Mount Suswa is a

shield volcano A shield volcano is a type of volcano named for its low profile, resembling a warrior's shield lying on the ground. It is formed by the eruption of highly fluid (low viscosity) lava, which travels farther and forms thinner flows than the more v ...

in the

Great Rift Valley, Kenya The Great Rift Valley is part of an intra-continental ridge system that runs through Kenya from north to south. It is part of the Gregory Rift, the eastern branch of the East African Rift, which starts in Tanzania to the south and continues nor ...

. It is located between

Narok Narok (sometimes referred to as Narok Town) is a town west of Nairobi that supports Kenya's economy in south-west of the country, along the Great Rift Valley. Narok is the district capital of the Narok County and stands as the major centre of ...

and

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...

, the capital of Kenya. The northwestern part of Mount Suswa is in

Narok County Narok County is a county in Kenya with an estimated population of 1,157,873 according to 2019 Census, with the dominant ethnic group being the Maasai. Its capital and largest town is Narok. The other major urban centre in Narok County is Kilgor ...

, while the eastern and southern part are in

Kajiado County Kajiado County is a county in the former Rift Valley Province of Kenya. As of 2019, Kajiado county spanned an area of 21,292.7 km2, with a recorded population of 1,117,840. The county borders Nairobi and to its south it borders the Tanzan ...

. The town with the same name,

Suswa Suswa is a small town along the main road from Nairobi to Narok town and at the foot of Mount Suswa in Narok County. Suswa is also a ward in Narok East sub-county. The Suswa sub-station is located just outside town and electricity that is generat ...

, is just northwest of the mountain and it is the main access point for visits to the mountain.

Physical features

Mount Suswa has a unique double

crater Crater may refer to: Landforms *Impact crater, a depression caused by two celestial bodies impacting each other, such as a meteorite hitting a planet *Explosion crater, a hole formed in the ground produced by an explosion near or below the surfac ...

with a moat-like inner crater surrounding a tilted block of rock. The mountain is also known for its

lava tube A lava tube, or pyroduct, is a natural conduit formed by flowing lava from a volcanic vent that moves beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow. If lava in the tube empties, it will leave a cave. Formation A lava tube is a type of lava ca ...

s on the northeast side of the outer crater. Suswa

Flora and Fauna

The inner crater is home to a variety of snakes species. Other wildlife of interest found on or near Mount Suswa includes zebras, giraffes, mongooses, turtles, hyenas and leopards.

Mountaineering and Tourism

It is possible to drive up the lesser-end of the mountain into the outer crater with a

four-wheel-drive Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...

vehicle or motorbike; however, there are numerous barricades across the trail where local Masaai try to collect a fee for allowing you through. Arrangements can be made to pay a set fee and get a guide to take you past the barricades. It is also possible to climb the mountain, which has a 2,356-meter summit. There are no specified paths, but Mount Suswa is best accessed from the mountain from the north and northeast. The Suswa Primary school, located at the base of the mountain, is another practical starting point. Also, there are many Masaai homesteads surrounding the base of the mountain; it is recommended to introduce yourself to the head of the family if your route crosses such. With the exception of Rauch's Trail, there are no designated pathways to the summit. However, the Masaai do graze cattle on the mountain's grasslands, making for the occasional route. The peak can be reached on foot by following Rauch's Trail, which begins approximately one-and-a-half kilometers from the summit, from the northeast. Rauch's Trail is marked with a wooden sign, overlooking the crater. The network of lava caves on the east side of the mountain can also be visited and some of these caves are inhabited by baboons. The BBC documentary 'The Great Rift: Africa's Wild Heart', shows baboons entering one of these caves to seek shelter from leopard; this underground chamber in the rocks has been nicknamed 'baboon parliament'.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suswa Lava tubes Mountains of Kenya Polygenetic shield volcanoes Volcanoes of Kenya Volcanoes of the Great Rift Valley

Physical features

Flora and Fauna

Mountaineering and Tourism

See also

References