Mountain Hiking in Kenya

This would not be a proper trip without some mountain hiking. Since my sister and I did not have enough time to hike Mt Kilimanjaro (and probably not enough fitness!), we chose two other hiking spots, which are also very popular in Kenya - Ngong Hills and Mt Longonott.

  

NGONG HILLS HIKING
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Ngong Hills is a very historical site in Kenya, situated about 2 hours on road from Nairobi city. This place was put on the map by Karen Blixen’s bestseller book “Out of Africa”, which later became a renowned movie. Having watched the movie and read the book, I was really looking forward to hiking these famous hills.


Ngong Hills

Karen’s vast coffee farm was located at the foothills of Ngong Hills. She was from Denmark and lived in Kenya from 1914 to 1931. The city of Nairobi named a suburb after Karen’s name, to honor everything she did for the Kenyan people during her time in Africa. Nowadays, this is one of the wealthiest suburbs in Nairobi, being mostly occupied by the less than 1% of white Kenyans.



View from the First Hill with huge Wind Turbines

To hike the seven hills takes approximately 5 hours, depending on one’s fitness. The first five peaks you walk through wide spaces bordered by vegetation. The last two peaks the walk is through narrow passageways surrounded by bush.

PARK RANGERS AND HIKING GUIDES

This is not a free hike. There is an entrance fee of around US$8 dollars at the gate of this National Park. There are also armed rangers, who will charge tourists around US$50 dollars (a huge amount in Kenyan currency!) to accompany them on the hike and protect them from possible thieves. These rangers can be very pushy and intimidating, trying to persuade tourists to hire their services (at least this was our experience with them).

My sister and I, together with Fiona, another volunteer, hired the services of hiking guide for US$18 dollars. Peter was not armed with a gun, but with a wood stick, since he was a Maasai. He was a very nice guide. Peter's mobile number 0711 703 484.

Dine, Fiona and I on the Fourth Hill

SAFE TIP!
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For those not wishing to hire the services of rangers or hiking guides, it’s highly recommended to go on big groups, mixed with male and females. This is to avoid bad experiences, such as being mugged by thieves hiding in the bush, as this has happened to tourists in the past.
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During our hike, we joined a very animated group of Kenyan University students. They were also volunteers, but for the local Red Cross. They were undergraduate students from different courses and were there to bond with each other (since we joined their group, it included bonding with us too!). They were very kind sharing their food and drinks with us. We also had a good laugh playing some funny group games with them, which later we taught them to children in the orphanage.

Dine, Fiona and I with the University Group

The wildlife we found on these hills included goats, cows and this nice chameleon. We also heard that you can spot buffalos there, but it does not happen very often.

Wildlife at Ngong Hills - Chameleon

The views from the seven hills were stunning, making this another worthwhile hike. It was also very nice to go up the mountains to breathe some fresh air, since Nairobi city is so full of dust and pollution.

MOUNT LONGONOTT HIKING
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Mt Longonott is a dormant volcano, situated in Naivasha, a town about 200kms from Nairobi city. According to our hiking guide Fred, its last eruption was around 150 years ago. Fred also told us that the original name of this volcano was Oloonongot, but it was modified by the British to Longonot, since they could not pronounce the original name properly.

Longonott Volcano

This was the first time my sister and I hiked up a volcano. Is was a steep and dirty hike, but well worthy once you reach the top and can admire the splendid view. Depending on one’s fitness it can take up to 1.5h to 2hours to reach the top and a bit less to go down. Hiking boots are highly recommended as there are some slippery patches with ashes. Wearing dark clothes is also wise, since hikers will get completely covered with ashes, just like we did. J

Volcano's crater

Volcano's ashes

Walking around the crater can take up to 4 hours, depending on one’s fitness. Some people even venture themselves going down in the crater, but we heard that it can be a bit slippery and dangerous, so we skipped it. Before going downhill, we stopped in a nice shaded spot, where a kiosk was recently built, to have some snacks while we appreciate the magnificent view and peaceful surroundings.
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Walking around the crater with guide Fred

This is not a free hike also. The entrance fee is around US$ 20 dollars, to be paid at the gate of the National Park. The hiking guides charge around US$20 to hike up and down the mountain and around $30 dollars if you want to walk around the crater. It’s not necessary to book their services in advance. We thought it was worth paying for a guide, as they explain about the history of the place, which we find very interesting. Fred was such a nice guide and very knowledgeable. Fred's mobile number 0701 277 533.
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Goodbye Kenya!

Longonott was the last place we visited in Kenya. Dine and I are now heading off to our next destination in India!