Things to do
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Equator Marker
A painted sign on the Nyeri road marks zero latitude, where guides demonstrate water draining clockwise and anticlockwise a few paces either side of the line. The physics does not hold at that scale and the demonstration is a trick, which does not stop it being fun. Curio stalls and certificate sellers crowd the spot, and a stop takes minutes.
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Mount Kenya
Africa's second highest mountain carries glaciers on the equator, though they have shrunk to remnants and are projected to vanish within decades. Batian and Nelion need technical climbing, while Point Lenana at close to five thousand metres is the trekking summit and takes three to five days. Altitude sickness ends more attempts than fitness does.
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Mount Kenya National Park
Protected above the farmland since 1949, the park covers moorland of giant lobelia and groundsel, glacial tarns and the rock peaks themselves. Sirimon and Chogoria are the gentler approaches, and Naro Moru is quicker and harder on the legs. A guide and porters are required, and gate bookings go through lodges or operators in town.
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Ol Pejeta Conservancy
Cattle ranching and wildlife share a fenced conservancy on the Laikipia plateau, home to the last two northern white rhino under armed guard and to a sanctuary for chimpanzees rescued from the trade. Lion, elephant and black rhino are resident. Night drives, lion tracking and walking safaris are permitted here, which the national parks do not allow.
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Samburu National Reserve
Semi arid country along the Ewaso Ng'iro river holds the dry land species that the southern parks lack: Grevy's zebra, reticulated giraffe, gerenuk, Beisa oryx and Somali ostrich. Elephant come down to the river through the day and leopard work the doum palms at dusk. Heat is serious, so drives split around the middle of the day.