How tall is Mount Kenya?
Mount Kenya is Kenya's highest mountain and the second highest in Africa. Its highest summit is Batian at 5,199 m. Nelion, the second peak, is 5,188 m. Both are technical rock climbs. Point Lenana, the usual trekking goal, is lower at 4,985 m.
When people ask about the height of Mount Kenya, they usually mean Batian. When they plan a trek, they usually mean Point Lenana. A Lenana trek does not reach the highest point, so keep the two numbers apart. Batian, Nelion and Point Lenana are three summits of one massif, not three separate highest mountains of Africa.
Mount Kenya facts: the peaks compared
One massif, three summits, two ways to climb.
| Summit | Height | How you reach it |
|---|---|---|
| Batian | 5,199 m | Technical climbing, North Face Standard Route |
| Nelion | 5,188 m | Technical climbing, Normal Route via the south-east face and ridge |
| Point Lenana | 4,985 m | High-altitude trek, with frozen scree and a short scramble |
| Kilimanjaro (for comparison) | 5,895 m | Details on the comparison page |
For most visitors, the number that matters is 4,985 m at Point Lenana, the end of a Mount Kenya trek. Climbers with rock skills look to Batian and Nelion. The climbing grade of the easiest main summit lines is UIAA IV. Read more on Batian and Nelion and Point Lenana.
Our pick: over Point Lenana in six days
This trek crosses the mountain over Point Lenana, the highest point a trekker reaches. Batian and Nelion are higher but need climbing skills.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Mount Kenya treks and tours
Guided treks to Point Lenana and trips around the mountain, with current prices and availability.
An extinct volcano that was once taller
Where the mountain comes from.
Mount Kenya is an extinct volcano. Its volcanic activity ended about 2.6 to 3.1 million years ago. It is thought to have stood at roughly 6,500 m earlier.
The mountain you see today rises through zones, from forest and bamboo to heath and moorland and then the afro-alpine zone with giant lobelias and groundsels. These are not sharp lines, and they vary on each slope. For the plants and animals, see animals and plants.
What the height means for you
Height is the main risk on a trek.
Camp heights
Old Moses on the Sirimon route is at about 3,350 m and Shipton's at about 4,250 m. On Naro Moru, Met Station is at about 3,050 m and Mackinder's Camp at about 4,200 m. Hall Tarns on the Chogoria side are at 4,230 m.
Sleeping height
Above 3,000 m, general medical guidance is to raise your sleeping height by no more than 500 m per night and to add a rest day for each 1,000 m. See the route comparison for stages.
Altitude sickness
Headache with nausea, tiredness or dizziness after a gain in height can be a sign. Do not sleep higher with symptoms, and go down if they worsen. Breathlessness at rest or loss of coordination can be a severe emergency.
Cold and weather
The weather page shows the rainy seasons and the months for walking and climbing.
More Mount Kenya facts
Names, listing and location.
The mountain has older names: Kĩrĩnyaga for the Kikuyu and Embu, and Kîrîmaara for the Meru. Traditions give more than one meaning for these names. The mountain is a World Heritage site, listed in 1997. In 2013 the listing was extended to include the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy and the Ngare Ndare Forest Reserve, which remain separate places to visit.
The national park lies in the counties of Nyeri, Tharaka Nithi, Kirinyaga, Embu and Meru. The three main gates are about 188 to 210 km from Nairobi by road. More on this in getting there, and the history page tells how the mountain was named and climbed.
Mount Kenya or Kilimanjaro: how the heights compare
Two peaks, two different kinds of climb.
Kilimanjaro stands at 5,895 m. A fair comparison names the exact summits: Point Lenana at 4,985 m against Uhuru Peak at 5,895 m, or Batian at 5,199 m against the same summit. Mount Kenya has several pronounced rock peaks, cirques and mountain lakes, while Kilimanjaro is a volcanic massif above the surrounding plain. For route and climb details on that mountain, see Kilimanjaro facts, and for the choice between the two read Mount Kenya or Kilimanjaro.
More on the mountain
Pages that go deeper.
Mount Kenya height: frequently asked questions
What is the height of Mount Kenya?
The highest summit, Batian, is 5,199 m. Nelion is 5,188 m, and Point Lenana is 4,985 m.
Is Mount Kenya the highest mountain in Africa?
No. It is the second highest in Africa and the highest in Kenya. Kilimanjaro, at 5,895 m, is higher.
How exact is the height of Point Lenana?
This guide uses 4,985 m. The KWS park page gives 4,984 m, so a difference of one metre between sources is normal.
Can I walk to the highest point?
No. Batian is a technical climb. Trekkers go to Point Lenana.
Is Mount Kenya still a volcano?
It is an extinct volcano. Its activity ended millions of years ago.