The FOGs Safari: Mt. Kenya National Park

Although Mt. Kenya was given a little attention in the Flat Stanley series, like many of the other places visited on the FOGs Safari, there's more to say. First of all, even though Mt. Kilimanjaro is more famous, for Kenyans their own mountain seems to be the one they talk about the most (and Mt. Kilimanjaro is, properly speaking, in Tanzania, although it looms large over and is a great feature of Kenya's Amboseli National Park). Mt. Kenya is also renowned as a great challenge to the expatriates drawn to Kenya over the years, and taking on the training required for climbing the mountain and then making the ascent seem to be favorite adventures for the many Westerners who come to live (or even to visit) Nairobi. The mountain and its challenges has even been the drastic setting for a very unsettling novel by Anita Shreve (A Change in Altitude, published a couple of years ago).

Andrew and Charles and I had no such grand illusions. We simply wanted to see the mountain and, if we could, climb a little, starting with our vehicle and then getting out and walking as far as our limited climbing skills would allow. Truth to tell, we were primarily interested in the views from the mountain and to see as much of the undergrowth and any blooming wildflowers as we could. Nothing very spectacular in mind and that, in fact, is what we got. We had a very good guide (who also works as part of the Kenya Wildlife Service rescue team, so we felt pretty safe). And aside from the baboons, there's not much to worry about with respect to the wildlife.

The mountain was first noticed by Westerners back in 1849 (although, as I've mentioned before, the Kikuyu, Meru, and Akamba communities always considered Mt. Kenya to be the home of their gods). One interesting feature is the forest (the Kenyans say "forest" instead of "jungle") on the lower slopes of the mountain which give way to a bamboo forest a little higher up (for some reason I never thought much about bamboo in Africa - no particular reason, just didn't). Higher up, where we could not go of course, there are the barren peaks and the glacier, beautiful to see from afar. As I say, we specially enjoyed the views and the wildflowers. Some of our photographs from our expedition up Mt. Kenya can be seen here.

Flat Stanley Goes to Kenya (2): Visiting Mt. Kenya

When Mr. Guy and Mr. Andrew invited Flat Stanley on the Kenya safari, they said he would see some beautiful countryside, and the safari began with a visit to Mt. Kenya. The Kikuyu, Meru, and Akamba communities think of Mt. Kenya as the home of the gods, and it is easy to see why. It is the highest mountain in Kenya, and a great attraction for serious mountain climbers. Our guide, a member of the Akamba community (the Kenyans say "community" instead of "tribe'), is an employee of the Kenya Wildlife Service and he works as a rescuer for climbers who get caught high up on the mountain and need help coming back down.

Our drive took us from the Naro Moru Route up (shown above) to the second "level" of the mountain. We hiked up for a distance from the second level, and here is a photo of Mr. Guy and Mr. Andrew and Stanley as we began our hike. It was from this vantage point that we were able to take photos of the splendid views from the mountain (one of which is shown below).

Flat Stanley really liked the walk up the mountain and he kept talking about how his friends would enjoy the hike as well. There were lots of trees and wildflowers to see, and many bushes and dead trees to jump over as Stanley climbed up ahead of Mr. Andrew and Mr. Guy and the guide and Mr. Charles (their driver and good friend).

But even if they can't be with him, Stanley sends good wishes to his friends in Colorado and to Brian Hopkins and Julian Lafferty in Santa Cruz, CA. He wishes they were with him on this safari so they could all have a good time together.