Mount Longonot

Mount Longonot is a 2,776 metre dormant volcano, about 80km outside Nairobi. Some of Jason’s friends were planning to climb it and we tagged along for the ride (also gave me an excuse to take my new 4x4 out for a proper spin). So, having woken up at 6a.m. on a Sunday morning and convened at the nearest Nairobi Java House for a quick caffeine hit, we set off. Finally, in the distance, this enormous land mass looms, and I suddenly realise what I’ve let myself in for:



Turns out 2,776 metres is actually quite high, including some pretty steep climbs, but the views along the way are fantastic.

Getting to the top took about an hour and a half. Now we have to decide whether we want to make the trip round the rim of the crater itself. It looks innocuous enough, but appearances can be deceiving. The crater is massive, far too big to fit in one photo:


But, whether through bravado or naivety, we decide to do the round trip. 2 hours later, we make it to the highest point, about halfway round the rim.

It’s exhilarating, but also pretty tiring.


You can see for miles, the Rift Valley spreading out below you and the clouds drawing in underneath, it’s really quite spectacular, enough to merit larger photos.


From here on, it’s just a quick hop, skip and a jump, and 2 1/2 hours later you’re back where you started. Feeling pretty good about it until the next morning. Muscles I didn’t know I had start protesting every movement. And somehow, despite it being a cloudy day, I have the world’s worst sunburn.