Mount Longonot, a dormant volcano overlooking the Great Rift Valley near Lake Naivasha, offers one of Kenya’s most accessible and rewarding day hikes. The trail climbs steadily through open grassland before reaching the crater rim, with sweeping views over the Rift Valley floor.
From the rim, a full circuit around the crater takes a couple of hours and reveals the forested crater floor below, along with distant views of Lake Naivasha and the surrounding escarpments. Zebra and gazelle are often spotted grazing on the lower slopes.
The full hike, including the crater rim circuit, typically takes four to five hours and makes an excellent half-day trip from Naivasha or Nairobi.
