Mount Kenya National Park, its landscape and its people
The Mount Kenya Ecosystem
Mount Kenya plays a crucial role in the life of the country being Kenya’s single most important permanent watershed and her largest forest reserve. The fertile soils of its lower slopes also sustain the growth of the nation’s richest farmlands whilst much of its vegetation is globally unique. In recent years, however, the Mountain has suffered greatly from the adverse effects of deforestation, resulting in large tracts of its lower slopes being entirely denuded of trees and occupied by squatters. And, although much of the vast forest cover remains intact, the growing demand for timber (Kenya’s staple construction and fuel source) threatens to lead to even more serious deforestation and subsequent soil erosion. Over half of Africa’s forests have been destroyed, in this century alone, by means as varied as illegal logging, charcoal burning, agricultural encroachment, ‘land grabbing’ and the unscheduled de-gazetting of supposedly protected forest areas. Indeed recent estimates state that only 2.9% of Kenya’s original forest cover still exists. There is also evidence that not only is the water-catchment area suffering, but also that the montane glaciers have shrunk so rapidly over the last 20 years that some of them have completely disappeared. Finally the popularity of trekking and hiking holidays on the mountain is placing enormous pressure on the natural environment thanks to the attendant ills of tourist refuse, forest fires, feeding wildlife, off-road driving and erosion of climbing routes.

The People of Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya represents the ancestral home and heartland of the Bantu-speaking Kikuyu people, Kenya’s largest ethnic group. Heavily influential throughout Kenya’s history, the Kikuyu were instrumental in leading the fight for independence, provided the country with its first President, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, and have forced the pace of all subsequent political developments. The original Kikuyu are thought to have migrated from the east and north-east of the continent in the 16th century. Because land was the dominant factor in their social, political, religious and economic life, however, this brought them into conflict first with the Maasai and then with the European settlers, who seized large tracts of their territory. That said, the Kikuyu have adapted to the challenges of Western culture more successfully than any other tribe and are enlightened businessmen and successful and progressive farmers who grow coffee, tea, pyrethrum horticultural crops, vegetables and flowers for the export market.

Traditionally the Kikuyu have always believed that Ngai’s (God’s) most frequent resting place is on ‘Kirinyaga’ or Mount Kenya and although Christianity has altered these beliefs there are still many churchgoers who maintain that their ancestors control their destiny thanks to their closeness to ‘Ngai’. Today the Kikuyu remain at the forefront of Kenyan development as both successful business people and formidable politicians.

How to Get There
Mountain Lodge is set within the Forest Reserve Area of the Mount Kenya National Park, 193km northeast of Nairobi and 480km from the Kenyan Coast. It is easily reached by road or by the internal flights that operate between Nairobi and Nanyuki.

What to Wear/Carry with you
The evenings and mornings on the Mountain can be chilly so we suggest that you bring a selection of warm clothing and practical footwear. If you intend climbing Mount Kenya you will also require hiking boots, waterproofs, windcheaters, gloves and woollen headgear. Also imperative are; sunglasses, sunhat, sunscreen, insect repellent, camera, film, binoculars and a guide book covering your area of interest (flora/fauna/birds etc).

The Mount Kenya Eco Programme
The most severe threat to the eco-system of the Mount Kenya region is the deforestation, soil erosion and illegal logging that is currently wreaking havoc on the region. Serena Hotels are, therefore, working closely with the Kenyan Forestry Department to support a tree-planting initiative, which it is hoped will gradually address the problem. To this end a nursery has been established and already 1,000,000 fast-growing seedlings have been planted in the more severely denuded areas. The Group also supports a ‘Plant a Tree for Africa’ programme.

The mountain is also suffering from the ill effects of mass-tourism, which manifest themselves in the form of eroded tracks and degradation of the landscape thanks to refuse and fires. Working in cooperation with Kenya Wildlife Service, therefore, Serena Hotels have recently re-opened a lapsed climbing route as well as a number of low-impact forest trails around the hotel. All the Group’s mountain excursions are carefully planned so as to minimise any negative impact upon the environment. As to community benefits, the Serena Group offers support to a home for disadvantaged children in the nearby town of Nyeri as well as buying most of its fresh produce from the surrounding area. Serena also supports local trout farming, and assists local farmers to fence off their land and young tress from destruction by errant wildlife. Wherever possible, the lodge’s staff is also drawn from the local community whilst all the handicrafts, décor and cultural entertainments are locally sourced.

			Distances from other African Serena properties View distances between Serena Mountain Lodge and the other African Serena properties, as well as driving and flight duration.