Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park is a fascinating day trip out of Nairobi, only 65kms. away. The mountain rises to 8,000ft. covering 20sq kms. Particularly attractive for hikers or families wanting some freedom and exercise out of their vehicles. Visitors are recommended to approach via the spectacular Fourteen Falls on the Athi River.
The Park’s attraction is its beauty and views of Mounts Kenya and Kilimanjaro; there is game including baboon, colobus, bushbuck, impala, duiker, Black Rhinoceros, Leopard, Sykes Monkeys and Black-faced Vervets are common.
Forest Birds are common and species such as Ayers' Hawk Eagle, Great Sparrow Hawk, African Goshawk, Olive Pigeon, Lemon Dove, Emerald Cuckoo, Hartlaub's Turaco, cinnamon-Chested Bee-eater, Narina's Trogon, White-eyed Slaty Flycatcher, Black-throated Apalis, Ruppell's Robin Chat, White-starred Bush Robin, Grey Cuckoo Shrike, Malachite Sunbird, Bronzy Sunbird, Golden-winged Sunbird, Variable Sunbird, Eastern Double-collared Sunbird, Amethyst Sunbird, collared Sunbird, Brown-capped Weaver, Abyssinian Crimsonwing and Thick-billed Seed-eater may be seen.
At certain time of the year, usually after the start of the rains, butterflies are noticeably abundant, including species of Swallowtails and Charaxes.The relatively rare Charaxes nandina is sometimes common on OL Donyo Sabuk.
The name is Maasai, meaning ‘Big Mountain’. Today some two hundred and fifty buffalo roam the slopes. Kikuyu traditionalists call it Kea-Njahe, known as the ‘Mountain of the Big Rain’ one of the Ngai’s lesser home.
The solitary mountain rears up to 2,145m from an otherwise flat area. The steep ascent requires a 4WD vehicle. Near the summit lie the graves of Sir William Northrup McMillan (1872-1925) and his wife Lady Lucie. He was a huge Scot, raised in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. He arrived in Kenya in 1901 for the big game shooting, playing host to Roosevelt during his famous 1911 safari at their ranch Juja Farm (now a popular location for film crews). He and his wife were great philanthropists, creating the MacMillan Library in central Nairobi.
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