05-06-2020 di redazione
Mount Longonot National Park and its ecosystem are located about 90 km from Nairobi.
The reserve covers about fifty square kilometers, most of which is occupied by the mountain itself, which is in fact a rather young volcano rising to 2776 meters above sea level.
Mount Longonot is a stratified volcano, created during the formation of the Great Rift Valley, and is located southeast of Lake Naivasha in Kenya.
Its last eruption is thought to have occurred in 1860.
Its name comes from the Maasai word "oloonong' ot", which means "mountain of many peaks" or "steep ridges". This is because the sides of the mountain have beautiful V-shaped valleys and fantastic ridges.
The stony soils have little vegetation but the crater has a practically impenetrable forest.
The Longonot contains a large 8 x 12 km caldera formed by vast eruptions of trachytic lava about 21,000 years ago. The current main cone developed inside the previous caldera.
The cone itself is covered by a 1.8 km crater.
Satellite cones and effusive lava eruptions have formed on the sides and inside the floor of the caldera. The periodic geodetic activity recorded in Longonot in 2004-2006 demonstrated the presence of active magmatic systems under this volcano.
Mount Longonot offers a wide range of attractions for visitors who enjoy an active holiday, including hiking, climbing, mountain biking, bird watching and game drives.
It can be reached from Nairobi in about an hour by an asphalt road that has recently been redeveloped by the European Union and arrives at the town of Longonot.
The mountain offers a ruggedly scenic spectacle especially for those who undertake the climb to the edge or summit, and who can enjoy the breathtaking view for miles around.
From the entrance to the park you climb up to the crater through the "Gate of Hell" and from there you continue along a ring around the crater.
The entire tour is only about 8-9 km long, but very steep, and makes the tour of the park - Longonot Peak - take about 3-4 hours. The "gate" is at about 2150 meters and the peak at 2780 meters, but following the jagged circle, the vertical difference of 630 meters is greatly exceeded.
The sides of the mountain have deep gorges that make trekking even more scenic and challenging! You may come across buffaloes and baboons in the wild, not to mention other wild animals, so it is advisable to bring a KWS guardian with you at a minimum cost and by prior arrangement.
Kenyan Wildlife Service rangers are available as guides.
Accommodation within this park is limited: Hell's Gate has three campsites, Longonot has no accommodation within the park; however, the fabulous range of nearby hotels, lodges, luxury ranches and domestic accommodation around Lake Naivasha provide ample accommodation for all budget
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