How to Explore Mount Kenya National Park: Serena Mountain Lodge & Forest Wildlife

After several days of classic safari landscapes in Samburu National Reserve, Mount Kenya National Park felt like a complete shift in pace and scenery.

Instead of wide-open savannahs and all-day game drives, we traded dusty roads for cool mountain air, dense forest, and a lodge experience unlike anywhere else on our 12-day Kenya itinerary.

Our stop at Mount Kenya National Park was short—just half a day and one night—but it offered a refreshing contrast to the wildlife-heavy days that came before and after.

We visited Mount Kenya National Park on day six of our trip, traveling from Samburu with two other couples, Allison and Ryan and Emily and Bryan, before continuing on toward Lake Nakuru and Lake Elmenteita.

While it’s often overlooked in favor of Kenya’s more famous safari parks, Mount Kenya turned out to be one of the most unique and unexpectedly memorable stops of our journey.

If you’re starting your safari in Nairobi or looking to break up a fast-paced itinerary, Mount Kenya National Park is well worth considering.

Located in central Kenya, Mount Kenya National Park surrounds Mount Kenya—the country’s highest peak and Africa’s second-highest mountain after Kilimanjaro.

Unlike Kenya’s better-known safari destinations, this park is defined by its dramatic elevation changes, lush rainforest, and cooler temperatures rather than open plains.

The lower slopes are thick with bamboo and montane forest, creating an entirely different environment from places like Samburu National Reserve or the Maasai Mara.

Mount Kenya National Park is both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, recognized for its ecological diversity and cultural importance.

While Mount Kenya National Park is home to wildlife—including elephants, buffalo, monkeys, and a wide variety of bird species—it’s best known for forest walks, scenic hiking routes, and lodge-based wildlife viewing rather than traditional game drives.

For travelers, this makes Mount Kenya National Park in Kenya an ideal stop if you’re looking to experience a different side of the country beyond the classic safari circuit.

We stayed at Serena Mountain Lodge, one of the most unique accommodations of our entire Kenya trip—and a completely different experience from our safari camp in Samburu.

Located inside Mount Kenya National Park, Serena Mountain Lodge is famously known as the only “tree hotel” built on the slopes of Mount Kenya, sitting at an altitude of about 7,200 feet and overlooking an active wildlife watering hole.

Unlike traditional safari lodges where wildlife viewing happens mostly on game drives, much of the action here happens right from the lodge itself.

The main building is constructed on stilts and wrapped in windows, creating the feeling of floating above the forest.

The rooms at Serena Mountain Lodge had a cozy, cabin-like feel, with:

• Locally woven rugs and African-patterned bedding
• Thick blankets and heated mattress warmers (very welcome in the cool mountain air)
• Private balconies for wildlife viewing
• Thoughtful turndown service that made evenings feel extra comfortable

Despite being surrounded by forest and wildlife, the rooms felt warm, quiet, and comfortable—perfect for resting after long drives and early mornings.

One of the lodge’s most distinctive features was its nighttime wildlife alert system.

Before bed, we were asked to fill out a form selecting which animals we hoped to see overnight. If one of those animals showed up at the watering hole, hotel staff would knock on your door to wake you up so you wouldn’t miss it.

While none of our “must-sees” made an appearance overnight (probably for the best, since I was still feeling pretty sick), being woken for sunrise over the forest was a pretty magical consolation.

We enjoyed all of our meals at Serena Mountain Lodge, starting with lunch in the tree-top-level dining room, which was surrounded by windows and truly felt like dining in the forest canopy.

I can’t remember if lunch was included in our stay, but it was a relaxing way to settle in after the drive from Samburu.

Dinner that evening was a multi-course affair, similar to what we experienced at other safari lodges—warm, filling, and thoughtfully prepared.

By this point in the trip, we were settling into the rhythm of long days, early mornings, and hearty dinners, and this meal fit right in.

Evenings at the lodge were mostly spent relaxing. There’s a bar with a central fireplace, which made the cool mountain air especially cozy, along with a gift shop, spa, business center, board games, and even a special animal-viewing bunker closer to the watering hole.

Before bed, we were also offered an informative cultural and wildlife presentation (via PowerPoint) that Emily was excited to attend.

With the lights dimmed and travel exhaustion fully catching up to us, half of us promptly fell asleep, so we ended up cutting the presentation short and calling it a night. Safari life will do that to you!

Breakfast the next morning was served buffet-style before we hit the road for Lake Nakuru National Park, but if I’m being totally honest, it was probably my least favorite meal of the trip.

There were plenty of pastries and lighter options, but those just aren’t really my thing—especially before another long travel day.

⚠️ Important update: Serena Mountain Lodge has sadly been closed and is not currently accepting reservations (hopefully they will reopen again in the future!). While I’m so grateful we were able to experience it in 2020, travelers planning a trip to Mount Kenya National Park today will need to choose an alternative nearby.

Here are some popular alternatives to consider for your stay:

Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club (Nanyuki)

Naro Moru River Lodge

Rhino Watch Safari Lodge

Sweetwaters Serena Camp (Ol Pejeta Conservancy)

After lunch at the lodge, we signed up for a guided nature walk through Mount Kenya National Park, which ended up being one of the most informative parts of our short stay.

The walk lasted about two hours and cost $30 per person (a bit steep, in our opinion), but it included everything you’d need: rain boots, rain jackets, a knowledgeable guide, and even an armed ranger for protection.

As we moved through the dense forest, we learned about Mount Kenya’s ecosystem, native plant life, and the animals that live within the park—many of which are far more elusive than the wildlife we’d seen on safari so far.

Mount Kenya is not only Kenya’s highest mountain but also holds deep cultural significance and is considered sacred by the Kikuyu people.

Members of the tribe keep their doors open to face the mountain and some come to pray to the throne of Ngai, their supreme god.

While we didn’t spot many animals during the walk itself, the experience felt peaceful and immersive, offering a deeper understanding of this completely different side of Kenya.

Near the end of the walk, our guides surprised us with a cozy outdoor “Dawa” set-up.

We sat on logs, sipping tea and coffee like a tiny forest café, which was a really thoughtful and memorable touch after the hike.

A Broad Recommendation: You aren’t allowed to explore this area on your own, so a guided walk is both required and highly recommended. Bring along lots of bug spray, sunglasses, binoculars, a hat, hand sanitizer, and a camera.

After returning from the nature walk, we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening doing what Serena Mountain Lodge does best: watching wildlife come to us.

The lodge overlooks a watering hole that draws animals throughout the day, and by late afternoon, Cape buffalo were already gathered below, lazily lounging and drinking.

We grabbed drinks at the open-air bar deck and settled in to watch the steady stream of activity.

The gals split a bottle of champagne (except for me because I wasn’t feeling up to it), and the guys grabbed a few rounds of Tusker beers, their new obsession throughout the trip.

The atmosphere here felt calm and unhurried—very different from bouncing around in a safari vehicle all day.

Smaller animals wandered in and out of view, and one particularly bold and playful monkey provided endless entertainment by sprinting across the deck ledge and attempting to steal food from nearby rooms!

A Broad Recommendation: Don’t leave anything unattended on tables or railings—phones, Kindles, drinks, and snacks are all fair game for the monkeys, and once they grab something, it’s usually gone for good.

Mount Kenya National Park has a very different climate than Kenya’s lower-elevation safari parks, and packing appropriately will make your visit far more comfortable.

Because of the higher altitude and forest setting, temperatures are cooler, especially in the mornings and evenings, and rain is always a possibility.

A few Mount Kenya–specific packing essentials include:

• Long sleeves and a light jacket or fleece
• Comfortable walking shoes or hiking boots
• Rain jacket or poncho
• Bug spray (trust me on this one!)
• Binoculars (these are a must everywhere in Kenya)
• Daypack for guided walks/hikes

If you’re continuing on to other safari destinations, you won’t need a completely separate wardrobe—just a few strategic layers.

👉 For a complete breakdown of what to pack for Kenya safaris, cities, and national parks, check out my Kenya Travel Tips, where I share everything we brought (and what I’d do differently next time).

Q: Where is Mount Kenya National Park located?

Mount Kenya National Park is located in central Kenya, surrounding Mount Kenya itself.

It sits roughly three to four hours north of Nairobi by road, making it one of the most accessible national parks from the capital.

Q: Is Mount Kenya National Park worth visiting?

Yes—especially if you’re starting your trip in Nairobi or want to add variety to a safari-heavy itinerary.

While it doesn’t offer traditional game drives like Kenya’s savannah parks, Mount Kenya National Park provides beautiful scenery, cooler temperatures, forest walks, and unique lodge-based wildlife viewing.

Q: What wildlife can you see in Mount Kenya National Park?

Wildlife in Mount Kenya National Park includes elephants, Cape buffalo, monkeys, antelope, and an impressive range of bird species.

Animal sightings are more subtle here and often happen near lodges or along forest trails rather than on open game drives.

Q: How much time do you need in Mount Kenya National Park?

One night is enough for most travelers.

We spent half a day and one night and felt it was the perfect amount of time to enjoy the scenery, take a guided walk, and relax at the lodge before continuing our journey.

Q: Can you do game drives in Mount Kenya National Park?

Mount Kenya National Park is not known for traditional game drives.

Activities here focus more on guided nature walks, hiking, scenic exploration, and wildlife viewing from lodges rather than vehicle-based safaris.

Q: Is Mount Kenya National Park good for first-time visitors to Kenya?

Yes. Its proximity to Nairobi and slower pace make it a great first or second stop, especially for travelers easing into a longer safari itinerary.

Our time in Mount Kenya National Park, Kenya was brief, but it played an important role in our 12-day safari. It offered:

• A scenic transition between wildlife-heavy parks
• A chance to experience Kenya beyond open savannahs
• A slower, more relaxed pace when we needed it most

From Mount Kenya, we continued on to:

• Lake Nakuru National Park & Lake Elmenteita, where we saw rhinos and incredible birdlife
• Maasai Mara National Reserve, the iconic grand finale of our safari

If you’re planning a similar route, I highly recommend checking out:

• Our Samburu National Reserve safari experience
• How we spent time in Nairobi before and after safari
• Our full 12-day Kenya itinerary, with exact driving times, lodging, and highlights from each stop

Mount Kenya National Park may not steal the spotlight—but it absolutely enhances the journey.

Safe travels! 🤍

XOXO Sara at Travel A-Broads