The 276 square miles (715 sq. km) park is part of a larger wilderness that covers a total of 854 square miles (2124 sq. km). Within the frontiers is a stunning variety of ecosystems that begin at the lower foothills and extend to the peak at 5199 meters. At the base are semi-arid plains that gradually transition to mountain forests, moorlands and glacier fields.

Mount Kenya is internationally recognized as an exceptional example of an equatorial mountain. With an enduring crown of ice, the area has eleven remaining glaciers, the largest of which is the vanishing Lewis Glacier between Teleki Valley and Point Lenana.

Beyond the global environmental value of Mount Kenya, the extinct volcano is the national icon of Kenya, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a supremely protected escape for forest and lowlands wildlife and a much-desired feat for climbers who are enticed by the extreme terrain of vertical rocks and glacier summits. Flora diversity is unimaginable and sure to be a noteworthy aspect of your forest tour at Mount Kenya National Park. Guests experience alpine and sub-alpine vegetation, as well as mountain and bamboo forests, tundra and grasses that reach as far as the snow.

The varied plants and trees support species that change along with the elevation.