Taking the Eco Route
The Serena Group is committed to an escalating eco-policy that embraces sensitivity to the interests of the local population in relation to such matters as: cultural preservation, sustainable habitat and community development. The group also abides by a code of responsible practice in relation to: energy conservation, waste recycling, sewage disposal, air emissions, pesticides, noise reduction and visual pollution. Finally, all Serena Group properties are built to harmonise with the local landscape and to utilise eco-friendly materials, local handicrafts and products. Wherever possible we also aim to enhance the environment via landscaping and indigenous plant material reinforcement.

Mount Kenya National Park
With its volcanic ridges and glacial valleys radiating across the land like spokes from a wheel, the massive bulk of Mount Kenya straddles the Equator yet is permanently crowned with snow. The 588 square-kilometre National Park, surrounded by 2000 square kilometres of Forest Reserve, is dominated by the twin summits of Batian (5,199 m) and Nelion (5,188 m) whose jagged snow-capped peaks are all that remain of a gigantic volcanic lava plug that once thrust another 300 meters into the sky.

Traditionally venerated by the Kikuyu people as the dwelling place of their God, Ngai, and known by them as ‘Kirinyaga’ or ‘the mountain of whiteness’, all Kikuyu homes were once built to face the mountain and elderly Kikuyu are still regularly found wandering the high moorlands in search of their God. The 2000-square-kilometre Mount Kenya Forest Reserve, meanwhile, is the largest forest reserve and water-catchment area in Kenya and features magnificent stands of buttressed and lichen-draped juniper, podocarpus and African olive trees whose dense canopy provides the ideal habitat for vast herds of buffalo and elephant as well as a bright kaleidoscope of birds and other wildlife.

At higher altitudes, the forest gives way to lush bamboo groves where colobus monkeys leap and leopard prowl and, higher up, the stunted woodlands give way to tussock grass and alpine moorlands, jewel-studded by icy glacial tarns and moraines. As for the globally unique alpine flora, it features 13 species endemic to the mountain and displays such freakish montane mutations as giant lobelias, groundsel and water-holding cabbages. Game highlights include: elephant, buffalo, black rhino, leopard, colobus and Sykes’s monkey, duiker, buck, giant forest hog and the extremely rare Bongo antelope, as well as a wide range of birds, of which 57 types are endemic to Mt. Kenya.

Where to go from here
If you have enjoyed the Serena Experience on Mount Kenya, you might like to take in some of our other properties. This way you can contrast the vaulted green of a tropical rainforest with the beauty of the savannah lands, the sapphire and silver ribbon of the Swahili Coast or the cosmopolitan bustle of downtown Nairobi. Here are some suggestions that we believe will really compliment your Mountain Lodge experience.

Down to the Beach at Serena Beach Hotel & Spa
Backed by palm trees, fringed by silver sand and set against the sparkling blue waters of the Indian Ocean this exquisite resort has been built in the style of a traditional Swahili village and offers a wide range of sports, entertainment and exceptional seafood cuisine.

Get into Amboseli National Park
Framed against the glorious backdrop of the ethereally beautiful Mount Kilimanjaro and surrounded by miles of rolling grasslands where vast herds of elephant roam, this traditional yet luxurious lodge is the safari destination of a lifetime.

Get into the Bright City Lights at Nairobi Serena Hotel
The Nairobi Serena is the proud flagship of the group and offers an elegantly stylish haven in the heart of the capital city. As well as a world-class health club, lush tropical gardens and a selection of state of the art business back up services it is also home to one of Nairobi’s very finest restaurants, The Mandhari.