Marsabit Mountain Forest: An Island of Green in the Northern Kenya Desert
Marsabit Mountain forest is the most remote and extraordinary montane forest in Kenya. This cloud forest rises from the surrounding semi-arid desert floor to 1,707 metres on the extinct volcanic cone of Marsabit Mountain. Marsabit Mountain forest creates a microclimate island of rain and mist in a desert that receives barely 200 millimetres of annual rainfall at the surrounding lowland level. The forest receives 800 to 1,000 millimetres of mist precipitation annually from the northeast monsoon clouds that condense on the mountain. Marsabit Mountain forest holds elephant, greater kudu, colobus monkey, leopard, lion, and a remarkably diverse bird community in this isolated forest refuge. Lake Paradise crater lake sits at the heart of Marsabit Mountain forest in a scene of extraordinary beauty.
Marsabit Mountain forest is protected within Marsabit National Park and the surrounding Marsabit National Reserve. The park covers 1,554 square kilometres including the mountain forest and the surrounding semi-arid scrub. Marsabit Mountain forest is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service with support from the adjacent Marsabit town community. Access to Marsabit Mountain forest requires driving from the lowland desert edge up the mountain road through the changing vegetation zones from dry acacia scrub to cedar and podocarpus forest over approximately 30 kilometres.
Marsabit Mountain Forest Wildlife
Elephant at Marsabit Mountain Forest
Marsabit Mountain forest is historically famous for its elephant population of very large tusked bulls. Ahmed of Marsabit was the most celebrated individual in this Marsabit Mountain forest elephant population. Ahmed was declared a national monument by President Kenyatta in 1970 and given a presidential personal bodyguard of KWS rangers for the remaining years of his life. Ahmed died of natural causes at Marsabit Mountain forest in 1974. His preserved body is on display at the Nairobi National Museum. The Ahmed legacy defines the Marsabit Mountain forest identity more than any other single wildlife story. The current Marsabit Mountain forest elephant population maintains the exceptional tusk quality for which the site is historically famous.
Marsabit Mountain forest elephants use the highland forest as their primary refuge during the dry season heat. The forest elephants descend to the surrounding semi-arid scrub at night to feed on the more abundant lowland vegetation. Morning Marsabit Mountain forest game drives catch these elephant groups at the forest edge as they prepare to ascend into the cool forest after the overnight lowland feeding. The Marsabit Mountain forest elephant family groups are individually recognised by the KWS ranger team. This individual knowledge is shared with visitors on guided Marsabit Mountain forest game drives for the most informative elephant encounter context.
Greater Kudu at Marsabit Mountain Forest
Marsabit Mountain forest holds one of the finest greater kudu populations in northern Kenya. The Marsabit Mountain forest terrain of rocky hillsides and forest edge scrub is ideal greater kudu habitat. Greater kudu at Marsabit Mountain forest is encountered most reliably in the dawn and dusk activity periods. The Marsabit Mountain forest greater kudu adult male with his spiral horns against the cedar forest background creates one of the most impressive northern Kenya wildlife photography compositions. Female greater kudu at Marsabit Mountain forest move in small family groups in the denser forest understorey sections. Marsabit Mountain forest kudu tracking with a KWS ranger guide produces very close encounter opportunities in the forest sections inaccessible to vehicles.
Colobus monkey inhabits the Marsabit Mountain forest canopy in abundant groups. The black and white colobus family groups crash through the cedar and fig tree canopy above the Marsabit Mountain forest tracks throughout the day. Syke’s monkey and olive baboon also inhabit the Marsabit Mountain forest understorey sections. These Marsabit Mountain forest primate species create constant movement and calling in the forest canopy. Marsabit Mountain forest bird species include Hartlaub’s turaco, African emerald cuckoo, and several other highland forest specialities rarely seen in the more visited Kenya highland forest areas.
Marsabit Mountain Forest Lakes
Lake Paradise at Marsabit Mountain Forest
Lake Paradise is a volcanic crater lake at the heart of the Marsabit Mountain forest. This permanently full lake occupies a perfectly circular crater in the upper Marsabit Mountain forest at approximately 1,100 metres altitude. Lake Paradise at Marsabit Mountain forest is surrounded by dense cedar forest and doum palm on the crater walls. The lake was made famous by Martin and Osa Johnson who filmed and photographed here in 1921 during Africa’s first major wildlife photographic expedition. The Johnsons’ camp at Lake Paradise Marsabit Mountain forest inspired the first internationally distributed wildlife images from East Africa. The lake has barely changed since the Johnson period. The same Marsabit Mountain forest cedar trees and elephant herds at the water edge are present today as in the Johnsons’ photographs.
Lake Paradise Marsabit Mountain forest is accessible by a steep forest track from the main park road. The lake surface is visible from the crater rim before descending to the water edge. Elephant herds at Lake Paradise Marsabit Mountain forest drink from the shallows in the late afternoon. The lake surface reflection of the forest-covered crater walls creates extraordinary photography conditions. Marsabit Mountain forest birds at Lake Paradise include African fish eagle, malachite kingfisher, and grey heron at the lake margins. The combination of the pristine crater lake, the surrounding forest, and the elephant presence makes Lake Paradise one of the most beautiful single sites in Kenya’s northern parks.
Marsabit Mountain Forest Visit
Marsabit Mountain forest is reached by charter aircraft from Nairobi Wilson Airport to Marsabit in 90 minutes. Road access from Isiolo via the A2 highway takes one to two days depending on road conditions. Marsabit Mountain forest accommodation includes the KWS-managed Marsabit Lodge adjacent to Lake Paradise. This lodge provides basic but functional accommodation with electricity and meals. The Marsabit Lodge at Marsabit Mountain forest has a waterhole that attracts elephant, greater kudu, and forest birds from the surrounding trees throughout the day. A Marsabit Mountain forest programme of two to three nights covers Lake Paradise, the forest elephant encounter, and the surrounding semi-arid scrub in a comprehensive northern Kenya highland programme.
The Marsabit Mountain forest experience combines most productively with a Chalbi Desert salt flat excursion for the complete northern Kenya highland and desert landscape contrast. The transition from the Marsabit Mountain forest mist cloud above to the white Chalbi Desert salt flat visible below creates the most dramatic single landscape juxtaposition available in Kenya. A three to four night Marsabit programme combining Marsabit Mountain forest, Lake Paradise, and the Chalbi Desert expedition constitutes one of Kenya’s most rewarding remote wilderness circuits.
Plan Your Safari
Fly charter from Nairobi to Marsabit and base a two to three night Marsabit Mountain forest programme at Marsabit Lodge. Include Lake Paradise, the forest elephant game drive, and a greater kudu walking session in the programme. Combine Marsabit Mountain forest with the Chalbi Desert excursion for the most complete northern Kenya wilderness experience.
African Wild Trekkers designs Marsabit Mountain forest programmes combining Lake Paradise, elephant game drives, and the Chalbi Desert expedition. We arrange charter flights, book Marsabit Lodge, and create northern Kenya circuits combining the mountain forest with the wider desert and lake landscape.
Contact African Wild Trekkers to explore Marsabit Mountain forest. We respond within 24 hours and design northern Kenya programmes accessing this extraordinary desert island of mist forest at the heart of Kenya’s most remote landscape.
