Lake Alice

Lakes in Meru

Lake Alice: Mount Kenya National Park

The Ithanguni (Lake Alice) and Rutundu basins, holding the same-name lakes, are both astride trachytic necks and are formed in relatively separate volcanic ashes. Their proximity to necks which have evidently been predominantly explosive in their mode of eruption suggests that they are due to phreatic explosions, a result of contact of groundwater with the lower still hot parts of the necks. Not to be confused with Lake Ellis, the 48-acres Lake Alice, sometimes known as Ithaguni Lake, occupies a crater shaped depression on the side of Ithaguni Hill about 400 ms south of Lake Rutundu. Unique to Lake Alice is the tremendous Ithaguni Hill which is the largest of the volcano cones about Mount Kenya rising to 3870 ms.

This lofty squat flat-topped cone formerly supported a small ice-cap separate from the main system to the west. The deepest sections exposing the Ithanguni Hill occur on the steep slopes southeast of Lake Alice – between the southern moraine and the cliff face. Its upper 200 ms contains mostly pale buff, yellow-brown and brown ashes. Lake Alice, the largest of the 26 small lakes and tarns in Mount Kenya National Park was named after the famed English noblewoman Alice Montacute, 5th Countess of Salisbury, 6th Baroness Monthermer and the 4th Baroness Montagu, who was on a safari expedition of Kenya at the time of its discovery. A tour of Lake Alice is easily combined with a recce of Lake Rutundu.


Kenya is blessed with several lakes, each offering unique attractions, ecosystems, and opportunities for exploration. Shared with Uganda and Tanzania, Lake Victoria is the largest tropical lake in the world by surface area. Known for its geysers and hot springs, Lake Bogoria is among the unique lakes along Kenya’s Rift Valley. All these lakes not only provide scenic beauty but also support diverse ecosystems.


Famous for its wildlife, rich agricultural lands, and stunning natural attractions, Meru County, on the north-eastern slopes of Mount Kenya, is the immemorial enclave of the Ameru nation. Inhabited mainly by the sub-tribes of Imenti, Tigania, Igembe, and Tharaka, Meru County has one of the best developed touring circuits.

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What’s The Air Like In Meru?

The topography of Meru County has a critical influence on its climate. Temperatures range from a low of 8 Degrees to a high of 32 Degrees Celsius during the cold and hot seasons respectively. 

Know More About Meru County…