Day Trip to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park

Nairobi Day Tour Excursion

(Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park is a common one-day trip out of Nairobi, only 65 kilometers (40 mile) away. Ol Donyo Sabuk, means large mountain in the Masai language is a solitary mountain rising to 2,145 meters (7,037 feet) from an otherwise flat area.)

Day Trip to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park Day Trip View Rates, Discounted Prices - Book & Save Now!

Day Trip to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park makes for a nice day trip from Nairobi, being located just 65 km from the city. The name refers to the solitary mountain standing in this park and rising to a height of 2,145m (about 7037 feet).

The park covers an area of around 20 square kilometers. Ol Donyo Sabuk is Masai and means "Mountain of Buffalo" - about 250 buffaloes can be found on the slopes today. The Kikuyu tribesmen call the mountain Kea-Njahe, or the "Mountain of the Big Rain", and consider it as one of the homes of the Supreme Being Ngai.

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park Day Tour Highlights:
Montane landscape, Hiking, Wildlife watching, Butterfly Kingdom, Unusual burial site to the grave of Sir William Northrup McMillan, Geology, Abundant bird life among many other features.

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park Day Itinerary
Meeting time and Departure time: 0800 hours. We will leave the capital city and travel towards the central highlands of Thika.

Only 80 Kilometers from the City Center, Oldonyo Sabuk is rugged, hump-backed outcrop of ancient rock jutting high above the Athi Plains and hazily visible from Nairobi, Ol Donyo Sabuk is a densely forested mountain known to the local Kikuyu as 'The Mountain of the Buffalo', and to the Masai as 'The Big Mountain'.

Just one road leads to its summit, which offers magnificent 360' panoramas over the Athi River, the pineapple fields of Thika and the snow-capped peaks of both Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya. Within easy reach of Nairobi, the lush vegetation and cool air of this compact and scenic National Park make for an ideal day trip.

A picnic lunch will be provided by the Crocodile Racers at the base of Oldonyo Sabuk picnic site. On our way back, pass by the famous Fourteen Falls before our return to Nairobi expected time of arrival is 1800 hours.

What to bring? Make sure you bring your spirit of adventure, comfortable trekking shoes, hooded rain jacket, extra change of clothes (t-shirt and bottom slacks), good camera to capture the moments, binoculars, sunglasses, a shading cap / hat, sun block cream, drinking water, medication you might be on, pain killers, pocket money and any other relevant item.

Day Trip to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park Rates/ Prices

Notes
* Children below 2 years - Free of charge
* Children aged 12 years and above, adult rate applies

Day Trip to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park Price includes:

* Transport to Oldonyo Sabuk and back to Nairobi

* Park Entrance fees

* Picnic Lunch

Day Trip to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park Price Excludes:

* Drinks

* Tips & Gratuities

* Medical cover & personal insurance

* Any other item not mentioned in the “inclusive list”

Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park

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 4X4 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.

KWS rangers 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, and duiker and a variety of birds.

08:00 hours depart Nairobi – drive north and on the Thika town, visit the Chania falls before you proceed to14 falls (fourteen falls) via pineapple plantations, relax by the falls having your lunch explore the park in the afternoon and have a rest at the picnic site before proceeding to Nairobi arriving in the late afternoon.
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Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park unusual burial site
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 0l 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.

Booking & Reservations for Day Trip to Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park, Thika - Kenya

African Spice Safaris

Booking Office Tel: + 254 (0) 20 2437871

Email: info@africanspicesafaris.com