Great Rift Valley & Mt. Longonot!!

Great Rift Valley & Mt. Longonot!

This Saturday, we ventured out for what turned out to be an incredible day of hiking and some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

We were picked up from our apartments quite early, and embarked on a journey that would end up totaling around two hours. Final destination: Mt. Longonot, a 9000 feet dormant volcano.

However, about an hour into our journey, our van pulled over at a scenic overlook. We were viewing the Great Rift Valley. While we were all taking in the gorgeous view our driver and good friend, Evans, told us the history of the Great Rift Valley, as well as the communities that still live in the area. From this viewpoint we could not only see Mt. Longonot, but two other dormant volcanoes as well (Mt. Suswa and Mt. Margaret).

After a quick photo-op we jumped back on the bust to continue our journey to Mt. Longonot. We arrived at Mt. Longonot, paid our entry fee, and embarked on a journey that few (or none) of us anticipated. We started the climb up the 9000 feet volcano, only to realize that the trail was a lot more treacherous then we anticipated. There were points were we had to nearly crawl on our hands to avoid losing grip. After a little over an hour, we had reached the top. There was a small hut for shade, which we all enjoyed. Some of the group decided to walk the rim, which was 7.2 kilometers but took close to two hours to complete. From the rim we could see Lake Naivasha, the Great Rift Valley, and a skyline that was dotted with other mountains. It was one of the most breathtaking views I have ever had.

Being able to sit under a shade tree on top of a dormant volcano, in the Great Rift Valley, in Kenya just looking out for miles and miles is an experience I will forever cherish. It’s not everyday you get that view.

The experience at the top was special in and of itself. The atmosphere was absolutely amazing with cheering every time someone made it up. From church groups, to school groups, everyone was having a great time and high-fives and handshakes were a must as people walked towards the shade. The atmosphere complemented the view so incredibly well.

Now, we enjoyed our time at the top but the trek down was even more exciting. Since we were hiking down a little after midday the dust was at it’s worse. Between the wind, people moving each direction, and how dry it was by the time we made it down all of us were either covered in dirt, coughing, or both. There were points where the loose dust and dirt was so slick we had no option but to run. Needless to say this got our hearts pounding!

We all made it down safe and sound, we jumped off the bus, dropped some who were going to camp at Lake Naivasha, then started our journey back to Nairobi.

Those of us on the bus had the amazing opportunity to watch the sunset behind the volcanoes and the Great Rift Valley as we were all dozing off from such a tiresome day.

This day was one of the best, one of the most challenging, and one of the most exciting so far in Kenya. I’m thankful for these opportunities.

Link for Pictures: Click Here