Mt. Longonot

At only 1,5 hours drive, Mt. Longonot can be hiked as a single-day trip from Nairobi. That being said, the best experience is when one spends a night at the foot of the volcano, allowing you to admire it as the sun sets and to climb it at the crack of dawn. First, you’ll have to hike up to the crater rim in the morning fog. Whilst soaking up the breathtaking view of this near perfect circular crater, overgrown with thick vegetation, one can only imagine what lives beneath. For those looking for a challenge, you can complete the 7KM loop around the rim, a much-loved trail for running enthusiasts which we can highly recommend!

The campsite consists of two clean fields with some simple facilities. Being quite close to the gate makes it feel less remote. Yet being the first on top of that crater rim makes for the real adventure.

Expert tip: when hiking early in the morning, make sure to watch out for buffalo! Either take a ranger or make enough noise to keep them at a distance.