Want to find the best trails at the floor of the Great of rift valley? Explore the majestic stratovolcano mountainous park in Kenya composed of V-shaped ridges, valley with little vegetation cover. Mount Longonot National Park is one of the national parks in Kenya rewarding with the sheer adventure experience.
Write to Naicef and let us make your adventurous experience memorable! You will be practicing sustainable tourism with every package with Naicef.
History of Mount Longonot National Park
Mount Longonot is thought to have erupted in the 1860s that formed calderas due to the eruptions of trachytic lava. The name comes from a Maasai word Oloonong’ot which means, ‘steep ridges’ / ‘mountains of many spurs’. Mount Longonot National Park was established in 1984 and is protected by the Kenya Wildlife Service.
Mount Longonot National Park Location
The park is located southeast of Lake Naivasha in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. The park covers an area of 52 sq. km. The gate elevation is 2,150 meters and the peak at 2,776 meters above sea level. There is a 3.1 kilometers trail from the park entrance to the crater, going beyond in a 7.2 kilometers loop encircling the crater.
The park is strategically located to turn your Nairobi day tour to visit Lake Nakuru National Park or Hell’s Gate National Park. Better yet, you can go as far as Maasai Mara National Reserve.
Accessing Mount Longonot National Park
The park is accessed by road, which is 90 kilometers, on the Nairobi-Nakuru highway.
By air, the park can be accessed through flights from Wilson Airport, Nairobi to Green Park airstrip. From the airstrip, drive to the gate a distance of 71 km taking 34 minutes to the park.
Mount Longonot National Park entrance fees
According to the Kenya Wildlife Services website, these are the Mount Longonot National Park charges
EAC Citizens
Adults- KES 400
Children- KES 250
Rest of AfricaÂ
Adult- USD 20
Child- USD 15
International Visitors
Adult- USD 30
Child – USD 20
Special services/ Activities
Guide/ park ranger
Up to 4 hours- KES 1,720
Over 4 hours- KES 3,015
Attractions in Mount Longonot National Park
The crater of Mount Longonot
From the rim top of the crater, there is a perfect view of geothermal steams from other fissures along the crater’s rim. There is densely forest cover at the caldera great for wildlife habitation.
Wildlife in Mount Longonot National Park
Animals in Mount Longonot National Park include buffaloes, elands, leopards, gazelles, antelopes, zebras and primates such as Baboons.
Being at the Rift Valley, there are resident birds to sight including Verreaux’s Eagle and Lammergeier. The wildlife is seen on your way up to the rim so be sure to spot these and many more animals, because the only way is up!
Park’s scenery in Mount Longonot National Park
The most beautiful scenes of the park are from the rim of the volcano. There’s landscape views of Lake Naivasha and the Great Rift Valley all the way to the Aberdare Mountains and Mount Kenya.
Hell’s Gate National Park is also seen and can be a great destination to tour after the sheer adventurous experience of this park.
Activities in Mount Longonot National Park
What to do in Mount Longonot National Park? There are a number of things to do in the park and they include
Hiking in Mount Longonot National Park
Mount Longonot National Park hike is a common activity to fit into your Nairobi day tour. Depending on your fitness, it takes 5 hours to hike up to the rim.
It is recommended to ensure you are ready to take up the challenge, that you are prepared and physically fit to hike to the rim.
Once at the top of the rim, you can opt to walk along the caldera’s perimeter which is 7.2 kilometers which is rewarding.
For the risk-taking adventurers and hikers who need to venture into the caldera, kindly get a permission form the park ranger since this part is dangerous.
Biking/ Cycling
Cycling is done in the park along the circuit road towards the volcanic lava flow about 2 kilometers. The bikes are available for hire.
Wildlife Viewing
From the rim of the volcano, be sure to spot the park’s wildlife. Most of the animals inhabit the densely forested area inside the crater and can be seen clearly.
The best time to view wildlife in Mount Longonot National Park is from January to April and from September to December.
Accommodation in Mount Longonot National Park
Within the park, there’s no accommodation facility except in the nearby town of Naivasha. There is a campsite named Olongonot Campsite located just inside the park entrance.
Nearby the town of Naivasha lies accommodation facilities like Lake Naivasha Country Club and Masada hotel.
What to pack for a visit to Mount Longonot National Park?
Below are the items to carry with you for a comfortable experience
- Water in a recycled bottle
- Binoculars
- Hiking gears
- Picnic items
- Camera- beautiful scenery here!
- Camping equipment especially if you are spending the night in the park.
Book with Naicef for great deals n homestays and accommodations near Mount Longonot National Park.
For every safari/ tour you take with Naicef, you contribute to Sustainable tourism through our sustainable environmental and the local community programs. Naicef focuses on raising responsible tourists.
For Mount Longonot National Park contacts Naicef via my@naicef.com or +254799922277
You can as well opt for our Naicef savings plan to plan your visit to any national parks in Kenya.
