Suswa
Encyclopedia
Suswa is a shield volcano
in the Great Rift Valley
, Kenya
. It is located between Narok
and Nairobi
, the capital of Kenya.
Suswa has a unique double crater
with a moat-like inner crater surrounding a tilted block of rock. The mountain is also known for its lava tube
caves on the northeast side of the outer crater.
It is possible to drive up the lesser-end of the mountain into the outer crater with a four-wheel-drive vehicle, 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. The inner crater is home to a variety of snakes species. Other wildlife of interest found on or near Mt. Suswa includes zebras, giraffes, mongooses, turtles, hyenas and leopards.
It is also possible to climb the mountain, which owns a 2,356-meter summit. There are no specified paths, but 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.
Shield volcano
A shield volcano is a type of volcano usually built almost entirely of fluid lava flows. They are named for their large size and low profile, resembling a warrior's shield. This is caused by the highly fluid lava they erupt, which travels farther than lava erupted from more explosive volcanoes...
in the Great Rift Valley
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. It is located between Narok
Narok
Narok is an town west of Nairobi that supports Kenya's economy in south-west Kenya, along the Great Rift Valley. Narok is the district capital of the Narok County and stands as the major centre of commerce in the district. Narok has a population of around 40,000 people, mostly Maasai...
and Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, the capital of Kenya.
Suswa has a unique double crater
Volcanic crater
A volcanic crater is a circular depression in the ground caused by volcanic activity. It is typically a basin, circular in form within which occurs a vent from which magma erupts as gases, lava, and ejecta. A crater can be of large dimensions, and sometimes of great depth...
with a moat-like inner crater surrounding a tilted block of rock. The mountain is also known for its lava tube
Lava tube
Lava tubes are natural conduits through which lava travels beneath the surface of a lava flow, expelled by a volcano during an eruption. They can be actively draining lava from a source, or can be extinct, meaning the lava flow has ceased and the rock has cooled and left a long, cave-like...
caves on the northeast side of the outer crater.
It is possible to drive up the lesser-end of the mountain into the outer crater with a four-wheel-drive vehicle, 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. The inner crater is home to a variety of snakes species. Other wildlife of interest found on or near Mt. Suswa includes zebras, giraffes, mongooses, turtles, hyenas and leopards.
It is also possible to climb the mountain, which owns a 2,356-meter summit. There are no specified paths, but 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.