Hello human👋🏽,

For a while I’d always wanted to summit Mt.Kenya, to be among the chosen few who went near God & came back to tell the tale. On Dec 29th 2021, i started my journey of concurring Mt Kenya. My hope was to be able to fulfill my dream while also pushing myself beyond my comfort zone.

It was an interesting journey. From it i learnt and discovered new things about myself. Below are some of the key lessons that i learnt:

• At some point the journey may seem impossible to complete but there is power in taking one step at time.
• You can do it alone and you can also do it with others. Either or both is okay, just do you.
• You’re your biggest cheerleader, no one will push or motivate you better than yourself.

I was at Mt. Kenya for 4 days & 3 nights, below is a narration for each day. It contains a brief view of each day’s activities & my best & worst experiences. Enjoy😊.

Day 1: Chogoria gate to Lake Ellis

We arrived at Chogoria gate at 2PM, we had lunch and packed our bags. Our hike to lake Ellis started at around 3PM. It was a smooth hike with lots of small steep hikes😥. We had a couple of rests along the way as we bonded & formed new friendships. We arrived at Lake Ellis at around 7;30pm. At lake Ellis we’re welcomed by a galaxy of stars, bonfire & warm food.

The best:

• A fully set camp, not a big fan of pitching tents
• Delicious dinner

The worst:

• Getting used to the cold🥶
• Sleeping on a mat thinner than my yoga mat😕

Day 2: Lake Ellis to Mintos Camp

I had anticipated to wake up early and watch the sun rise, this didn’t happen. I choose sleep over lake Ellis’s sun rise😂(PS: if you know me you know i can choose sleep over anything). The day started at 6AM with a mini photo-shoot & a walk along lake Ellis, then we had breakfast and packed our belongings. Our hike towards Mintos camp started shortly after. It was a 8 hour hike🙆🏽‍♀️.

The best

• Walking along Lake Ellis in the morning while enjoying breathing views
• The route to Mintos camp is scenic & very therapeutic
• Delicious food

The worst;

• Walking & walking with no site of Mintos Camp. At some point i was mad at Mike (the organizer) for lying to me that Mintos was only 2 KMs away, while in real sense it was 5kms away.
• The cold, the cold🤬. Ellis was freezing cold, camp Mintos was ice freezing cold.
• Packing & unpacking😥. Why is it that at the beginning everything fits well into a bag but after unpacking the same things never seem to fit into the same bag? Why?

Day 3: Mintos Camp to Lenana peak & back

Imagine waking up at 1AM, just to hike in the dark at 4100mts ASL & the temperature is on the -ves. Oh! this was me on this day. I actually wore all my hiking clothes and i was still cold, smh.

As much as this was the summit day, it wasn’t my favorite day. On this day we tested our hiking gears, we confirmed whether they were actually waterproof or someone had played a number on us. Remember those adventurous & hiking spirits that i usually tell you to come with during hikes? yes? they were also tested on this day and the results were … acha tu😂👉🏽. Just after Harris tarn i quit, i refused to continue with hike. I was done with everything. I didn’t care about my dream anymore, all i wanted was to go back home & never to return to Mt.Kenya again. Were it not for our guide & Duncan https://www.instagram.com/bettduncan_/, I couldn’t have summited. I’m glad they didn’t let me do me😂.

The best:

• Summiting Mt.Kenya Lenana peak & being near God🤗.
• Enjoying breathtaking views from Lenana peak.
• Seeing and feeling snow for the first time. Not counting the fridge’s😆.
• Descending while enjoying the beautiful Mt Kenya floral & fauna that we didn’t see while hiking up.

The worst;

• Hiking in the dark; you have no idea where you are, what you’re stepping on and where you are at.
• Sleeping for 8hrs on a thin mat.
• The cold,

Day 4: Mintos Camp to Chogoria Gate

This was my favorite day because i was going home to a hot shower and a warm bed. On this day i made a decision that me & my bed are not divorcing anytime soon.

It was an easy hike full of stories and laughter.

My best

• Beautiful surroundings: lake Michelson, Nithi falls & Nithi caves

The worst;

• None, i was going home & i wasn’t looking for any.

Cost

I used a tours & travels company, AdventureGo_Kenya https://www.instagram.com/adventurego_kenya/. The total cost was Ks 32,500, inclusive of:

• Transport from Nairobi & back
• Full-board meals
• Accommodation in a tent, sharing
• Park fees
• Porters fee
• Guide fee

What would like to know more about hiking Mt Kenya?

Happy Easter😊