Mount Kenya is the second highest mountain in Africa. Located about 150 km north-northeast of the capital Nairobi and just 16.5 kilometres south of the equator, the mountain's highest peaks are Batian, Nelion, and Point Lenana. Historically situated in the former Eastern and Central provinces, the massif now serves as the intersection of Meru, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, and Tharaka Nithi counties. The area was officially gazetted as the Mount Kenya National Park in 1949 and was later designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 for its outstanding natural beauty and ecological significance. Today, the park and its surrounding forest reserve are managed by the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Kenya Forest Service as a critical sanctuary for endangered species and a primary water tower for the region.