusts to the altitude. If the symptoms persist after 48 hours, descend the mountain
• In the case of HAPE, the symptoms include shortness of breath during exercise progressing to shortness of breath at rest, a dry cough deterioraying to a frothy sptutm audible gurgling(rales) from the chest are heard, increased heart and breathing rate. Treatment to this is to immediately descend and seek immediate attention. actually, descending is the best treatment available. This is because HAPE can progress quickly to a point where the victim is unable to walk! HAPE does not improve with rest at the same altitude.
• HACE-they are symptoms of AMS that quickly progress into severe headaches, slurred speech, loss of co-ordination, irrigational behavior, coma and lastly death. the treatment to HACE is IMMEDIATE DESCENT!!!!!!!!!HACE, like HAPE, quickly progresses into the lethal stage.

You can minimize your impact when trekking the mountain by:

• Staying on the trails as they exist. Doing so protects the surrounding vegetation and prevents soil erosion. If you happen to be hiking where no trails are in existance, spread the impact so that you do not create new trails. When taking breaks choose areas that will not show much human impact such as rock/bare ground. Sitiing on the vegetation leads to its destruction.
• In areas where previous campsites are not obvious, camp on durable surfaces such as rock/bareground, never vegetation. 
• Camping at least 50 meters from water helps prevent contamination of the water by human waste. In all acases try to leave the camping area in better condition than you found it.
• campfires are not permitted above the forest edge in Mt. Kenya National Park. While, there may be appear to be wood for fire, the small amount present is an important source of nutrients for the soil and future plant growth. Plan on carrying a camp stove.