Oldonyo Sabuk National Park 1 Day Hiking Trip

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park is an ideal destination for a 1 Day hike from Nairobi, featuring a moderate 9-kilometer climb to the 2,145-meter summit of Mount Kilimambogo. The park is located approximately 65 kilometers northeast of Nairobi and is reachable in about 1.5 to 2 hours. 

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park (also known as Mount Kilimambogo) is a popular, beginner-friendly adventure destination, and the park’s centerpiece is a densely forested mountain rising to 2,145 meters, offering panoramic views of the Athi River, Thika’s pineapple plantations, and, on clear days, both Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro. 

Ol-donyo-Sabuk National Park 1-Day Hiking Itinerary

Our day trip from Nairobi begins early to maximize the chances of spotting wildlife and enjoying clear views from the peak. 

0700 Hours: Depart Nairobi via the Thika Superhighway
0830 Hours: Arrive at Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park gate for registration and briefing
09:00 Hours: Begin the ascent. You are required to be accompanied by an armed KWS ranger due to the presence of buffalo
11:00 Hours: Visit the Lord Macmillan Gravesite (approximately 7 km from the gate), where the American settler, his wife, and their dog are buried
12:30 Hours: Reach the summit for 360-degree views and photography
01:30 Hours: Descend to the base or designated picnic areas.
 1430 Hours: Enjoy a picnic lunch at the park’s base
1530 Hours: Fourteen Falls (Optional): Many hikers visit the nearby Fourteen Falls on the Athi River before heading back
1830 Hours: Return/Arrive back in Nairobi 

Ol-donyo-Sabuk National Park 1 Day Hike Information

✓ Duration: The round-trip hike typically takes 4–6 hours
✓ Difficulty: Moderate; suitable for beginners and individuals with basic fitness levels
✓ Distance: Approximately 9 km (one way) to the summit via the main road, or a shorter 6.5 km (one way) using steeper footpaths
✓ Safety: You must be accompanied by an armed KWS Ranger for protection against buffalo, which are frequently spotted on the slopes

Ol-donyo-Sabuk National Park 1 Day Hike Attractions

✓ Wildlife: The park is home to over 250 buffalo, colobus monkeys, bushbucks, and 45 species of birds
✓ Lord Macmillan Gravesite: A historic site located near the peak belonging to Sir William Northrup Macmillan
✓ Panoramic Views: Clear visibility of Mount Kenya to the north and Mount Kilimanjaro to the south on clear mornings

What to Carry

✓ A camera for the views and wildlife
✓ Comfortable hiking boots with good traction
✓ At least 2–3 liters of water and a packed lunch
✓ Sunscreen, a hat, and warm clothing (it can be cold and misty at the summit)

Oldonyo Sabuk National Park Hiking Trip takes you to Ol Donyo Sabuk Mountain, also known as Kilimambogo or Buffalo Mountain. Oldonyo Sabuk National Park is situated about 70 km northeast of Nairobi and about 25 km east of Thika town.

The park covers about 20 square km, with most of its surface covered by natural forest and home to buffalo, monkeys, antelope, and other grazers. Ol Donyo Sabuk mountain stands at 2145 meters (7,037 feet) above sea level.

The mountain offers panoramic views of the surrounding plains and the distant Nairobi to the south, Masinga Dam and Mt. Kenya to the north, and Mt. Kilimanjaro to the west. Oldonyo means ‘mountain’ in Masai, and Sabuk means ‘buffalo’, so this is the mountain of the buffalo.

As the name suggests, buffalo are regularly spotted on the hillside. The major attractions include the mountain landscape, the Macmillan grave (Lord Macmillan was among the first white settlers in the area), wildlife watching, and forest birds.

Walking to the summit; The hiking trip begins and ends at the Ol Donyo Sabuk Park Gate. The 9km climb to the top takes between 2 and 3 hours, depending on your level of fitness. The hike takes about 5 hours round-trip.  The terrain is described as a rough, boulder-strewn motorable road, with part of the hike along steep rocky trails. It’s a moderate hike, with some steep climbing.

At the Park Gate, there is a serviced campsite for those who wish to spend the night and hike very early, when the chances of seeing herds of buffalo are much higher.

Hikers are required to be accompanied by a Kenya Wildlife Service ranger for their safety against attacks by buffalo. All along the way up, you encounter a stunning array of flora that thrives here undisturbed by human exploitation. 

Barely 2 km from the top, you pass by the grave of Lord William Northrup MacMillan, an American who owned the mountain and a large estate around it during the colonial era.

About 3km from Ol Donyo Sabuk is the Fourteen Falls on Athi River, an attraction not to be missed when you are in the neighborhood. Access to the Waterfalls is currently managed by Thika County Council.

The fourteen falls is a spectacular spot along the Athi River where the water cascades over cliffs in a series of picturesque waterfalls.

Oldonyo Sabuk National Park 1-Day Hiking Trip Rates Include:

✓ Picnic Lunch Box
✓ Bottle water for the day
✓ A visit to the Fourteen Falls in Thika
✓ Services of a local guide for the hiking Tour
✓ All entrance fees for the park, service charge, and taxes + Pickup from your hotel in Nairobi and drop-off at your hotel
✓ Escort of an Armed Ranger from the Kenya Wildlife Services & Professional English-speaking guides. All are experts in African wildlife, culture, and tour guiding, many of whom speak other European languages

Notes

* This tour departs daily from Nairobi Hotels, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or any point within Nairobi
* What to bring: Hooded rain jacket, your spirit of adventure, comfortable trekking shoes, a good camera, binoculars, sunglasses, an extra change of clothes (t-shirt and bottom slacks), a shading cap/ hat, sunblock cream, drinking water, medication you might be on, pain killers, and pocket money
* Driving to the summit: The Park’s one road leads directly to the summit (4WD is required all year round), a flat open glade marked by a large survey beacon. The summit is the focus of the park and offers breathtaking views, especially in December and January when the air is particularly clear

Oldonyo Sabuk National Park 1-Day Hiking Trip Rates Do Not Include:

* Drinks
* Tips or gratuity
* Travelers Insurance
* Communication charges
* Minimum of one person required
* Visas, international airfares, and airport taxes; meals
* Sightseeing not included in the package; optional activities
* Personal expenses such as transfers to/ from the airport (supplement airport transfer cost applies for tours starting from the airport)

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park offers great views of high mountains like Mt Kenya and Mt. Kilimanjaro. Visitors can reach the top of the solitary mountain in the park using 4×4 vehicles. The Park is particularly attractive for hikers or families wanting some freedom and exercise out of their vehicle.

Guests can also walk to the summit about 9 kilometers from the main gate (where 2WD vehicles may be left). You however require an armed Kenya Wildlife Service ranger with you to protect you from any encounters with buffalo, as they are actually very dangerous. The walk to the summit takes around 3 hours.

Kenya Wildlife Service ranger must be booked through the warden and a small fee is payable for their services. There is one camping site in the park. Visitors should approach the park via the lovely Fourteen Falls on the Chania River. The graves of Sir William Northrop Macmillan (1872-1925) and his wife Lady Lucie lie near the summit.

The American had arrived in Kenya in 1901 for big game hunting and had played host to Roosevelt during the latter’s 1911 safari. The ranch “Juja Farm” where he hosted Roosevelt is popular among film crews. The couple is known for creating the Macmillan Library in central Nairobi. Visitors can also observe animals like the baboon, colobus, bushbuck, impala, duiker, and a variety of birds.

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park day tour departs at 08:00 hours from Nairobi – drive north and on the Thika town and proceed to the park and explore. Later have lunch at the picnic site then proceed to 14 falls (fourteen falls) via pineapple plantations,  mid-afternoon proceeding to Nairobi arriving in the evening.

7 km along the road that leads to the summit lies the grave of Sir William Northrup McMillan, a wealthy American farmer. Here also rests his wife, her maid, and the family dog.

Born in St Louis, USA, Sir McMillan was nearly seven feet tall and reputedly so fat that he had to walk through most doors sideways (his First World War sword belt measured five feet four inches).

The first person to experiment with the domestication of wild game in Africa, Sir McMillan also attempted to breed wildebeest on his farm, juja, a large estate at the foot of the mountain. Extrovert and sociable, he made the top of 0l Donyo his social domain where he dispensed a degree of hospitality that became almost legendary.

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States (1901- 1909), stayed at juja in 1909 while on safari in Kenya. Sir McMillan decided the mountain was the most fitting place for his own burial.’He was buried on Ol Donyo Sabuk.

The hearse was made with skis on the bottom and a tractor-pulled it up the hill, followed by the mourners. Many cars burned out their clutch plates, so the burial took place there instead of at the top, which had been the original plan.

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