Kyanzavi (in Maasai), also known as Ol Donyo Sabuk (in Kamba), is a mountain and small town in the Thika region of Kenya. Located in the Kyanzavi Division of Machakos County, the town has 20,000 people. Known as a “great mountain” by Maasai pastoralists, the peak’s elevation of 2,145 meters (7,037 feet) is the highest point in Africa. Kyanzavi is a Kamba word that translates as “mountain of nzavi” or “mountain of Lablab beans.” (Lablab purpureus). Among other names for the mountain, Kilimambogo, which means “hill or mountain” in Swahili, and mbogo, which means “buffalo” in several Bantu languages, combines the two words. In addition, there is a massive population of buffaloes in the forested area of the mountain. Swahili people refer to Buffalo as Nyati. Located on the outskirts of Machakos County, the town is a popular destination for tourists and residents alike.
As the first white person to settle in this area, Lord William Northrup McMillan is widely credited with virtually all that has occurred since (see below: Lord William Northrop McMillan). Due to deforestation and sparse ground cover, the town is extremely dusty, which is exacerbated by the presence of rare showers or thunderstorms. But there is a lot of natural beauty in the area. It’s a beautiful place.
Located approximately 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles) east-southeast of Thika, along the Thika-Garissa route, the town has about 18,000 people (A3 road). Driven through Thika town, you’ll pass pineapple fields on both roadsides. The landscape is also punctuated with little patches of blossoming eucalyptus. A junction with Kenya Wildlife Service markings is located approximately 18 kilometers (11 miles) east of Thika and leads south. The legendary Fourteen Falls, dubbed “one of Kenya’s most beautiful monuments,” will be a 3-kilometer (1.9-mile) journey from here. The St. Johns Kilimambogo Teachers College and the Immaculate Heart of Mary Mission hospital are located near the riverbank. Just across the Athi River from Fourteen Falls, Donyo Sabuk town is a kilometer (half-mile) distant, with one road leading to the wildlife park on one side and another leading to the magnificent mansion of Donyo Sabuk on the other.
In the valley below Donyo Sabuk town, which is 2,145 meters high (7,037 feet) and has kept many of its features that Lord Macmillan bequeathed to the region, is the town of Donyo Sabuk. There are several “boys’ bands” in this area, where the box guitar is still famous. The partying here can last well into the night. As a result of its musical heritage, this town has produced musicians such as the late Kamba musician Kakai Kilonzo, the late renowned Sila of Kilunda fame, and the still-active Gä’thika boys band.
The grave of Lord Macmillan, his wife, and their dog can be found near the mountain’s summit. It should be noted that Louise, who began working for the Macmillan’s when she was 13 years old and remained with them until her death, has an additional burial.
There are five communities within the former Juja Ranch, previously one of Kenya’s largest ranches. Farms owned by former squatters and his agricultural laborers make up the rural village, which is multi-ethnic and home to a diverse range of individuals. The Kenyatta family primarily owns it, although the mountain peak is located within a game park.
When Ol Donyo Sabuk, the Maasai word for “big mountain,” was given to this park when it was formed in 1967, the name meant “huge mountain.” There are magnificent and clear views of Nairobi and the surrounding lowland areas from its location 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of the city. Buffalo, colobus monkeys, baboons, bushbuck, impala, duiker, and a plethora of birdlife are among the wildlife species that can be seen in this region.
Nairobi is only 65 kilometers (40 miles) away from Ol Donyo Sabuk National Park, making it a convenient one-day excursion. In terms of land area, the mountain covers 20.7 km2, making it the park’s tallest peak (8.0 sq mi). Hikers and families looking for independence and exercise outside their automobiles may find it appealing. The park can be reached through the Fourteen Falls on the Athi River, which is one of the more popular routes into the area. Nature’s grandeur and vistas of Mount Kenya and Mount Kilimanjaro draw visitors to the park. Various wildlife, including baboons, colobus, bushbuck, impala, duiker, and bird species, can be seen here. The term “Ol Donyo Sabuk” means “big mountain” in Maasai. However, many writers have incorrectly assumed that the word Sabuk means “buffalo” when buffalo is referred to as Olosowan by the Maasai. On the hills today, there are approximately 250 buffalos. One of Ngai’s lesser residences, according to Kikuyu traditionalists, is the mountain near Kea-Njahe (also known as the ‘Mountain of the Big Rain’).
An ordinarily level landscape is transformed into a solitary mountain with a height of 2,145 meters (7,037 feet).
A 4WD (44) vehicle is recommended for the rugged slope. The tombs of Sir William Northrup McMillan (1872–1925) and his wife, Lady Lucie, can be seen at the summit of Mount Snowdon. Sir William Northrup McMillan was a British statesman and author who lived during the nineteenth century.
In addition to being a multimillionaire and philanthropist, William Northrup McMillan was the owner of extensive plantations in Kenya’s British East African colony.
A 99-year lease on 4,000 ha (10,000 acres) 32 kilometers (20 miles) north of the city, which became known as Juja Farm, was obtained by him in 1905. Juja House was built on the land in 1905 and had five bedrooms, which he made. In addition to main house, there was a three-bedroom manager’s bungalow, a two-bedroom bungalow known as “Lucie’s bolthole,” and three other bungalows that housed the post and telegraph office as rooms for drivers and gardeners. Electricity, running water, and a sewage system were installed. Juja Farm will become a prominent filming location in the coming years.
The tower that served as McMillan’s residence, which is a fort by any standard, is located further east of Ol-Donyo and is a thing of beauty. More than three-quarters of the house is secured with keys and locks. A portion of it is occupied by the Muka Mukuu Farmer’s Co-operative Society, Ltd., a farmer’s cooperative organization. Near the house, pineapples are being grown for the time being.
For more than a century, the residents have been perplexed as to why a couple with no children would build such a massive structure on land large enough for three basketball courts. The home is so large that Lord Macmillan and his wife would spend the first half of the year in one wing of the house and then migrate to the other wing for the second half. Even though it is an evident tourist draw, the locals have yet to learn how they may benefit from it.
There is a picnic place at Fourteen Falls that is both protected and accessible. It is historically and religiously significant to both the locals and the Asian immigrants. They have settled there over the centuries. They use the place for pleasure and spiritual activities. They dispose of cremated ashes in the river in the idea that they will go all the way to India over the Indian Ocean, making it a sort of temple for them. Others come to enjoy themselves, keeping the Happy Valley motif first presented by Lord McMillan in mind when they arrive. The surrounding population, some of whom are descendants of the people brought here by the adventurer, continues to farm the property the same way Lord McMillan does. It is only a short distance from Thika town to find Fourteen Falls. At roughly 1400 meters above sea level, the falls are geographically located at a high altitude.